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hen Mike enrolled at Fordham University, he wanted to study medicine. “My plan was to be pre-med and become a pediatri- cian,” he recalls. “But I always had media in the back of my mind. I thought that it would be interesting to mix medicine and
television, like Dr. Oz or Sanjay Gupta.” Mike decided the best way to get started would be to start working at Fordham’s radio station, WFUV. “When I first got involved,” he explains, “I was doing a lot of the back-
ground work: researching stories, editing tapes. Eventually I worked my way through the training program. By the time I graduated, I was the sports manager, which allowed me to cover the Mets, the Knicks, and the World Series. It was an amazing opportunity, but it wasn’t always easy.” The broadcasting industry is ex-
tremely competitive. But to Mike, as to most Crusaders, competition feels natural. Mike remembers being at Bergen Catholic and walking past the board that posted everyone’s GPA. He would think, “How can I do better? If I change my study habits, will I get better grades and move up in the class rankings?” That competitive spirit has served
him well in his chosen career. “You have to be willing to sacrifice some things in order to excel,” he says. “At school I gave up social events to spend more time at my internships. In col- lege and when I first started in the in- dustry professionally, I missed weddings, Thanksgiving dinners, and other holidays to take advantage of opportunities to be on air.” Having great teachers and coaches also helped. Mike fondly remembers English teachers Mr. Meloro and Mrs. McNicholas; Craig Lapierre who was a great sounding board; and his Italian teacher, Mrs. Tambone, who was one of the warmest and most nurtur- ing teachers he had. Mike believes his time at Bergen Catholic taught him some valuable skills.
From L–R: Michael Yam and NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott
One of the most important was how to build relationships, or in professional terms, how to network. “Make the most of every opportunity to meet people, make friends and stay connected,” recommends Mike. He still sees many of his classmates today, including Mike Patzkowski, Angelo Masino, Mike Fabi- ano, and Matt Smith-Raska. When they get together, they enjoy laughing at some of the lighter moments from their time at BC and swapping stories on what they are doing currently. During his time at Bergen Catholic and Fordham, Mike also learned the
importance of practice and confidence. “If you want to break into this industry, practice, practice, practice,” he suggests. “Work on your demo tape, on camera, in front of a mirror, in front of friends and family. And say yes to every oppor- tunity. Don’t be afraid you aren’t ready. With practice, you will be.”
14 C R U S A D E R MA G A Z I N E | WWW. B E R G E N C A T H O L I C . O R G
Mike believes his time at Bergen Catholic taught him some valuable skills. One of the most important was how to build relationships, or in professional terms, how to network.
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