When senior Danny Ryan, a Sports Communication and Media major with concentrations in Sports Journalism and Radio Television & Film Sports Production, with a minor in Marketing, was considering colleges, he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do. The Woodbury, NJ (Gloucester County) native shares, “I chose Rowan because of the close proximity to […]
rowan television network
#PROFspective: A Closer Look At PULLA Tracker and its Founder Siena Rampulla
Siena Rampulla is a senior student here at Rowan University, originally from Holmdel, NJ (Monmouth County). Siena is a Psychology major, with an honors concentration and a minor in Journalism. When asked to share more about her major, Siena explained she originally planned to go on the pre-med track, which was a long-term dream of […]
Hispanic Heritage Month #PROFspective: Sports Communication Major Spencer Reyes on Inclusion at Rowan and “Never Losing” His Heritage
Today, as part of our Hispanic Heritage Month #PROFspective series, we feature senior Spencer Reyes. Spencer is majoring in Sports Communication and Media with a concentration in Radio/TV/Film and minoring in Communication Studies. He is from Old Bridge, NJ (Middlesex County) a first generation college student, and a transfer student from Middlesex College.
What is your student experience here at Rowan? Do you feel included? Supported? How so? Could you highlight an example or two?
At Rowan I most definitely feel included and supported by my peers. At first it was difficult to mesh in with others because I was a transfer student; however, it became a lot easier when I started to join clubs and organizations and some friends took me under their wings.
How did you find your friend group here at Rowan?
I found my friends through clubs and organizations.
Are you involved on campus? How so?
I’m one of the two sports producers at Rowan Television Network, produce games for Rowan Radio, I am an Admissions Ambassador, an active member of Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society, I play Club Hockey, and I work for Rowan’s Athletic Communications Department.
Could you highlight a Rowan classroom or campus experience that was inclusive and made an impact on you?
An experience that was very inclusive to me was when I helped RTN cover WrestleMania last year in the Pit. Prior to the event, I had limited experience on camera and production, but had watched wrestling growing up. Our Special Events Producer at the time taught me how to succeed at each position and the event was super fun, and I was awarded member of the week for my work.
Do you have a role model or mentor here at Rowan? Who are they and how have they supported your growth?
A mentor of mine at Rowan would have to be the Director of the Center for Sports Communication and Social Impact, Neil Hartman. He commended my work in the sports industry prior to transferring to Rowan, and allows for me to contact and meet with him frequently [to talk] about how I can progress my sports career.
What advice would you give to a Hispanic/Latinx high school student considering your major here at Rowan?
I would tell them that you don’t need to feel lonely or excluded as a Hispanic/Latinx student at Rowan, especially in the Sports Communication & Media major. Everybody gets along very well and invites new students with open arms.
What are your professional goals?
My professional goal is to become a professional sports broadcaster for baseball and hockey.
If you are open to it, could you share a little about your Hispanic or Latinx heritage?
I like to think of myself as a Caribbean blend, I’m half-Dominican (from my mom’s side), a quarter Puerto Rican and a quarter Cuban (both from my dad). Although I grew up in an Italian based neighborhood in Central Jersey with pizzerias on every corner, I never lost my heritage. I still eat rice and beans on a daily basis, cook my favorite Spanish foods and desserts, visit Elizabeth and Newark, and even my family in Westchester County in Miami, FL, which I highly recommend visiting if you want some authentic Cuban dishes without leaving the country.
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Story by:
Natalie DePersia, senior public relations major
Photos courtesy of:
Spencer Reyes
Inside the Journalism Major with Joel Vazquez-Juarbe
Story by: Natalie DePersia, junior public relations major Photos by:Ashley Craven, junior sports communication and media major
Transfer to Transformed: Five Students Share
Rowan Blog celebrates National Transfer Student Week and partners with the Office of Student Success Programs in spotlighting five students who have found their new college home at Rowan University. Victoria (Tore) Butler, Elementary Education and Literacy Studies major who transferred from The University of Scranton in fall 2019 Why did you select to transfer […]
Beyond The Classroom: RTF and Sports CAM Double Major Jade Iannace on Interning for Disney and The Philadelphia Eagles
Jade Iannace is a senior Radio/Television/Film and Sports Communication and Media double major. She’s from Washington Township (Gloucester County) and transferred to Rowan her second semester freshman year. Jade has packed her college experience with memorable internship opportunities in sports and entertainment, including the Philadelphia Eagles, NFL Alumni Association, The Delaware Blue Coats and the Disney College Program.
How did you hear about your internship with the Philadelphia Eagles?
I actually had a friend from high school who worked there as a videographer. He had told me about them needing an intern for PR and he was able to get me an interview. I was actually one of the youngest interns there, I got that when I was a freshman and I was there for two seasons.
Could you share with us your responsibilities there?
I was logging and editing a lot of their game pictures and going through the archives of their older images and videos.
Out of all your internship experiences, which one has been your favorite?
The sports ones I’ve had have been really cool, but I did do the Disney College Program, which I thought was amazing. It ended early because of COVID, but the two months I was there was probably one of the coolest experiences. It was my first time living so far from home. I was living in Florida by myself, but I got to meet people from all over the world, which was awesome. Working for a big company like that was unreal.
What got you interested in sports communications?
I picked up my sports communication major my junior year. My internship with the Eagles is what pushed me to pick up that major. I was always leaning toward the film side of my major like film production and directing, but once I saw live production of sports, I thought it was amazing. I also play sports and enjoy sports myself, so I thought it would be a really cool mix of two things I love.
What is your ambition for the future?
I love traveling. I think being with a sports team or a company like that would give me a really good chance to not only pursue videography, but give me the chance to travel, see the country, and meet new people. That’s my main goal right now. I would love to produce, director, or be on camera, so I don’t have a set job in mind just yet.
Do you feel Rowan prepared you for your work experiences?
Definitely. Joining Rowan Television Network (RTN) was one of the best decisions I could make, along with pursuing the RTF and Sports CAM programs. RTN definitely prepares people with real life experience. I do “All Access with the Profs,” which is a sports talk show at Rowan. We also film events throughout Rowan, like this past year we filmed commencement, which was really big for us.
And also the professors are so awesome. Neil Hartman is one of the heads of Sports CAM, and he is so willing to help everyone get internships and make those connections, which is really helpful. I know a lot of other schools don’t really have professors and classes that will prepare you as much as Rowan does.
What advice do you have for other students looking for internships during college?
Get involved. Obviously getting a degree is super important, but especially in this field I think making connections is one of the most important things. If you don’t have connections it’s going to be hard to get your foot in the door somewhere. Even through RTN you make connections with other students, which is important because you never know who you’ll be working with in the future. Definitely get involved, join as many clubs as possible to make as many connections as you can.
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Story by:
Caitlyn Dickinson, public relations and advertising graduate
Photos courtesy of:
Jade Iannace
Header photo:
Jade (right) and Jovani Reyes host a Rowan Television Network episode of “All Access with the Profs”
Senior Reflects: Radio/TV/Film Major Joshua Hedum
Today we feature senior Radio/Television/Film (RTF) major Joshua Hedum. Joshua was a transfer from Atlantic Cape Community College and is from Cape May, NJ (Cape May County). He shares with us his journey to becoming a RTF major and his club, internship and class experiences. What is it like having a parent who went here? […]
Alumni Success: Ryan Geiger, Creative Media Business Owner and Accomplished Filmmaker
Today we speak with Ryan Geiger, who attended Rowan from 2004 to 2008. He was an RTF major and advertising minor. He now owns his own media studio called Pinch located in North Jersey. Ryan also is an independent filmmaker and has won awards in several film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival.
Can you tell us more about where you currently work?
Ryan Geiger recently opened his own media studio called Pinch. With 15 years of experience in the creative industry, Ryan created a strong network with many creative professionals. Ryan previously worked at Bingley Digital in Connecticut as the Creative Director. Bingley was bought by one of their clients, and the owner of Bingley trusted Ryan with its remaining clients.
He strongly encourages students to forge strong connections as early as possible and opportunities like this can be in their future.
Ryan remembers his first job immediately after college, proving the power of connections. Through one of his connections, Ryan went to work as an Assistant Director for Center City Film & Video (CCFV) in Philadelphia, which films commercials. Ryan enjoyed the feeling of being on a stage set with actors and how it felt so professional. Ryan shared the news about opening Pinch studio with his network and received a request from CCFV to work with that same client he worked with at CCFV.
“You never know when someone from your past is going to come to you for more work!”
“Starting your own business is way harder than it looks. You see people on Instagram; they sell cookies and go viral because [a] celebrity posts about their [product]. In all life, you [either] get lucky or you work, grind, hustle, and you make a name for yourself.”
What does your day-to-day work look like?
“When you start your own business, a lot of it is me reaching out to previous clients and new clients trying to get work. Then, it’s directing all the current workload. Working with the clients to direct digital ads, web design, a video series, or social media videos.
It’s navigating when things are due, how things get done, and who needs to work on them. I still have my hand in a lot of it. I was editing up until the minute I took this call. I’m always working on something. We [creatives] are always working, always tormented. We’re always trying to do better things. We are obsessed with looking at what other people are making and learning how they made it. It’s not an easy job.”
Can you tell me about your experience as an undergrad?
“I had a wonderful four years and that was partially due to the fact that I engrossed myself in everything. I dabbled in Rowan Radio (89.7 WGLS-FM) and had a morning radio show. I had a television show on RTN called The Rowan Update. I shot 22 episodes and it was a spin-off of “The Daily Show,” a comedy show that reports on the news. I was a Student Ambassador and I ended up becoming the Ambassador Coordinator my senior year being the leader of all of the tour guides. I could walk around campus blindfolded! I knew everything about every single building! Landmark was my local watering hole as an undergrad.”
Did you have a favorite class or professor?
As a freshman, Ryan took a philosophy class and fondly remembers the professor treating every student as an adult. The professor’s honesty, seriousness and curtness left such an impression on Ryan.
“He was the classic idea of a professor who comes in barreling through the door, yells at everybody, and writes things on the wall. It really opened my eye to philosophy, to the phrasing of sentences, and to the thought process of decision-making.”
Ryan’s favorite professor was Prof. Sheri Chinen Bieson, who wrote a book about film noir called “Blackout: World War II and the Origins of Film Noir.” Her contagious passion and giddiness about film made the class more engaging and exciting.
What was one thing about Rowan that was a happy surprise for you?
“I think the Student University Programmers really did an amazing job in finding a lot of really funny things to do and keeping people engaged. I remember a lot of my fun memories are going to all the comedian shows. They had Bob Saget to Zach Galifianakis. They had a ton of bus trips to go to Philly and to Broadway shows. All the tickets were so cheap! Coming from a guy who grew up in North Jersey, there were a lot of really funny things that I never experienced before. I hope it’s still being funded and that they are still doing awesome stuff because they really did some great programming.”
What was your journey like after Rowan?
“My journey after Rowan has been nothing but completely tumultuous, challenging and exciting times. I graduated in 2008, during the collapse of the economy and the housing market crash. It was a real psychological struggle to realize that it wasn’t as simple as I thought it was going to be.”
Ryan hustled and worked on a few TV shows and movies, but never got the breakthrough he was looking for. He continued to chase his passions in 2009, making his first feature film called “Stealing God’s Money.” It went on to win Best Feature at the Garden State Film Festival.
“It was such an encouraging and amazing thing. I was at the awards ceremony and sitting at a table with production companies that spent $100,000 on their film. One guy leaned over and he asked, ‘What was your film budget?’ I said, ‘A thousand bucks. What was yours?’ He said, ‘A hundred thousand.’”
Ryan continues: “You can do it on a scrappy budget. I made some more movies and that went on to also win film festivals and awards. Most notably, my film ‘Town Red‘ screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. That was a massive moment for me to go there, walk the red carpet, be in the same building as Leonardo DiCaprio (who was showing ‘The Great Gatsby’ that year). I even got an interview on NBC about Town Red. But, the phone doesn’t just ring because you get an interview. You still have to hustle and work hard. I didn’t let that discourage me and I still kept going down the creative direction.”
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Although Ryan loves Rowan, the journey after was not the easiest. Rowan taught him so many things but most importantly to never give up. As an alumnus, Ryan would like to help current students get involved in more real-world productions. He also hopes to offer his mentorship through the Alumni Association, offering a valuable connection to students now and in the future.
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Story by:
Marian Suganob, senior public relations and advertising double major
Advice from Cannes Festival Award-Winning Filmmaker to Radio/TV/Film Majors
Today we speak with Ryan Geiger, who attended Rowan from 2004 to 2008. He was a Radio/TV/Film major and Advertising minor. He now owns his own media studio called Pinch located in North Jersey. Ryan also is an independent filmmaker and has won awards in several film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival.
What advice would you give to students about starting their own business?
Pinch is going really well, but starting a business was so much harder than I thought it would be. When you start small, you wear all of the hats. It can make for a very stressful work environment. You have to juggle all of the balls all at once. If I had $1,000,000 in seed money, I would hire 100 people. You have to think about every single step because there is little room for mistakes.
I was a Creative Director for nine years, and after Bingley was bought out, I finally decided that I did not want to put my career in the hands of somebody else. I know this [field], and I know what I want to do. It just made sense at that moment, with the handful of clients I was trusted with, to start my own marketing studio. Earning those clients was the ultimate push to start building Pinch. Now, I’m making an animated logo for the Yankees and filming commercials for Roadwarez Backpacks, Natural Delights Medjool Dates and Vinglace Wine Chillers. I get to be a director every single day!
I think like a storyteller, not a marketer that’s focused on the numbers and packing in as much information as possible. I want people to connect with the story we show the people they’re watching and the name of the brand. Part of this has to do with the fact that I am a perfectionist and my love for the craft of making compelling stories gets me up every morning.
Every single day I’m learning something new, whether it’s how to better interact with a client or finding the right conditions to film with a drone. In my last commercial, it happened to be raining that day and the street we wanted to film on had too many wires for flying a drone. I’m problem-solving every day. I really look forward to seeing Pinch continue to grow. I hope one day to make more industry connections and possibly pivot into producing a television show or an animation.
How did you learn to be your own boss?
All of my bosses over the years have played a role in shaping the professional I am today. Also, knowing what I want to accomplish gives me drive. I want to feel proud at the end of the day, knowing that my clients are happy is what motivates me every day.
What was the most important lesson you learned after you graduated?
When I was the Creative Director at an animation studio in Brooklyn, we were always recruiting local talent or talent that came from college. It was really important to me to onboard them correctly and prepare them for the real world. This means you’re making creative [meaning creative projects or materials] for clients. You’re not making your own personal little project. In any kind of art, you go from being told by professors to look deep within yourself and create wonderful art. When you start working in the real world, you’re making art for other people. You have to start thinking about that. It’s a hard thing to accept when you step right out of college. It’s really critical that we prepare our oncoming workforce to be ready for the challenges.
When Ryan graduated and became an art director for a magazine called Hometown Quarterly in Cranford, N.J., he made ads for local businesses. He remembers the creative director slashed through his designs because they were not geared for the client’s taste. He quickly learned how to adapt to this expectation in the creative industry.
What advice would you give to a student today, especially a RTF major?
I could write a book about advice for RTF majors. I was a huge part of the RTF program. I was part of RTN and Rowan Radio. I really tried to take full advantage of everything while I was there.
If you feel embarrassed to join RTN late, it doesn’t matter. Get in there and make friends. These people are going to be your peers in the future. These people are going to eventually find work. Make friends with everybody in the RTF network. Before you graduate get their email and contact information. Don’t just rely on Facebook. People get off Facebook or become married and change their names. Go around all to all the people that you admire and have done really great stuff. Say, ‘Hey, I want to stay in contact.’
Get behind a camera. Mess with a camera. Go shoot some birds. It doesn’t matter. Write a really short little movie. This is the time to take advantage of the fact that you have all of this free work at your disposal to make movies. Always be creating because you need to walk away with something to show for yourself. All I had was my resume. I thought it was a good one because it had NBC on it. I still had done nothing to show for it. I had no real website. It’s so crucial to showcase some of your work. Post your videos.
I wish I made more movies in college. I wish I’d kept in contact with a lot of my friends and not just watched what they did on Facebook. I wish I actively kept calling them and picking their brain about how they got out to L.A. Once you go five to 10 years without talking to them, it’s hard to build a relationship back up again.
You have to think of yourself as your own little business. Even in college, you need to start building a repertoire of work. Nobody goes to art school, just takes a class and says, ‘I’ll start painting when I get my degree.’ You gotta have a gallery of work by the time you graduate.
There are so many options and roles for RTF majors. I was so pigeonholed and determined on directing films. There should be constant filmmaking on campus and pushing students to utilize the bubble that they’re in. You have talent all around you, friends who can help, and scriptwriters [from any background]. Once I graduated, no one could help me anymore with filmmaking.
At the same time, the film wasn’t like it is now with DSLRs and 4K cameras. You can grab your iPhone 12 and you can make a movie. It’s come such a long way since I graduated. You have to get on set and realize that it’s not just about directing. There are 1,000 roles on set.
Who do you hope to work with one day?
I really hope to work with Apple, Pixar and Nickelodeon one day. I created a script for Nickelodeon in the past, but I’m holding onto it because I hope to line up the right stars and the right budget for this idea. From the film festival circuit, I learned festival judges have to be very selective because almost anybody can make a movie. When recognizable names are attached to a project, they often get more attention than projects without those names. Being a perfectionist, I want to have all of my ducks lined up, and it would be really great for Pinch to be able to financially host those big names one day.
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Story by:
Marian Suganob, senior public relations and advertising double major
Meet #Rowan2025: Communication Studies and RTF Major Jared Mattio
Meet #Rowan2025 student Jared Mattio! Jared is an incoming freshman Communication Studies and Radio/TV/Film major from Laurel Springs, NJ (Camden County). He shares what he’s looking forward to coming to college and why he chose Rowan.
Welcome to Rowan! Could you share with us one thing you are looking forward in college?
Meeting new people with the same interests.
What is one hobby, activity, sport or club you were a part of in high school that you’d like to continue in college?
Live-streaming school events!
Is there anything you’re hoping to discover about yourself in college? Grow a new skill? Try a new interest? Starting a new activity, sport, or club?
Getting involved with the Rowan Television Network.
What majors are you considering and why?
I’m interested in being a Communication Studies major.
Did you tour Rowan or attend any virtual events? If so, which ones, and what did you think?
My in-person tour was canceled in 2020. I looked at stuff online. I’m going to set up an in-person tour for this spring.
Do you have advice for other high school seniors who haven’t committed to a school yet?
See if your schools are offering in-person tours yet. Look at what types of activities the school has to offer in addition to academics.
Where are you going to live next year?
I’m commuting from home!
What is one thing about Rowan itself that you liked?
I really like the commute, and it offers a degree in the area I’m interested in — Communications. I can study Radio/TV/Film.
Story by: Bianca Torres, senior music industry major
Beyond the Classroom: Martin Gonzalez on His Role with Rowan Television Network
Today we speak with senior Radio/TV/Film (RTF) major Martin Gonzalez. Martin works on numerous broadcasting projects at Rowan through the Rowan Television Network (RTN).
Senior Martin Gonzalez is a key contributor for two of Rowan Television Network’s programs titled “On the Couch” and “Rowan Roulette.” Martin is in the Radio Television and Film major and a part of Rowan University’s Cinema Workshop.
“On the Couch” is a daytime talk show that covers a range of topics from current world issues, to pop culture and fashion. They also always interview someone who is in some way involved on Rowan’s campus. “Rowan Roulette” is a game show that always has a new weekly theme. Both of these shows can be found on Rowan Television Network’s YouTube channel.
Martin was asked about his individual involvement in RTN with which he responded, “I am the floor manager/camera guy.” As a camera operator, he stated he is tasked to “frame up all the shots, make sure everything is perfect and make sure the frame is perfect medium shots of the host.”
As a floor manager of these two shows, Martin’s responsibilities can vary. He said sometimes his job is “clear the floor” while other times it includes preparing everyone for mic checks. It’s up to him to try to control the general vibe of the production so sometimes he has to do tedious work, such as telling subjects which camera to look at. When talking about these parts of his duties Martin added, “That’s also really fun, and I’m learning as I go as well.”
Although COVID-19 is still a very real concern for everyone, RTN is still safely functioning in-person. Martin actually started off the semester as a remote student and then said that after a while he started to get “the fear of missing out.” At a certain point Martin decided it was time to go back to campus safely in his mask and rejoin his RTN coworkers so that he could get back to doing what he’s passionate about.
Even though he had an initial concern about being exposed to the virus, Martin stated that he felt like “Rowan is doing a really great job right now” of allowing people to work in person in the safest way possible. He explained, “Everybody is distanced and we’re just constantly cleaning and disinfecting.”
Rowan’s RTF major offers professional level broadcasting equipment to the student run organization, RTN. This makes it an exceptional opportunity to gain experience for students with career aspirations in broadcasting. This value does not go unappreciated to Martin. When explaining his decision to come back to campus this semester he said, “I just really like to be there and get in hands on and actually feel the equipment underneath my fingers. That’s the best part about it.”
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Story by:
Luke Garcia, junior music industry major
Photos by:
Stephanie Batista, sophomore music industry major