Annenberg Hall welcomed back familiar faces at the 2016 Temple Update Reunion held on Saturday, May 7th.
Temple Update alumni reconnected with friends and revisited Studio Three, where they spent many days and nights working on shows during their time at Temple.
Cherri Gregg, a 2012 graduate, recalled how “many of us virtually lived in Studio 3,” and 2009 graduate Shari English agreed, stating, “my most memorable moments were when I was directing the show, when I would be here until 2 in the morning, editing stuff, putting things together, making sure the show was good to go.”
Dozens of Update alumni are now extremely successful in their careers, and many credit Temple Update for pointing them in the right direction.
Andrew Forgotch, class of ’09, said “this is where I really go the foundation for what I do now, which is reporting out in Harrisburg.”
2010 graduate Rob Czyzewicz said, “We don’t work in news, but everything that we do everyday is what we got a foundation of here.”
Saturday’s event featured two sessions of studio tours and food – a noontime lunch and en evening cocktail party.
The reunion acted as a memorial for beloved Temple Update co-founder Richard “Rick” Beardsley.
Beardsley was deeply loved by his students and left a legacy within the program.
Rob Czyzewicz remarked, “He passed away in 2011, and so we were among the last class of people who worked with Rick, and he was a completely instrumental part of what we learned how to do here.”
Alumnus Jared Voll said, “Rick was just an amazing human being. He dedicated all his time and energy to Temple Update,” and alumna Victoria Lim stated, “There’s no way that I would have had the friendships that I have now, the career that I have, the life that I have without him.”
Fond memories of time with Rick were shared all day. Alumna Amiekay Richcrick remembered how “Rick always wanted the best for us, and Rick would go out of his way to teach us and make us a better producer, anchor, or reporter.” 1998 graduate Kevin Negandhi said, “he loved Temple Update, he loved Temple, and he loved the kids.”
In the words of Charles Fedullo, class of 1990, “Temple Update was Rick Beardsley.”
Beardsley’s contributions will never be forgotten, memorialized in the Rick Beardsley Temple Update Award. Saturday’s event was also a fundraiser for the award.
Recent 2016 graduate Rebeccah Hendrickson is this year’s award recipient after four years of dedication to the program.
In her award acceptance speech, Hendrickson proclaimed, “The phrase ‘Temple Made’ goes around here a lot, and a lot of athletes will say, ‘I’m Temple Football Made’ or ‘I’m Temple Basketball Made,’ but I’m Temple Update Made.”
The official amount of funds raised on Saturday has not yet been announced, but 20/20 Visual Media co-owners and Temple Update alumni Rob Czyzewicz and Patrick Rosenbaum pledged to match contributions made at the event up to $2,500.
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