Temple Update Producer, Reporter Sit Down with KYW Newstudies Students

On Saturday, two members of Temple Update shared their experiences with aspiring journalism students.

Producer Keith Aversa and reporter Michael Carey sat down with KYW Newstudies students to talk about their personal experiences with Temple University’s Klein College.

The KYW Newstudies Program is an invite-only program for high school sophomores and juniors looking to make a career in the journalism field. The program includes networking, instruction, and producing a story that will air on KYW Newsradio.

Both Carey and Aversa graduated from the KYW Newstudies program in Fall 2012 and Fall 2014 respectively. Carey graduated with Top-10 honors.

The KYW Newstudies alumni spent fifteen minutes taking questions from high school students, as well as sharing their experiences inside the Newstudies program.

One student asked the Mid-Atlantic Emmy-winning producer what are some of the biggest takeaways from KYW that help him in his time at Temple now.

“You will learn so much here about writing,” Aversa told students. “You will make connections that will last forever”.

Those pivotal connections stem to their own high school experience. The duo spent time together at their own high school’s TV station in Blackwood, New Jersey.

Another student expressed concern about dedicating themselves to one particular media outlet at Temple. Carey shut down that fear with his own personal experience.

“You do not have to be married to one media outlet,” Carey told students. “I am the Program Director at Temple’s WHIP Radio and a reporter for Temple Update. It can be overwhelming at times but having great leadership and balance help make the effort worth it. If you want to only be a member of one outlet, you can – but you are free to join as many as you want.”

To end the session, Carey and Aversa praised Klein College for giving both individuals their own personal success.

“Klein college has built on what I learned at Newstudies,” Keith discussed. “Klein has provided me more opportunities to grow as a writer and producer.”

“There is a reason why Klein College is so well known,” Carey shared. “With all the strong media outlets at Temple and the recognition behind it, I knew that I was going to have a memorable and groundbreaking experience at Klein College as a junior in high school.”