Alumnus is Assistant Director of Athletic Video Productions at Baylor University Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Meet Matthew Desmond
Degree earned: Double major in broadcasting reporting and broadcast production and media management, 2012
Job title and employer: Assistant Director of Athletic Video Productions, Baylor University
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Now living in: Waco, Texas
High School: Avonworth High School
College activities: National Broadcasting Society, The Pittsburgh Center for Sports Media and Marketing, U-View, WPPJ, Campus Life
Hobbies/interests: Volleyball, soccer, photography, traveling
Twitter: @mjdesmo
Why did you choose to attend Point Park?
I attended a high school journalism workshop at Point Park when I was a junior in high school. I really enjoyed the student-to-faculty connection. I never felt like a number in the broadcasting program. All of my professors wanted to see me excel at the next level. It was enriching that I was able to start taking classes in my major when I was a freshman; that was a big selling point to pursue my degree at Point Park.
List any internship experiences you had as a student.
I was an intern at KDKA-TV in the sports department.
What was it like going to school in Downtown Pittsburgh?
I really fell in love with the urban setting in Downtown Pittsburgh. It was great for my double major; I was able to network with major industry figures within walking distance of campus.
How did the education and training you received at Point Park prepare you for your career?
I believe the video production class - taught by Jesse Colaizzi - was the class I look back at now and realize that I wanted to be behind the scenes in the television industry. Jesse is the person I look up to the most and was my role model at Point Park.
Mike Fetchko and Tom McMillan, co-directors of The Pittsburgh Center for Sports Media and Marketing, were also a helping hand through my career at Point Park. I realized that learning your craft at Point Park is great, but how you market yourself is a very important asset of how you evolve as a professional.
What's a typical day like for you?
A typical day varies for me. On game days I am preparing content to be used in tier three productions throughout the day. Once game time rolls around I serve as the technical director for women's basketball, softball and women's soccer.
When I am not preparing for a game day I am working on editing together commercials, in-game features, animated headshots and highlight videos for upcoming games. In addition, I am able to work with students who are interested in working in the electronic media field. It is a great feeling to give back to students, simply because I was in their shoes once before and having a great mentor is essential to their college experience.
What are your career goals?
The future is up to me to decide, I prepare for it each day. Selecting one goal would be limiting myself. I believe the opportunities are limitless, if you work hard and maintain a great working relationship you will be rewarded.
Anything else you would like to add?
Yes, I would like to say to students looking to get into this field, you must NETWORK! First impressions are key in this industry. This is a very tight-knit profession to work in; making the wrong impression can cost you. Make sure to work hard, be polite and be patient with others. Finally, get a business card and start becoming your biggest fan. If you are not a fan of yourself, then what does that say to someone who is trying to hire you? It will help you boost your confidence and become the hard-working individual that you desire to be.