Illinois Media School Testimonials – Chicago Campus

Things are really going well thus far out here. I’m working on Travis Rodgers’ show (Travis Rodgers Now weekdays 11-12 am locally, 11-3 nationally) and it’s going well so far. It’s pretty cool considering Travis Rodgers was the man behind Jim Rome while his show was good for all those years. Ha-ha. He’s tough and demanding, but I’m learning from a guy who was the main voice of one of the best sports radio shows of all time. They got me doing his prep work which means I do all his preparation for every guest he has on each week (4 guests a day); very important task and I’m not being sarcastic. He’s been very happy with what I’ve done so far (compliments from a guy that doesn’t often show his appreciation) but you know as well as anyone that it’s all about consistency. I see some more of my fellow Knights have been placed and that’s awesome. The fact that were kicking ass is a great reflection on you and it couldn’t happen to a better guy. Hope everything is going smoothly for you, and I’ll talk to you soon.

The lead ICB gave me with WRMN has turned into something I did not expect and has turned out to be a great opportunity for me. I was hired back in August without even being interviewed; I landed the position with great demo tapes, according to my Program Director. My position was a part-time production assistant. Duties included, making production for four of their radio stations, board operating, on-air work and normal duties of production. After being there for two months, another position opened up for an Account Executive/On-Air Host, so I applied and three days later, landed the full-time position. I am now two months into and can not ask for something better. My position included the best of both worlds, sales and my own on-air shift. This position is something I enjoy doing and went to school for. Plus the main thing, I enjoy waking in the morning going to work! I want to tell all future ICB grads that it can be done. Don’t get frustrated and keep sending out those resumes and demo tapes and learn as much as you can from the excellent ICB staff. They’re teaching and expertise has opened the door for me start a fabulous career.

I am writing this letter to thank everyone at ICB for helping me achieve success in the television industry. After I graduated in November ’98, I was offered a position as an associate producer. I cannot express how thankful I am to the ICB staff!

I just wanted to thank the Illinois Center for Broadcasting for all of the hard work and dedication you invest in all of your students. Through your leads and tips I was able to land a job in Promotions, as a Promotions Assistant @ WXLC in Waukegan. I owe a lot of my direction and ambition to the Illinois Center for Broadcasting! Thank you very much!

I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone involved with the Illinois Center for Broadcasting for all their support and guidance in my process of kicking off a career in radio. I have been working for more than 1 month now and my excitement grows everyday for my future in this industry. Never before would I have dreamed of getting a paycheck for doing this type of ‘work.’ I’m literally making money entertaining myself and there is no more rewarding feeling in the world. My transition from school to the radio world was extremely smooth. I attribute this to all the hands-on training received while enrolled at ICB. Even my PD has commented on how smooth and fast the learning curve has been for my personal development. That compliment is a direct result of ICB’s hard work with me everyday as a student. Finally, for these reasons, I owe everyone involved with the Illinois Center for Broadcasting a huge THANK YOU!!!! Enrolling at the school and being placed in Champaign for my first gig has been an unbelievable experience and I hope all future students have these same opportunities. I’m sure if they work hard and pay attention, they will be writing the same letter when they graduate.

Well first off I want to thank all the staff at ICB who helped me make my dream become a reality. When I first came and visited the campus I remember looking at letters just like this from other former students and hoping that I could one day write my own. One year after graduating from ICB here I am doing just that! I am happy to say that I am working as a producer for WBBM AM 780 here in Chicago. I am also very happy to say that I honestly love my job!! Going to work in beautiful downtown Chicago every day for one of the best stations in the country is truly a dream come true. I couldn’t have done it without ICB and I am very happy that I made the choice to attend your great school. I must admit that I was a little skeptical in the beginning but when you guys finally convinced me to enroll I quickly realized that ICB was everything that I had been looking for. Mr. Finney helped me gain my internship at ESPN Radio AM 1000 and that’s when I realized that you truly get what you put in at ICB. I went through many nights of only sleeping four or five hours while working a part-time ups midnight shift, going to school at ICB full time and working at ESPN four nights a week. Looking back I am not even sure how I did it. It was all worth it though as I am know working in the third largest market in the country and loving what I do. Every hour of lost sleep and every lousy check were worth it. ICB truly is everything that they say they are. I couldn’t have accomplished any of this without your schools help and I am very happy that I attended it. I guess the last thing I will leave any student, if any, who reads this letter, is YOU GET WHAT YOU PUT IN. It truly is all at your finger tips at ICB but it is up to you to work hard and put in the time it takes to be successful once you graduate.

When I first signed up for classes at the Illinois Center for Broadcasting, I was a 28 year old guy with an Associates Degree and a dead end job. I was tired of putting in hours at a place where I didn’t enjoy being. ICB helped me change that. A little over a year after my graduation, I’m sitting at a desk with a job working in television production in the #3 market in the country. I’m a production assistant at Comcast Sportsnet in downtown Chicago. I’ve always loved working with sports, and I’ll put my knowledge of sports stats, trivia and history up against anyone. The trouble was getting my foot in the door. This is what ICB did for me. My ten month course in radio and television gave me the skills I needed to compete for a job. ICB provides all the latest technology in radio and television and offers the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the broadcasting field of your choice. I came to ICB primarily interested in radio broadcasting, and by the time I left, I switched gears to the television side of the field. The most valuable aspect of my ICB experience was their internship program. I was given the opportunity to intern at 670 The SCORE and at Comcast Sportsnet. I gained valuable experience in the field and had a chance to work with people in broadcasting. It was through ICB’s assistance that I was able to get internships, and from there i put in hard work and was fortunate enough to earn a paid position. I am extremely grateful to the ICB staff for their availability. The class size is relatively small, so instructors are readily available for any questions. Placement Director Dave Cogozzo does incredible work with looking out for each student and graduate and working with everyone individually to find the best job for them. Dave was an immense help in my search for a job, helping me find the right people to talk to, and also helping me with my resume. ICB is a great place to start in the quest to find a career in broadcasting. Especially for someone like me, who had a late start in finding my place in the work world.

My name is Mike Kertz and I was in March 09 Days classes. I graduated in late December/early January of 2009-2010. Upon graduation I had currently been hired to work for Cumulus Media in Rockford, IL as a Part Time board op and On Air talent for three stations; Newstalk 1440 WROK, Rockford’s Country Q98.5 WXXQ, and Classic Rock That Really Rocks 96.7 WKGL. I am proud to say that after just four months from graduating, I have been promoted to Full Time. I am the new sales assistant for Cumulus Media – Rockford. My duties will include entering all of the time slots for commercial spots sold as well as producing many of the commercials that will be heard on our four stations. On top of this, I will continue to be a weekend Air Talent for 98.5 WXXQ and 96.7 WKGL. A big thank you goes out to everyone at ICB O'Hare! From all the staff, to the professors, to the Grad Assistant’s…Thank You. We as students may have the passion, but you have the tools that show us how to turn that passion into a career, and a fun career at that.

I take these words to heart, especially in this industry. So often in life we find ourselves on a path that that seems predetermined. It can be intimidating to leave a path of least resistance for something new. I am thankful every day for the training and development I received from the Illinois Center for Broadcasting that allowed me a chance to venture down another path – one that I am truly passionate about. I go by the radio name Dr. Pete because in all actuality I have my doctorate in Occupational Therapy as it was my past profession. However I reached a time where I wanted a different career and ICB was the perfect choice. I didn’t need a four year degree as I already had one and wanted the most efficient and effective way to reach my next goal, that being in the world of broadcasting. After a mere month of being a student, I already had a sports show, a country show, had participated in a remote, and was starting my first internship at NBC-TV WMAQ in Chicago. From there the ball kept rolling as I kept taking opportunity after opportunity. After the production internship with NBC I then moved down the block to a promotional assistant position at Radio Disney AM 1300 WRDZ. At the completion of that internship I had already experienced great skills in both production and promotion, and started a small scale third internship with B96 working at their Six Flags Summer Studio. I also was hired at the time by Radio Disney immediately following my graduation from ICB. After a few short months I was offered my first full time position at KJJM/KFLN radio for Newell Broadcasting in Baker, Montana. Albeit I was moving to a small market, I knew that a key to success in this industry is experience, which ICB offered. After a year in Montana, I had a few offers from other stations, but decided that Chicago was again calling my name, as I came back to be the Interactive Program Director for the new sports station at ICB, SportsTownChicago.com and was promoted by Radio Disney to Remote Talent, both of which I currently do. I do know that wherever I go next and take that opportuniity it is all thanks to the confidence I developed from my internships I got from being a student at ICB.