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Mass Communication Major Scores "Hole in One" with Golf Channel Internship
As a former member of the men's golf team and a part of the crew for SJC's "TV-6 News," Eric Peschke '05 is used to being on the golf course and behind the camera. During the summer months after finishing his junior year at SJC, he had the opportunity to combine those interests through a summer internship with The Golf Channel in Orlando, Florida. His duties for the station included researching information on guests, writing and producing segments, editing footage, operating a teleprompter, and serving as a Stage Manager for such popular programs as "Golf Talk," "Academy Live," and "The Grey Goose 19th Hole."
Peschke originally learned about the internship from Scott Van Pelt, a well-known anchor for "SportsCenter" on ESPN. "An SJC alumnus at a Career Night told me to send a letter to a person whose job I was interested in having, so I sent a letter to Scott Van Pelt in November 2002, telling him I wanted to get into the sports broadcasting field," he said. "He sent me an e-mail in January 2003, and our relationship grew from there. He used to work for The Golf Channel, and when the internship opened up, he wrote me a letter of reference. Two weeks after I sent in my resume, I received an e-mail from the Internship Coordinator that said the job was mine if I wanted it."
Once in Orlando, Peschke experienced a richer perspective of life behind the scenes. In addition to observing production, talking with channel executives, and mingling with golf pros like 2004 BellSouth Classic winner Zach Johnson, he also wrote several teasers for "Academy Live" at the Senior Producer's request. "Employees were surprised that he gave me that opportunity," Peschke said. "It was a good confidence boost. I was glad to know he trusted me to get the job done."
By the end of the summer, the staff was so impressed with the Crown Point, Indiana, native that a Production Assistant position was offered to him a year before his May 2005 graduation date. "In nine weeks, I made so many connections. People gave me their e-mail addresses and even their cell phone numbers, offering to help me get into the business. They told me to 'hurry up and graduate,'" he explained.
So, will he accept the job offer? "I'm not sure yet. As fun as it is behind the camera, I love the idea of going into sports anchoring, especially for golf," Peschke said.
Back in Indiana, Peschke's found other projects to keep himself busy, including shooting and producing a video commemorating the athletic career of alumnus and 1976 Olympian Jimmy Thordsen '75, whose basketball jersey was retired during the 2004 Homecoming/Parents' Weekend. He also served as the Sports Director for the campus radio station, 93.3 fm WPUM.
Peschke believes the encouragement he received from SJC faculty has played a significant factor in his recent success. "The experiences I've had would not have been possible without my Mass Communication professors, Fred Berger and Sally Nesselrode, for believing in me, pushing me, critiquing me, and allowing me to do everything in that field. There's never been a time when I wasn't involved in some aspect of radio or TV," he said. "I jumped right into everything my freshman year and haven't looked back."
A Mass Communication major and Marketing minor at SJC, Peschke interned for WLFI-Channel 18 in Lafayette, where he edited sports highlights for the station's three evening broadcasts and covered events like the NCAA Women's Division I Golf Championships and Indiana Class 4A Basketball Championship Game.
Peschke, fresh out of graduation, decided not to accept the position offered to him by the Golf Channel and instead search for something closer to home. He currently holds his licensure to sell Life, Health, Property, and Casualty Insurance in the state of Indiana, and is working towards earning his Auto and Fire licenses. Peschke works with his father as a salesman at State Farm Insurance in Hammond, Indiana.
"I really enjoy what I'm doing because I get to work with people and help them in many different ways," he said. "Communications skills are a must in this industry, and the classes I took at SJC have more than prepared me for what lies ahead."
