Posted May 2, 2024 | Article by Alex Rocco | Photos Courtesy of Alex Rocco
It feels like just yesterday when I first stepped foot in Happy Valley.
I was a senior in high school, unsure of where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life. I had been accepted to 12 universities and had more questions about my future than answers.
That was until I took the advice of my high school friend Gabe Angeri, who had texted me almost every day from December to February to visit Penn State. Gabe and I had been friends for the past three years working together in Friar Scoreboard, our school’s sports newspaper.
So in early February of 2020, I made the trip to State College with my parents not sure what to expect from the school I only knew about from watching Saquon Barkley highlights and Gabe’s constant texts.
On the drive, I was reading about the Donald. P Bellisario College of Communications and all the opportunities it had to offer while comparing it to the Jandoli School of Communications at St. Bonaventure, the school I thought I would attend next fall.
As I walked around campus, I started to feel as if I belonged there. Walking the campus and seeing Old Main had me thinking this could be the place.
However, it was cemented when I toured Innovation Park and met with various students and faculty from the College of Communications.
I learned about all the opportunities the college had to offer such as sending students to the Super Bowl, the various student-run outlets and the brand-new media center being built on campus.
My tour guide was CommRadio General Manager Joe Skinner, who talked about his experiences midway through his junior year. The conversation between Joe and I progressed into talking about my aspirations of becoming a sports writer and eventually trying broadcasting.
I even told Joe that if I came to Penn State I would “take his job and become CommRadio General Manager.” He chuckled and still to this day I have no idea where I gained the confidence to make that statement. After my interaction with Joe concluded, it was clear that Penn State was the place for me.
That night I received my first taste of Penn State athletics when I watched the Nittany Lions take down Minnesota 83-77 in front of a sold-out Bryce Jordan Center. The atmosphere was electric and unlike anything I had experienced before.
The beginning of my college career was far from typical as the pandemic hit and there were no in-person classes which made it challenging to meet people and make friends.
However, that didn’t stop me from getting involved in several clubs. I joined CommRadio in the fall of my freshman year, having no idea the impact it would have on me. I will forever remember the first time I took the Red Link to Innovation Park for new member training. I nervously waited to see if broadcasting was even something I was interested in or if I wanted to continue my pursuit of becoming a sports writer.
Well, after four years, nearly 70 broadcasts and countless times when Adobe Indesign crashed, CommRadio has allowed me to find my passion for broadcasting sports and telling stories on air.
I have been fortunate enough to have served on CommRadio’s management staff for the past three years and the last year and a half as a General Manager. I am so grateful to have worked with such a talented staff that has allowed CommRadio to grow leaps and bounds since I joined back in 2020.
The last four years have been a dream that I hope I never wake up from as I fight back tears thinking about all the memories. I was fortunate enough to cover a Super Bowl alongside Adam Sheetz, a sentence I never thought I would be typing.
I came to Penn State not knowing much about Penn State football, but for the last two years, it has been the first thing on my mind when I wake up and the last thing when I go to sleep. The program has given me lifelong memories such as calling the Rose Bowl with Jon Draeger and the Ohio State and Michigan games with two great talents Matt Scalzo and Max Ralph this past season.
I was even able to continue my passion for sports writing as an insider for the past two seasons and practically spent my entire fall at Beaver Stadium.
However, I am most grateful for all the friendships I’ve made through CommRadio. CommRadio has given me lifelong friends who help inspire and push me to be the best version of myself.
I would like to thank a few of the people who have impacted me over the last four years;
Jeff Brown: I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me. I really appreciate your constant advice and ability to always make me laugh. I’m so grateful that I have gotten to work closely with you for the last year and a half.
Dylan Price and Emily McGlynn: Becoming a General Manager was always something I wanted to do during my time in CommRadio, just ask Joe, but working alongside both of you has made the experience immensely better. There’s never a dull moment with the three of us and I’m so grateful we were able to work together for the past year and a half. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for both of you.
Jake Starr and Andre Magaro: Thank you for allowing me to join management as an editor during my sophomore year and carving the path for me to become a General Manager. I’ll never forget the long nights we had in Willard. I’ve learned so much from both of you and I really appreciate everything you have done for me.
Preston Shoemaker and Andrew Destin: Thank you for being the best mentors anyone could ask for. From sitting on the hub lawn making a mock draft to walking to football media every week, you guys constantly took me under your wing. You are two of the most talented people I’ve ever met and I’m glad I can call you, Jake and Andre, some of my best friends.
Chris Hess: Thank you for showing me the ropes when I first joined CommRadio and for giving me crap because I root for the Islanders and not the Rangers. You were one of the first people I met in CommRadio and brought Long Island to Penn State. Thank you for always being there for me.
Justin Ciavolella: Thank you for constantly pushing me to become a better broadcaster, leader and person. You never fail to make me laugh and there’s no other person I’d rather call overtime games with. You’re an extremely talented broadcaster, and I can’t wait to see you, Izzy and Adrianna take over as General Managers next year.
There are so many people that I’d like to thank for impacting me such as many of the members in CommRadio and the faculty members, but this column would be 10 pages long.
Mama and Papa: Thank you for all the constant love and support in everything I do. I knew whenever I put on the headset you were always listening. I know you are both watching over me from above and I miss you each and every day.
Mom and Dad: I don’t even know where to begin as you mean everything to me. Thank you for your constant support while I chase my dreams. Having you visit and attend every home football weekend is always the best part of the season. There’s no way any of this would have been possible without each of you, and I’m so grateful to have you by my side.
Last but not least, thank you CommRadio for believing in me, watching me grow and providing me an opportunity to achieve lifelong memories and friendships.
Alex Rocco is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email alex.rocco1702@gmail.com.
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