As television news professionals from the region gathered for the Central Great Lakes Regional Emmy Awards gala over the summer, Kent State Media and Journalism (MDJ) students “ran the show” behind the scenes.
The annual event, which took place June 17, 2023, celebrates industry excellence, recognizing television news professionals from Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania who meet the highest standards in television professionalism. MDJ adjunct instructor Sam Angello, who teaches Production Fundamentals and Digital Video Editing, has been involved with the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (which produces the Emmys) for many years, and in 2023, trained Kent State students to run the backstage stream of the regional awards gala.
Students served as on-air talent and camera operators, interviewing anchors, reporters, behind-the-scenes professionals and news executives at the red-carpet gala, following their receipt of prestigious awards. Behind-the-scenes, student producers, directors, audio board operators and more produced and edited a live stream of the backstage show, which was streamed on various platforms by industry professionals across the nation. It can be viewed here:
“Students blew me away with their incredible performance,” Angello said. “I received many compliments and praises for their work — news professionals telling me how awesome they all were and how they expect great things from them in the future. It was a dream come true for me to work with such talented and passionate young people.”
All Kent State students who participated in the event underwent hours of training before the event, to ensure a successful production. They include:
- Joshua Aponte, ’25, journalism
- Estefany Boyer, ’26, digital media production
- Mason Cox, ’24, digital media production
- Mackenzie Eversole, ’26, digital media production
- Della Fowler, ’25, journalism
- Lydia McSwain, ’24, advertising
- Owen Osborne, ’24, digital media production
- Clémence Pasteur, international exchange graduate student
- Devin Parish, ’24, digital media production
- Jared Simmons, ’24, digital media production
- Benjamin Slone, ’24, digital media production
- Nick Stafford, ’25, digital media production
- Jeremiah Watson, ’26, exploratory
- Nathan Welsh, ’24, digital media production
The School of Media and Journalism would also like to thank Charlene Duncan, a former Fox 8 employee, who volunteered her time and expertise in news producing to help organize the on-air talent and flow of the show; Classic Teleproductions of Twinsburg and Mike Bacon, who donated the live truck used for production of the show; and MDJ adjunct instructor Duilio Mariola, who assisted Angello and students working production in the live truck.