Local High School Students Attend Annual Early College Program’s Media Day at Atlantic Cape

MAYS LANDING — Students from six local area high schools spent a day learning about the latest technological media and communication innovations, trends and educational opportunities available to them in college at the Atlantic Cape Community College Early College Program’s Annual Media Day at the Mays Landing campus on October 27.

“I would like to thank Dr. Zilovic for his leadership in creating and producing this event. Atlantic Cape offers many opportunities in areas, such as nursing, culinary arts, liberal arts studies, hospitality, communications, education and language arts,” Interim Dean of STEM Programs Dr. Jolie Master said. “Our STEM program includes life and physical sciences, math and engineering, business, Esports and game design, computer information systems support and our media studies program, which is our amazing highlight of today. The incredible programming you see today highlights the opportunities you can have in STEM that are part of our Media Studies program.”

Dr. Zilovic, Atlantic Cape’s Associate Professor of Information Systems, enthusiastically announced and recognized, by name, the teachers in attendance, to which a thunderous applause arose from the students of Atlantic County Institute of Technology, Absegami, Oakcrest, Cedar Creek, Egg Harbor Township and Lower Cape May high schools. Zilovic then welcomed the day’s keynote speaker, Scott Grayson, sports anchor from Fox 29 Philadelphia, to the stage for his address to the students gathered in the Walter E. Edge Theater.

Grayson, a native of Downingtown, Pa. and graduate of Arizona State University who currently resides with his family in Mays Landing, spoke of how he parlayed his love of sports and a boyhood dream into an adult reality.

“I am honored to be here today because, when I was young, one of the things I loved most was hearing from people that worked in the media business because it really inspired me to do what I am doing now. I am excited to be in a position where I can give back,” Grayson said.

At Arizona State, Grayson had the chance to meet the late, great news broadcaster Walter Cronkite. Truly inspired, from there he worked towards fulfilling his dream of working for ESPN or in Philadelphia where he could cover the sports teams he cheered for growing up. His media and journalism journey took him to several locations across the country, such as Texas, Altoona, Pa., Harrisburg, Pa., and Morgantown, WV where he covered high school sports, college football, Bowl games, minor league baseball and interviewed legends of sport from Wayne Gretzky and LeSean McCoy to Joe Paterno and Michael Jordan.

“It’s something I always wanted to be able to do as I rose through the business. So, today I am just excited to be able to help, maybe inspire a couple of students in the audience today to look for a future in this business,” Grayson said.

Following the keynote address, the students attended two sessions of various workshops where they learned about creative writing, social media mastery, photography, Steadicams, on-air radio production, news writing, drone flight operations and digital media production.

Atlantic County Institute of Technology Media Studies and Media Production Teacher Tom Piotrowski, who brought nearly 30 students with him, was, once again, very impressed by Atlantic Cape’s media presentations and educational benefit on this day.

“Every year this conference develops and gets better and better. Bo (Dr. Zilovic) has done a great job of providing a lot of different opportunities here with the breakout sessions and the speakers. It gives the kids a real sample of what’s possible,” Piotrowski said. “One of the biggest things we want to do is make Atlantic Cape a viable destination for these kids to continue their media education. It is nice to have the kids come and see Atlantic Cape where they can continue their passion for media in a variety of ways.”

Atlantic Cape’s Early College Program partners with local high schools to provide students with the opportunity to earn college credit while enrolled in high school through options including dual credit, concurrent courses, articulated credit and associate pathways, which allow the student to earn college credits while shortening the time and cost it takes to earn an associate’s degree. Visit atlanticcape.edu/earlycollege to learn more.

View photos from Media Day here on Flickr.

About Atlantic Cape Community College

Atlantic Cape is a comprehensive two-year community college serving the residents of Atlantic and Cape May counties. The college offers over 40 career, transfer and workforce development programs to more than 8,000 students annually at three campuses in New Jersey: Atlantic City, Cape May Court House and Mays Landing.