RANDOLPH — Jon Morales, of Succasunna, knew he wanted to attend County College of Morris (CCM) because of its reputation for providing a high-quality education. What he did not expect was the extent of hands-on training and portfolio-building experience he would receive as a Broadcasting Arts and Technology student.
With the renovation of the college’s Alex DeCroce Media Center in 2015, the facility now features high-definition technology, professional studio cameras and the latest sound and mixing equipment. To provide students with an optimal learning, resume-enhancing experience, Professor Ray Kalas over the last two years has had his TV II students work with Music Recording students and Professors Todd Collins and Dan Palladino to put together videos for current and former CCM music students. The TV and Music Recording students each end up with a video for their portfolios, while the musicians are provided with a promotional piece to market themselves and their music.
“Through this interdepartmental collaboration, students are gaining real-world experience working as teams similar to what they will experience once they leave college,” notes Kalas. “At CCM, they are getting a head start that really can make a difference in their careers.”
Along with serving as president of the college’s Film Club, the video project, says Morales, has made a major difference in advancing his knowledge, skills and ambitions. His hope now is to build a career creating documentaries about mental health issues to help raise awareness.
“Being a student here has given me a lot of faith and confidence,” he says. “As a result, I feel like I am going to be able to do a lot in the future.”
Chris Cuervo, who took the TV II class in 2016, explains that he was able to include the video he created in his portfolio to gain entrance into the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers.
“At CCM, I gained a lot of experience that has made me feel really confident in my classes at Rutgers,” he says.
Paul Machado, the CCM musician Cuervo and his team created a video for, notes that the piece has become one of his best marketing tools.
“I put it up on my YouTube channel,” he says. “I do a lot of weddings and I’m able to tell people to view my video so they can hear my music and learn about me.” That video can be found by clicking here.
To learn more about the Broadcasting Arts and Technology Program at CCM, click here. To learn about the Music Recording program, click here.
