Student cherishes time spent at Central Penn
Credits involvement with Knightly News as great enrichment opportunity
By Andrew Hunter
Knightly News Sports Reporter
andrew.hunter@mymail.centralpenn.edu
I was first approached about joining the Knightly News Media Club by Assistant Professor of Communications Paul Miller, one of the club’s advisers, and my two current roommates, Kevon Davis and Dalton Koller.
At first, I was a little hesitant about joining the club just based on the potential workload. I had just come off a grueling soccer season during which I was working countless hours every day not to fall behind in my work and with practice on top of that.
But after going to my first meeting with my other roommate, Blake Myers, I knew I would fit in just right.
Gateway to broadcasting
Originally, the big reason I wanted to join the club was because I would be involved in the broadcasting of basketball and baseball games, both sports I grew up watching and loving. My profound love for sports would grow when writing game-wrap previews for teams around campus. The club made me more involved in Central Penn’s campus lifestyle. I also began to be more of an integral part of athletics. It felt like a dream come true.
When I applied for work study, I thought I would be doing only the game wraps and other stories, and be done, but no. Kasey Hicks, our athletic director, would connect with me to see what I could do for her. I’m pretty sure I said, “I can do anything you want,” with a stutter or two in my voice. I would go, and I still go, to her office and do whatever she tells me to do, whether that is sort through teams’ new gear, do jersey inventory – anything you could think of, I did. I began to love more what I was doing every time I did something.
I also worked for the athletics department in the dugout for the baseball team for the 2023 season, doing the scores book. Now that was fun. I got to be in the dugout with the baseball team in a minor-league stadium that I have been going to since I can remember. I also got to be with some of my best friends here at Central Penn, who all played baseball: Kevon Davis, Blake Myers, Dalton Koller and Matthew Dodds. They all made me laugh every single time I was in that dugout. I remember distinctly Dalton trying to explain how to do the scores book in the first home game. It was a learning experience, and I loved it.
Diving deeper
As another soccer season came and went, I was becoming more and more involved in the Knightly News Media Club, writing for its blog, The Knightly News, and with the athletics department. I became vice president of the media club and one of Kasey’s main workers.
Professor Miller created a sports broadcasting course that I took last fall term. In this class, we put our heads together and tried to improve the broadcasts we produced of the home games as much as possible, and we did.
For the final class project, I chose to make a minidocumentary of the men’s basketball team and their home opener for the 2023-24 season. Basketball is one of my first loves and it was awesome to create that. Having the opportunity to be able to put together a short documentary around a sport I love was one of the many highlights for me here at Central Penn.
Connections and experiences that will last
As my time at Central Penn is ending, I’ve realized I do not think I would be where I am as a student or person without the club. I will be forever grateful for the many opportunities it has provided. I think that’s why Central Penn is so special: You can get the individualized attention that is not given at larger universities.
The people who have had the most impact during my time at Central Penn are Kasey Hicks, Professor Miller and our assistant athletic director, Kenton Alston. They all gave me opportunities to be the best version of myself. Kasey basically gave me my dream job with working in athletics. Professor Miller gave me a multitude of opportunities to create pieces I am passionate about. Kenton gives me inspiration by just the way he carries himself every day. That man always has a smile on his face.
Overall, my time at Central Penn has been nothing short of great. I feel that I grew in my time here, like most other college students do about their college journeys. I will always cherish my time that I was lucky enough to have here.
Besides being of The Knightly News’ sports reporter and a club vice president, and working on the club’s sports events livestreams, Hunter was the Knights men’s soccer team goalie during his time at Central Penn.
Comment or story idea? Contact KnightlyEditors@CentralPenn.Edu. Edited by media-club co-adviser and blog editor Professor Michael Lear-Olimpi.
