Broadcasting Student Finds Success On and Off the Air
Published: October 07, 2014 | Author: Jessica Young | Read Time: 3 minutes
Possibly coming soon to a studio near you, Southern Utah University broadcasting student Kelcy Faimalo who because of her exceptional internships may have already had her delivering your news straight to your TV, newspaper or radio.
Getting her start at SUU’s student run SUTV she began operating cameras, writing scripts, producing segments and anchoring news. Faimalo then seamlessly transferred her skills to a broader audience when she received her first internship with Emery County’s ETV 10 in 2013.
“Working for my home news station was a great experience,” said Faimalo, who is originally from Huntington, Utah. “I was able to be a multi-media reporter, meaning I was writing news articles and producing radio and TV segments. This is was real news and the county was relying on me to get it to them. I loved it.”
But Faimalo didn’t stop at one internship, the following year she was chosen as an intern for at ABC 4 Good Things Utah in Salt Lake City summer 2014.
Faimalo explained that while what she gained at ETV 10 was invaluable, getting as much experience on her résumé as possible is what would get her a profession after graduating.
She said of her time with ABC 4, “I really loved learning all the new skills, seeing what it’s like to be a in real position on the news set. It was great to go to the station everyday and to see what makes a station run.”
While with Good Things Utah Faimalo was able to work with Real Salt Lake professional soccer club and ABC’s Bachelor, allowing her to interview guests, write scripts, operating cameras and producing news segments, truly taking part in every aspect of the news production.
“Every day I was able to watch on TV what produced or helped with on the news, I just feel so proud knowing that I did that,” said Faimalo. “It is also very validating to know that I have been learning is now coming to fruition and my education won’t be a waste.”
The education that Faimalo has received from SUU has, according to her, “provided the confidence necessary to succeed.”
She added, “SUTV helped me be confident because I knew going into my internship that I could excel, and I really had the most experience compared to the interns from other universities. I have been able to gain a more in-depth experience because of SUTV, now entering the real world won’t be as scary.”
The student run SUTV studio allows students beginning their freshman year to learn the ins and outs of how news is produced, not only giving the necessary confidence but also the terminology, the skills and the résumé to thrive after graduation.
Though student run news studios are commonplace amongst universities Art Challis, Department of Communication chair, said SUU’s new studio is a rarity because its open access to all broadcasting students.
“Many programs require students be juniors or seniors before they begin working in the news studios, but by allowing any willing student to take the controls, they’re able to learn all the skills that will put them ahead of the game,” explained Challis.
And it seems to be working. SUU broadcasting alum can be seen in studios from New York City, Orlando and Salt Lake City. Brad Steinke (’83) has reported for the Miami Heat, Arizona Suns, Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks, receiving nine Emmy’s for his work. Reporting a little closer to home, Amy Nay (’98) currently is an anchor for KUTV in Salt Lake City, after getting her start with CNN and Fox News.
Building on the legacy of those who have gone before her, Faimalo is already achieving distinction when she recently secured a full tuition scholarship from Deseret Media (a news conglomerate made up of KSL, Deseret News and Deseret Book).
“This scholarship has allowed me to focus on my internship and my classes without worrying about tuition payments and part time jobs,” said Faimalo. “It took away so much pressure.”
Contact Information:
435-586-5400
Contact the Office of Marketing Communication
This article was published more than 5 years ago and might contain outdated information or broken links. As a result, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.