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Name:
Mark "Marko" Orlando
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Residence:
Granger, Indiana
Graduation Year:
1988
Major:
Radio and Television
Minor:
Marketing
Why did you choose SJC?
Saint Joseph's College is a smaller school, and
I knew that type of atmosphere would be the best alternative for me. At
a large university, I'd end up being just a number, and I wanted more out
of the learning process. Also, having run cross country and track throughout
high school, I was allowed to continue my involvement in both with a scholarship
from SJC. As a student, what were you involved in?
I was on the cross country and track team for my
first year, and through the coaxing of my roommate and some friends, I became
involved with WPUM, the College's radio station, and was bitten by the radio
bug. Throughout my time at the radio station, I served as Director of such
areas as Promotions, Personnel, Traffic and Continuity, Music, and Programming.
I hosted a weekly heavy-metal show during the height of big-hair bands;
as a sophomore, I had my own "Top 40 Countdown" show; and I was able to
interview Henry Lee Summer after a concert he held on campus. Communication
professor Fred Berger provided us with the opportunity to hold a number
of different positions for the station and allowed us to be ourselves (within
reason) when it came to creating shows and formatting content. This was
the chance of a lifetime for us, because WPUM could be heard anywhere within
a 10-mile radius of campus, and there was always the chance that somebody
influential in the music business would be listening to us. When I wasn't
busy with WPUM, I took pictures for the SJC yearbook. I had a wonderful
time. What are you doing now?
I am the Assistant Program Director, Production
Director, and Afternoon On-Air Personality for WZOW-FM in South Bend, Indiana,
a radio station with a classic rock format. My job duties include scheduling
all of the music played on the air, assist with station contests, assign
commercials to other announcers for voice-over work, edit and polish the
finished product, and on-air work, which also includes holding interviews
with rock icons like Greg Allman of the Allman Brothers and Jonathan Cain
from Journey. Perks from my job include free CDs, concert tickets, and the
opportunity to meet artists like Alice Cooper, Steve Perry, Blessid Union
of Souls, O-Town, Styx, and Journey. I know many people who have trouble
getting up in the morning and going to work, so I realize how lucky I am
to have a job I truly love. How did SJC prepare you for the "real world"?
At Saint Joseph's College, I had such an opportunity
to be my own person, and Fred Berger's willingness to let us run the radio
station and implement our ideas solidified my decision to attend SJC. I
also met some wonderful professors, priests, and friends.
