Back to the Future...

It's 10 years ahead into the future...and I'm on my way back to Westminster College for the homecoming festivities. Life has been super busy, like it always is, so this is my first trip back to my Alma Mater since graduation. After such a long absence, I'm excited to see all the new changes and additions, as well as my old classmates and friends. However, I particularly, can't wait to see one fellow broadcasting major: Doug Kunst.

I've heard news about his success through the grapevine and online when I saw news releases on the college Web site. Needless to say, I want to actually talk to him in person after all these years. The latest I heard was that Doug was working as a sports reporter in Pittsburgh. He has reported for numerous high school and professional football and hockey games. Also, whenever he's not in front of the camera, Doug is working behind the scenes gathering sports data and stats or shooting sports highlights.

So, I pull into Westminster and find a parking lot near the stadium. The first place I want to visit is the radio station. After climbing the huge hill, I make it to the campus center and head upstairs. The radio station looks just the way I remember it. Sure enough, one of the first people I run into is Doug.

He confirms the news I had heard about how his career is going...Doug has been working with WTAE in Pittsburgh. I remember that he had an internship there the summer before his last year at Westminster. Doug says he's doing what he loves to do, and that's always a great things to hear from anyone.

I remember "back in the day" when Doug and I used to work on The County Line together. We both were EPs for the show. The two of us worked on producing and took turns directing/TDing the show. In addition, we both reported for the show...I focused on feature stories, while Doug (or should I say Dee Kay?) would do sports highlights packages of the Wilmington Greyhounds. Plus, for his senior capstone project, he followed the Wilmington Greyhound football team in the fall of 2008 and created a weblog featuring highlights from the team's home games. These highlights not only showed the important plays of each game, but also the atmosphere and the fans that came to the game each week, ready to win.

Doug and I have been friends for a long time now, and it felt good to catch up with him. He's someone I respect...he knows how to get the job done. I've worked with him on many occasions, and I had no doubt he would go far in the broadcasting business. And as we both head down the field to check out Westminster's homecoming football game, Doug fills me in that the best experience he's had since he started working after school was reporting at a Pittsburgh Penguins game! We laugh, and I say, well there's only more to look forward to...just wait and see...