#AlumniSpotlight
“I have been challenged and rewarded more than I ever imagined! I am excited to start my 20th year in radio.”

Meet Illinois Media School (formally Illinois Center for Broadcasting) 2003 alum, Program Director/Midday Host at B103/103.FM, Rockford, IL, Lisa Tyler. Like many of our graduates, she has had a great journey along the way! Lisa will tell you she always dreamed of a career in radio. Growing up in a family who were big fans of Chicago talk radio, she spent countless hours learning from a very young age.

Immediately after graduation from Illinois Media School, Lisa was hired for a full time midday position at 95Q in Decatur, IL. While there, she met with the VP of Programming for then NextMedia, and shared her ultimate goal to be in morning radio. Because of that conversation, she was recommended for a morning co-host position at a sister country station in Kenosha, WI, and shortly after, she became the morning co-host at 95 Nextmedia (95 WIIL ROCK) where from 2005-2012 she was the Lisa in the Tom & Lisa Morning Show. Lisa feels this is where she grew as a broadcaster and also had the time of her life attending countless rock shows and traveling to multiple tropical locations!

After a short break in 2012, Lisa was offered the morning co-host job at WIIL Rock sister station 102.3 XLC in Waukegan and from 2013-2018, she was the Lisa in the Jimmy & Lisa Morning Show. Gaining strong leadership skills she could see there was now opportunity for another pivot.

In 2018 Lisa was approached by former Illinois Media School Instructor Mark Zander, who encouraged her to apply for a Brand Manager position with Mid-West Family of Companies in Rockford, and that is how she landed at B103 103.1FM. While a huge challenge, Lisa feels fortunate to work with an amazing team who has helped her every step of the way.

On her career development, “I remember the incredible hands-on experience at Illinois Media School. The teachers were so passionate. I learned you get out what you put in and to work with the tools you’re given. I owe so much of where I am today to Illinois Media School. You have to be willing to work your tail off, roll with the changes, and open to move. Radio continues to evolve. There’s influencing, blogging, video production, website maintenance, event planning…you name it!

“Don’t be afraid to ask for or go for what you want. That conversation I had with the VP of Programming back in 2003 changed the course of my life and put me on the right path. Always remember, real growth happens outside your comfort zone! Best of luck, you’ve got this!”

Illinois Media School is proud of our alumni and the legacy they continue to createt in the media industry. From entry-level through career progression, our graduates shine bright!

Please Inbox National Employer Representative Lynda Leciejewski for more information.

#alumnispotlight
“Miss a Day, Miss a lot!”
Ohio Media School Cleveland Campus was thrilled and electrified to welcome 2014 Alumnus DAVID HOBBS, aka Dj Mr. MIXX, Co-founder of the group “2 Live Crew,” along with being a scratch DJ and music producer of the group. DJ Mr. Mixx enrolled at Ohio Media School (formally Ohio Center for Broadcasting) to earn the diploma that supported his experience and success.

DJ Mr. Mixx jumped right into the student group project; “Talk of the Land” TV show and was interviewed by current student Ashley Baddger. Once the interview was a wrap, this group headed to the recording studio to do some backup for DJ’s latest project.

Ohio Media School is a frequent stop for our alums and industry professionals who love to talk with our students, encourage their creativity, and provide opportunities to build their portfolios and their careers. It is an added bonus for our students who are taught hands-on by instructors who are themselves professionals in the industry.

Impressed by our studio growth and talented students, DJ Mr. Mixx looks forward to his return to campus. Everyone will be talking about this visit in the coming days, and these media students will have some great footage for their demo reels! Thank you, DAVID HOBBS, for your time and commitment.

#AlumniSpotlight
Meet Colorado Media School alumnus Michael Spillan, 2012 graduate of the Radio & TV Broadcasting program and 2019 graduate of the Sports Broadcasting program. Since graduation, Michael has been very busy!

Michael runs his own Podcasting Network, Elevation5280Sports, and hires Colorado Media School Interns, providing them a place to showcase their content, grow their following and build a network for success. Now under RockyMountainSportsNet., students can create their own 30-minute Sports Podcasts, gaining hands-on experience as they sharpen their skills.

Local Career Services Director Deborah Byrd caught up with Michael to talk about the many projects he is creating for Denver’s Sports Station, 104.3 KKFN The Fan / ESPN Radio 1600. Now enjoying his second year with this industry leader, Michael is producing many shows. With his love of sports, Michael also makes KLAHR AND KOMPANY on ESPN 1600 and has enjoyed the opportunity to host. He is also on the Producers Podcast, which features the producers at the Fan, and can be heard on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
In addition, Michael does Play by Play Announcing for NSPN.TV and the on-air Intermin Report during The University of Denver’s Hockey and Basketball game intermissions.

Michael advises students and graduates to “Take all opportunities and any shifts you are offered. Don’t turn anything down. You don’t know where these opportunities may lead you to!”

We invite you to follow Michael on Twitter: @michaelspillin and Instagram: @sportsjunkie25

Please Inbox local Career Services Director Deborah Byrd to learn more about our programs and meet our career-ready graduates.

#alumnispotlight
The Miami Media School is proud of our #Alumni and the legacy they continue to carve out in the media industry. From entry-level through career progression, Miami Media School #Alumni shine bright in the industry. We continue to shine the spotlight on our #risingstars to our #establishedmediapros.

Meet 2014 alumnus Carolina Calix, a lively, dynamic, bilingual on-air personality for HITS 97.3 Miami & HOT 101.5 Tampa. Carolina is also a freelance blogger and social media strategist.

“Carolina was born in Miami, FL, to Honduran parents and is currently on-air for HITS 97.3 Miami. Known for her unique voice and insider knowledge of celebrity news and ‘what’s trending,’ Carolina also enjoys giving back to her South Florida community. Aside from volunteering at animal shelters and beach clean-ups, she’s also a strong mental health advocate.”- Hit 97.3 Website.

Before her current role, Carolina was the producer of the Elvis Duran Morning Show for iHeartMedia. We invite you to check out Carolina on Weekends at HITS 97.3 Miami.

We wish Carolina continued success from us here at the Beonair Network of Media Schools and your MMS family.

The BeOnAir Network is very proud of our mission to provide ambitious students with hands-on training, an education of excellence, and a meaningful internship experience that will best prepare them to achieve their goals upon graduation. We enjoy sharing our graduate stories and introducing our media professionals, creating their legacies throughout the industry. What is your Alumni Story? Please connect with me here or email me at [email protected].

#AlumniSpotlight
Meet Ohio Media School (formally Ohio Center for Broadcasting) 2006 Alumni, Mike Falkenstein (Faulky), a freelance professional, who has been working in the industry since 2007, spending the majority of his time covering sports for Fox Sports as an Audio Technician, Travel ENG Camera, and Camera Operator, as well as a variety of events both locally and across the USA.

Mike began his career as a chef but always had a passion for broadcasting. He was working at a country club in North Carolina when he entered a radio contest to be on the air, and that is where his story begins. He eventually returned to Cleveland, and as one thing led to another, he enrolled at Ohio Media School. With great radio internships under his belt and a wide range of audio and video skills, former Career Services Director Gary James connected Mike to Lyon Video. This start led to his career covering games for the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, Pregame, Postgame TV, and the Republican National Committee. Additionally, early on in his career, Mike returned to campus as an Instructor Assistant, lending his skills and experience to Ohio Media School students.

Multitalented with a wide range of experience, Faulky encourages current students to take advantage of every opportunity, “Work hard and be willing to learn. In this industry, you don’t get fired; you just don’t get rehired. There are many open doors, so network and let others see you in action.”

With 16 years in the business, Faulky continues to be a part of most sporting events in northeast Ohio. A family guy who loves what he does, he is pleased that he decided to follow his dreams at Ohio Media School. Please join the Beonair Network of Media Schools and Ohio Media School in congratulating Mike Falkenstein and in wishing him continued success!

#InstructorSpotlight
Please join Ohio Media School in congratulating Film & Video Production Instructor TJ Cooley and his Crew for taking home 4 Skelly awards at the Fright Film Competition 2022 for his original film, Chickaboom.

President of Columbus Independent Filmmakers, Director, and Co-producer of a web series soon to release Dead Camper Chronicles, TJ is a multitalented filmmaker. For this award-winning entry of Chickaboom, he was the director, author, editor, co-producer, artistic director, and set and sound designer.

Taking home 4 Skelly awards which included Best Actress – Alexia Juniper Minton, Supporting Actress – Colleen O’Morrow, Supporting Actor – Patrick Johnston, and Best Picture, please join us in congratulating TJ and Crew! Our Ohio Media School students are fortunate to learn hands-on alongside this industry pro! ☠️🧸

Please connect with TJ Cooley @Ohio Film Instructor TJ Cooley or Inbox him here at LinkedIn.

The Beonair Network of Media Schools, which includes Ohio Media School, Illinois Media School, Colorado Media School, and Miami Media School, has a rich history of providing hands-on training to our ambitious media students. Our instructors are professionals in the industry, providing excellent instruction and real-time media experience in the classroom. Our brand promise to our students is to “learn from a pro to be a pro.” Thank you, TJ Cooley, for bringing your award-winning expertise back to our students!

Another great week is in the books for our students and graduates of our Beonair Network of Media Schools! Our students learn hands-on and are taught by instructors who are themselves professionals in the industry. Each day is filled with industry opportunities for our students who are working towards the goal of being the preferred candidate for entry-level career starts in the media industry. Our students experienced internships, hands-on projects, live remotes, studio shows, externships and for some graduations!

We invite you to get to know us and to explore the many ways we can partner heading into 2023. Please inbox National Employer Relations Representative Lynda Leciejewski and together, let’s change lives!

#CollegeRadioDay
On Friday, October 7, college radio stations around the world joined together to celebrate the unique medium of college radio.

The goal of College Radio Day is to raise greater awareness of the many college and high school radio stations that operate around the world and to encourage people who would not normally listen to college radio to do so, thereby attracting new listeners to these student-led stations.

Please join the Beonair Network of Media Schools as we congratulate our students and instructors who took part in this very special day. This was a great opportunity for our students to “learn from a pro to be a pro” and to take to the mic on one of our 20+ internet radio stations located across our 7 campuses.

We continue to be “Raised on a Radio”!

#internships2022
An amazing opportunity for our very talented Miami Media School student Tommy Guerra, who was selected as an intern to cover an event for Miss Venezuela, Amanda Dudamell. Miss. Dudamell is running for the Miss Universe title.

Real-time experiences best prepare our ambitious students for career success at graduation!

A special thank you to Miami Media School Career Services Director Angel Llamazares for building the relationships that makes these experiences possible. Please Inbox Angel to learn more about our programs and internships.

#hispanicheritage2022
Colorado Media School was proud to be a sponsor of the Fifth Annual Latin Fashion Week Colorado held at Wings Over The Rockies during Latin Fashion Week. Created to honor the rich diversity in the Colorado and International creative community, the event was kicked off by Colorado Governor Gerard Pollis and celebrated several designers who showcased their spectacular clothing lines.

Colorado Media School students had the wonderful opportunity to photograph, video, and interview models. The event offered real-time experience for our media-makers and the opportunity to experience the fast paced, high demands of live event production.

A grand success, Colorado Media School is already committed to next year’s event.

We invite you to get to know us m. To learn more about our students and programs please Inbox local Career Services Director Deborah Byrd or National Employer Relations Representative Lynda Leciejewski.

#GraduationDay
Ohio Media School Columbus and Campus Director Rhonda Frazier are very proud to present the February 2022 Cohort, our most recent graduates of our Radio & TV Broadcasting Program.

Pictured are Alec Gordon, Bridget Ansah, Jacqueline Floyd, Monica Ford, Kyle Snow, Jaylen Ward and Merci Bitakyerwa. Surrounded by their family and friends, Associate Campus Director Diana (Rankin) Compson and Director of Education Sean Anthony conferred these talented graduates who are now moving onto career opportunities.

Please join the Beonair Network of Media Schools in wishing these Media Makers great success on their career path.

Working closely with each graduate, Regional Career Services Director Lee A. Wagner would like to connect you with the best candidates to meet your hiring needs. Please Inbox Lee for more information.

Perseverance and talent are just a couple of words, to sum up this class! Congratulations to our Miami Media School 2022 grads! May you continue to shine bright throughout your careers in the industry. We couldn’t be any prouder

¡La perseverancia y el talento son solo un par de palabras para resumir esta clase! ¡Felicitaciones a nuestros graduados de 2022! Que sigan brillando intensamente a lo largo de sus carreras en la industria. No podríamos estar más orgullosos

#CommencementDay2022
“It’s our great privilege to be with you on your graduation day.”
Friends and family joined our Ohio Media School Cleveland Campus 2022 Fall Commencement to celebrate our newest graduates conferred by Campus Director Jennie Hannah-Hardy and presented by our amazing administration.

With hands-on training by instructors who are themselves professionals in the industry and practical experience in an internship, our graduates are well-prepared to build their careers.

It is with great pride that we congratulate our newest Ohio Media School Graduates!

We invite you to get to know us! Please Inbox local Career Services Director Houda Crable or National Employer Relations Representative Lynda Leciejewski for more information about our programs and graduates. We appreciate the commitment of our amazing industry partners and would like to add you to our network, as well. Together, let’s change lives!

#IGotTheJob
Please join the Beonair Network of Media Schools in congratulating a recent Illinois Media School O’Hare Campus graduate, Carlos R. Polk, on landing a career start at Weigel Broadcasting Co., WCIU, as a Radio Utility.
Passionate about sports broadcasting, Carlos will continue his education at Illinois Media School, enrolled in the advanced diploma program of Sports Broadcasting and then the Associate Degree program.

Carlos offers this advice to current media students, “Listen to the instructors and stay focused on what you’re there for. Achieve it by being organized and on top of your projects, and always be on time!”

Carlos joins several Illinois Media School alums already employed at Weigel Broadcasting Co. and is very excited about this opportunity! We are glad to share this great news and wish Carlos continued success. As always, shine bright!

#IGotTheJob
“Grab hold of EVERY opportunity that comes your way. The more experience under your belt, the better!” – LIDDNE RODRIGUEZ

Meet a recent graduate of Miami Media School, LIDDNE RODRIGUEZ, passionate about social media content and very clever as a creator!

First, learning about Miami Media School through a TikTok ad seems quite apropos for Linnde. In addition to accepting a Social Media Manager job with Compu-Med Vocational Careers Corp, Liddne is a social media intern at Miami Media School.

Camera work, editing, marketing, and digital media are part of her role as a social media manager and content creator. Liddne is grateful for the hands-on training gained at Miami Media School. In Liddne’s words, “The success I have gained by using these skills would not have been possible if it wasn’t for my training and support from Miami Media School.”

Under Instructor and National Social Media Coordinator Daniel Perez’s guidance, Liddne continues developing her skills. She continues to collaborate and sharpen her skills through her social media/brand ambassador internship. Her goal is to continue to climb the industry ladder through content creation, digital media, and marketing.

Please join us in wishing Liddne continued success. She absolutely loves creating social media content and is the one to watch.

We invite you to get to know us. Please Inbox local Career Services Director Angel Llamazares to be connected to our career-ready graduates.

#Igotthejob
“I am living proof that ANYONE can turn their life around and realize their dreams!” Bryan F.

Ohio Media School Cleveland is very proud to share the great news that Bryan F. (Fraley), graduate of our Radio & TV Broadcasting program and the advanced diploma program of Sports Broadcasting has accepted a full-time, on-air position at KDSN Radio in Denison, Iowa,,,,, and he couldn’t be more excited! Bryan will be hosting a daily show from 10-2 pm and also doing play-by-play for local high school sports. Renting an apartment above a museum in an old house built in 1880, Bryan will be staying in the heart of Denison and integrating himself into the town immediately!

Bryan said, “So I’ve been up to something for a while, and I am finally ready to share the news with everyone. I accepted an offer for employment from KDSN in Denison, Iowa, to be their new daytime radio host! I’m also very passionate about doing play-by-play commentary. The position will allow me to continue to build my voice as a radio host and as a play-by-play commentator, where I’ll be calling games for local sports teams on our station. It really is the perfect fit. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and joy, and I am living proof that ANYONE can turn their life around and realize their dreams! Love you all and hope you’ll tune in.”

Always focused on landing an on-air opportunity, we are happy to share Bryan’s career launch! Please join us in celebrating Bryan!

Please join us in wishing Bryan the best of luck as he turns his dream into reality.
Career Services is focused on assisting our graduates in landing career success! We invite you to get to know us. To learn more about our students and programs, please Inbox local Career Services Director Houda Crable or National Employer Relations Representative Lynda Leciejewski.

The job market is hot, and this is the perfect time to land a great opportunity that checks all your boxes. You need to be proactive in your career search to find success.

Let’s see how you’re doing –

Market Trends: Are you following the changes and keeping up with the technology necessary to land a great opportunity?

Job Qualifications: Are you prepared for the job you are seeking? Do you need additional training?

Your Network: Who can you connect with to learn more about that great sounding job? Who might be able to offer you advice or put you on the path to the hiring manager? Are you reviewing your network for key stakeholders in your future?

Your Focus: Are you being proactive? Are your application documents up to date? Have you updated your resume, cover letter, elevator pitch, demo reel? Are you adding new skills, building strong industry relationships, and staying active with the skills you already have?

Polish up your Presence: Are you working to set yourself up for success and to differentiate yourself from the rest of the talent vying for the same opportunities? What does your professional appearance look like on LinkedIn? Is it updated with a great profile picture and a fresh energetic appearance? LinkedIn uses skill filters, so be sure you are maximizing this tool so that you are easily identifiable as a candidate. Look at those who are already successful and learn from their profiles. Identify what success looks like and incorporate those ideas into your own.

‘Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today” Benjamin Franklin

It is time to elevate your game and be sure to get the “Yes!” and find success!

Best,

Lynda

#CareerServices
Our Career Services Directors are constantly exploring new opportunities for our students and graduates, and video gaming is certainly a venue of great interest!

Creating an additional pathway of entertainment and interaction, gaming also builds community, providing a virtual form of exchange and a medium of social media.

Ohio Media School Career Services Director Houda Crable took a peak inside this year’s Cleveland Gaming Classic, exploring the many ways our students and graduates can pursue their passion, both in internship and employment.

While attending, Houda was happy to catch up with former Ohio Media School Instructor representing Hyland, the very talented Jeffrey Ford and Employer partner at Rock The House, Director of Entertainment Cory Enriquez, who was DJing the event!

It is incredible to note that the Cleveland Gaming Classic started more than a decade ago, with eight friends playing a Tecmo Bowl Tournament in someone’s basement. It has grown into a weekend convention drawing gamers from at least ten states to the IX Center in Northeast Ohio.

There is always opportunity if you take the time to look around and put yourself out there. Houda said, “It was great to be part of the excitement! I loved seeing some familiar faces and networking with new people. Indie software companies were looking to grow their brand and established names by interviewing or engaging gamers and attendees.

“For the gamers, it was cool seeing the various free play opportunities: a wall of pinball machines, a room of arcade games, two meeting rooms of retro games, several rooms for various tournaments, and even games at vendor tables. An exciting category that intrigues many of our students and graduates, I will bring new contacts back to campus and will continue connecting our graduates to opportunity.”

Houda’s counterpart at our Columbus Campus, Lee. A Wagner, Regional Director of Career Services had a busy week connecting with media industry employers. Lee had great campus visits by Cameron Vines and Brittany Weinberg from Creativity Linked Studios (Left Top), Daniel Ross from Nerdy Dan Films (Left bottom) and Reggie Crews from Crews Brothers Advertising Group. We thank all of our amazing employers for their time and commitment to our graduates.

We invite you to get to know us and to share your media opportunities with our students and graduates. At the Beonair Network of Media Schools, our students learn hands-on and are taught by instructors who are themselves professionals in the industry. They graduate career ready to join your media team! For more information, please inbox National Employer Representative Lynda Leciejewski

#EmployerVisits #RelationshipsMatter
A great day out in the field for Miami Media School Career Services Director Angel Llamazares with a visit to Divine World Video Productions where two of our talented alumni, Ebetzeir M. and Andreina Alzualde are working as Producers/Editors for radio and TV. It was a pleasure to also spend time with Fernando Lopes, CEO and Founder of Divine World and dedicated Professional Advisory Committee Member.

Building strong relationships with our employer partners builds a great foundation for our media graduates.

We invite you to get to know us. To learn more about our students and graduates please Inbox Miami Media School Career Services Director Angel Llamazares.

#relationshipsmatter
Illinois Media School is proud of our alumni and the legacy they have carved at Alpha Media USA. From entry-level to career progression, our graduates continue to shine. We are also proud of the many industry professionals who have shared their expertise as instructors at both our Chicago and O’Hare campuses, providing our students the opportunity to “learn from a pro to be a pro!”

Regional Career Services Director Dustin Lingemann CPRW (O’Hare) and Career Services Director Lisa Fenton (Chicago) enjoyed a great visit at Alpha Media. They had the opportunity to catch up with On-Air radio legend, Program Director and former Instructor at the O’Hare campus, Eddie Volkman and On-Air host Hannah Brummer.

Dustin also bumped into his first placement after he joined the Career Services Team, Illinois Media School alumni Nancy Caddigan who took her first job at WCGO as Board Operator and then leveled up as Promotions Director at Alpha Media USA. And now, in a full circle moment, Nancy is reaching back to Illinois Media School for candidates to fill open positions at Alpha Media USA. Nancy will be interviewing an Illinois Media School graduate on Friday.

From student to alumni, the relationships forged continue to build a strong foundation for career opportunities and industry success. To learn more about our programs and to meet our career ready graduates, please Inbox local Career Services Directors Dustin Lingemann CPRW or Lisa Fenton.

Radio continues to evolve. There’s influencing, blogging, video production, website maintenance, event planning…you name it!

Who better to guide you on your journey to success, than our talented and influential guests, Krista Uelmen and Lisa Taylor!

We invite you to learn from our Alumni who are Pro’s Pros! Each is an industry leader who continues to grow very successful careers in the Evolution of Radio!

Join us for a Roundtable discussion with Illinois Media School Alumni who each have 20 years of experience in the industry! Krista Uelman, Award winning Morning-Show Host and On-Air Host in both TV and Radio, and Lisa Tayler, Program Director and Midday Host, a veteran who has transitioned from On-Air to Program Director and has worked both large and small markets across the Midwest.

Come learn from these industry experts and gain valuable tips and strategies that will launch your career forward! Experienced in both TV and Radio, with incredible community involvement and networks in place, you are going to LOVE this opportunity to Learn from a Pro to be a Pro as our guests break it down on “It’s Not Just Radio Anymore!”

#BeOnAirBlog
How to Become a Freelance Videographer: 5 Tips to Get Started
For many people, freelancing is the ultimate dream: it offers flexibility, the opportunity to do the work that you love, and great income potential. However, getting started as a freelancer can often seem challenging, particularly if you’re planning to venture into a creative field like video production.

If you’re wondering how to freelance video production, here are five top tips to keep in mind:

Read the full blog article here:https://beonair.com/how-to-become-a-freelance-videographer-5-tips-to-get-started