Sixteen students and 20 radio-television students recently experienced the election rite of passage through a partnership with the Orlando Sentinel on Nov. 3.

Orlando’s flagship newspaper has been operating without a newsroom since August and with a significantly reduced staff, genuinely in need of more reporters to properly cover this massive story. NSCM students came to the rescue and fanned out across Central Florida — filing dispatches at polling sites and election offices, monitoring social media, capturing photos and videos, and contributing to on-air reporting and broadcasts throughout the night.

“Â鶹ԭ´´â€™s student journalists played a critical role in the Orlando Sentinel’s 2020 Election Day coverage.â€� –Julie Anderson ’84 ’89MA, editor-in-chief for the ‘Orlando Sentinel’

“Â鶹ԭ´´â€™s student journalists played a critical role in the Orlando Sentinel’s 2020 Election Day coverage,â€� says Julie Anderson ’84 ’89MA, Orlando Sentinel’s editor-in-chief. “T³ó±ðir reporting from precincts all over our region about voters’ perspectives gave flavor to the results that were coming in on Election Day. They also applied their social media and broadcasting skills to help us inform readers about the results coming in.

In turn, students gained hands-on experience working with a major news organization; garnered feedback from Sentinel editors; earned the chance to land future internships and jobs; shared bylines, shirttail credits and broadcast credits; and — best of all — had the unique thrill and adrenaline rush of writing on deadline while covering one of the biggest stories of the year.

“I learned so much from simply being out on the field and watching how an election is covered. I think this type of learning skyrockets student journalists’ abilities and education,� says Natalia Jaramillo, a journalism major who reported from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office.

Some of the highlights for journalism majors include:

• Edward Segarra wrote a breaking news story about the Osceola Supervisor of Election Office’s Internet outage that resulted from a severed fiber cable. He and Jessica Siles reported on voters throughout Osceola County, including a long-time Democrat who voted for Trump because the rest of the family was for Biden.
• Fritz Farrow wrote a story about a former postal worker who voted in person because he didn’t trust the U.S. Postal Service.
• Two reporters, Hector Garcia de Leon and Kai Rodriquez, contributed stories to the Sentinel‘s Hispanic publication, El Sentinel, and received shared bylines.
• Daniela Vivas Labrador and Jenna Erhlich covered Seminole County, including a story about two women, 87 and 70, who have voted in every election since they were 18.

“T³ó±ð Orlando Sentinel staff did a wonderful job at preparing us and making us feel welcome and valued,â€� says Monica Sealey, who worked with four other students to cover Â鶹ԭ´´â€™s voting precinct. “I really like that they didn’t ‘baby’ us. Instead, they gave us the guidelines, set us free and trusted us to produce great content.â€�

“T³ó±ð ‘Orlando Sentinel’ staff did a wonderful job at preparing us and making us feel welcome and valued.â€� – Monica Sealey, Â鶹ԭ´´ student

As the night went on, students got better at recognizing a story, finding a different angle, interviewing voters, remembering to get the essential details and cutting down on sloppy copy. We witnessed them excel at something they had never done before and become more confident as the night went on.

“I remember in my first semester at Â鶹ԭ´´, I was in the Electronic News Gathering class with [R/TV Program Coordinator and Associate] Professor Tim Brown and something he told me that I have held close to me and tried to apply each and every day in my journalism career was, ‘You grow most where you’re uncomfortable,’ â€� says Matison Little, who covered voting in Lake County with another student.

Behind the scenes, the 20 radio television students earned praise from faculty and Sentinel editors for their steady and calm composure during live broadcasts.

“T³ó±ðy rose to the challenge. They took it seriously. They wanted to be part of it. They wanted a piece of it,â€� Senior Instructor Rick Brunson says. “T³ó±ðy treated it like it was show time.â€�

Together, students and faculty may have built the foundation for more cooperative efforts between the Orlando Sentinel and the Â鶹ԭ´´ journalism program.

“It was a great experience for the Sentinel, and a partnership we hope to extend,� Anderson says.

“I lost nearly every penny I had flipping homes in Nashville back in 2008 when the housing market crashed, so I’m most excited about getting my redemption in the real estate world and rewriting that negative chapter of my life into a positive one,” says Brian Kleinschmidt, who earned a bachelor’s degree in the radio-television with a minor in marketing.

Kleinschmidt — just half of an ambitious husband-wife team along with his wife Mika — is rewriting that chapter with a new HGTV series “100 Day Dream Home,” which premiered Feb. 16 at 10 p.m. ET. New episodes will air Sundays at 10 p.m.

The thought is enough to send a shiver down the spine of any homebuyer: The Kleinschmidts conceptualize, build and personalize homes from the ground up to be move-in ready in 100 days.

“There’s always unexpected challenges in construction, but the most frustrating challenges are the ones that we have no control over like the weather,” says Brian Kleinschmidt. “We can usually overcome minor hiccups in our timeline but when a hurricane or tropical storm comes through and delays us by a week, that timeline goes right out the window.”

“Every single episode/build comes down to the wire, but we do whatever it takes to get the homes completed in 100 days or less,” he says.Ìý“It’s very stressful, but also very rewarding when we see the smiles and excitement on our clients’ faces when they see their dream home for the first time.”

The Tampa, Florida-based couple’s pilot premiered in April under the title “90 Day Dream Home,” but this Sunday marks the start of a series.

Neither Jen Rosen ’09 nor Kelly Nader ’16 pictured themselves in casting and production when they began radio-television classes at the . And both took different career routes after graduation. But in the funny way life works, the Â鶹ԭ´´ grads crossed paths on the set of the award-winning series “Shark Tank.â€�

“I wanted to be a director of photography originally, but the more exposed I got to writing and content production the more I fell in love with it,� Rosen says .

Nader, who got her start in the casting department, feels the same way.

“I was going to be a sports reporter,� Nader says. “I never even considered production until I was walking around Nicholson and saw an advertisement for the Clay Newbill Internship.�

Newbill ’82, a Nicholson alum and executive producer of Shark Tank, began an exclusive internship in 2013 to bring radio-television students to Los Angeles. While this wasn’t available for Rosen as an undergraduate student, Nader found and took the opportunity with open arms.

“I am so grateful that Â鶹ԭ´´ and Clay Newbill gave me amazing opportunities and an internship that changed my life.â€�  – Kelly Nader ’16

“I am so grateful that Â鶹ԭ´´ and Clay Newbill gave me amazing opportunities and an internship that changed my life. If you work hard and take chances as they come, you will cultivate your own best reality,â€� Nader says.

Nader credits her success to the Clay Newbill internship. It took her from a student who wasn’t sure where she’d end up all the way to Los Angeles, working under some of the most notable producers in the television business.

The road to California wasn’t as simple as an internship-turned-career for Rosen. After graduating Â鶹ԭ´´, she spent her time working at a resort near Disney. Unsatisfied, she decided enough was enough.

“I wanted to give my dreams a shot,� Rosen says. “My husband and I packed up our belongings and our dog and headed across the country. I had no plan and no solid job prospect; I was just going with the flow and hoping for the best.�

An old friend from Â鶹ԭ´´ reached out to Rosen after her move, and told her about a local job opportunity in the casting department of Reveille Productions. That job developed multiple connections that led to Shark Tank.

Recently, the casting department of Shark Tank was nominated for an Emmy. This is Rosen’s greatest achievement to date.

“Our casting department has never been nominated before,� Rosen says. “This was a huge deal, not only for me, but for our whole department. It was an incredible and unexpected experience.�

With Season 11 wrapping up, both Nader and Rosen continue on with their own individual projects. While Rosen continues on at Shark Tank, Nader is working as an associate producer on the Great Christmas Light Fight on ABC.

“Production life is not glamorous,â€� Nader says. “But Â鶹ԭ´´ has prepared me in every aspect for these job opportunities. I know what to do, how to conduct myself, and most importantly I have a developed work ethic. I am so grateful.â€�

Motion Capture + Acting

Theatre Assistant Professor David Reed, who specializes in stage combat and movement, is “routinely looking for projects that will challenge and inspireâ€� his acting students. He reached out to Cheryl Briggs and Rich Grula, animation faculty members from Â鶹ԭ´´’s Florida , with his idea: to give his acting students the chance to be involved with motion capture technology, simultaneously providing student animators mocap footage for their projects.

“T³ó±ð hope is for students to walk away from the process with animation footage samples showcasing their ability, as well as new connections that bridge industries,â€� says Reed.

Grula and Briggs were on board, and the collaboration was born.

Acting professors Be Boyd and John Shafer joined Reed to take their students to the Â鶹ԭ´´ Downtown campus for mocap workshops. Theatre students were given a behind-the-scenes lecture by Briggs before select students developed a performance for mocap. By wearing a specially-designed suit that captures the imprint of the performer, the acting students gain storytelling experience they wouldn’t have had inside the Theatre building.

Briggs, an animation professor, wanted to better prepare her students for the intricacies of the modern animation process. One of her senior character animation classes attended an acting workshop with Boyd where they learned more about the art and intention behind motion. Student Crissy Peters was thrilled to take part.

“This collaboration is really important for us. It helps to know more about acting and human motion so that we can make our animation more realistic and believable,� Peters says.

Another student, Kenna Hornibrook, agreed.

“T³ó±ð best way to understand how the body moves and works is to experience it firsthand. It’s exciting to do things like professionals and see the results.â€�

To Briggs, collaboration is always a good thing.

“T³ó±ðre are a lot of possibilities. The key is finding a mutual benefit for everyone involved,â€� Briggs says.

Her students now have mocap footage from actors that can be put in a “library of motion� to be used in future projects.

Acting + Film

Boyd saw the opportunity for another collaboration for her Camera Acting and Auditioning classes.

“I had been looking for practical on-camera experiences beyond our classroom for our acting students.�

She contacted Tim Brown, radio/TV program coordinator at the , and he joined in her enthusiasm.

Students in the acting classes worked with several film and media classes like Narrative Production, Videography and Cinematography lead by faculty members Tim Ritter, Stephanie Rice and Kevin Smith to develop scripts specifically for student actors. This gave acting students the opportunity to connect with budding directors and script writers, becoming the first readers and performers for exciting scripts in development by film and media students.

Acting student Robbie Toussaint felt he gained several skills from working with film students: from the chance to play a myriad of characters, to working with directors of different styles, to learning how to dub over poor audio. To him, the collaboration better prepared both classes for their future careers: “When we get in the real world, we have a head start on everyone else.�

Rice believes her R/TV students have grown immensely from the crossover. “It has been great for the R/TV students to work with professional actors. Their student projects look better than ever because of the theatre involvement.�

Moving Toward the Future

These two collaborations have had profound success, and the hope and potential for similar collaborations in the future is high. The experiences add to the students’ resumes and portfolios, providing an edge in competitive fields and building relationships across disciplines that could open doors in the future.

“This experience was a good test, and I think we should continue to define and shape a collaborative environment between our programs,� says videography faculty Smith. “In the professional world, collaboration is the key to success. Much of what we do is rarely an individual endeavor.�

In upcoming semesters, Boyd hopes to develop a specific class in mocap for acting students so both acting and animation students alike have consistent access to collaborative opportunities for their projects.

“This is a very exciting first step in a relationship that I am sure will continue to grow.ÌýOur acting students have gained more practical performance experience in film, media and animation through these collaborations,â€� says Boyd. “T³ó±ð film and media students will gain a better understanding of coaching actors through the acting process while on set, as well as utilizing their performance skills to enhance their projects. This will lead to more engaging characters in their film and media projects and ultimately better final products for their portfolios.ÌýIt’s been a wonderful relationship that has benefitted everyone involved in the experience.â€�

But maybe that can only be expected of the Â鶹ԭ´´ psychology graduate who works as the announcer of the CBS game show Let’s Make a Deal, and who often gets involved during the show doing improv with host Wayne Brady and contestants.

“Live improv is still my favorite thing to do,â€� says Mangum, who has been friends with the show’s host since the two worked together at Orlando’s SAK Comedy Lab in the ’90s. “I’ve been touring with Wayne Brady for almost 20 years now, doing a two-person Whose Line-style show,â€� referring to the televised improv series Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

Mangum moved to Orlando after his first year at LSU to work at Disney World. He said he liked Orlando and working at the park, so he enrolled at Valencia College to earn his associate degree. After Valencia, he earned his bachelor’s degree at Â鶹ԭ´´ while he taught, performed and honed his improv skills at SAK.

His first TV job was at the Nickelodeon TV network in Orlando when he appeared on the show Clarissa Explains it All as a pizza-delivery driver. Then after moving to Los Angeles in 1995, he appeared in hundreds of commercials, , appeared in several movies, and became part of the cast of the Whose Line is it Anyway?. His scripted TV appearances were both comedy and drama, as he appeared in such shows as The Drew Carey Show, Reno 911!, Just Shoot Me!, ER and NCIS.

“I eventually landed the Let’s Make a Deal job after Wayne asked for me personally to fill that spot. I had never announced anything before that,â€� says Mangum, who has been the show’s announcer since 2009. “He’s a super loyal guy and I love him for that.â€�

While a student at Â鶹ԭ´´, Mangum says he loved creative writing classes and playing saxophone in the jazz band.

“Many of my friends went to Â鶹ԭ´´ including the Blair Witch guys (Ben Rock ’95, Dan Myrick, ’93, Greg Hale ’95 and Ed Sanchez ’94). I got to be in many of their student films,â€� he says. “I thought it was a well-run school with great teachers and staff. After coming from LSU, it still felt big, but not too big.â€�

He made it back to Orlando for Wayne Brady Day on Oct. 12, as declared by Mayor Buddy Dyer. Mangum joined Emmy winner Brady, who graduated from Dr. Phillips High School, to perform at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando.

Mangum is making some nice deals of his own these days.

His Let’s Make a Deal schedule calls for shooting three episodes a day, four days a week for about four months, netting 175 hour-long episodes. This gives him eight months to pursue other projects, he said.

In addition to roles in several film and TV projects this year, he writes and produces a fun short animated program about a southern man called Cooter’s News on Facebook @cootersnews, and soon will be in his first drama feature film, A Patient Man, a project with two other Â鶹ԭ´´ graduates produced by Jason Moyer ’98 and written/directed by Kevin Ward ’00. For more release information follow @apatientmanmovie on Instagram.

What comedy/acting/TV advice does Mangum have for Â鶹ԭ´´ students?

“It’s all networking,â€� he says. “Don’t expect to be successful after a year or two. Look more at 10-year time lines. The people you hang out with in your 20s will be writers, directors, producers and agents in their 30 and 40s — and they’ll be your friends.â€�

Her daily work for the primetime series includes maintaining the show’s production calendar, attending production meetings, tracking cast availability and working with ABC Legal on show clearances.

“I get to interact with various departments both on ‘Revenge’ and at ABC during the production of each episode, and I love seeing how everything comes together to create the finished product,� Henry says.

She hopes the experience she’s gaining will one day lead her to a position as a development executive for a television network.

Henry graduated from Â鶹ԭ´´ with a bachelor’s degree in radio-television, and then went on to earn a master’s degree in television from Boston University.

Having grown up in West Virginia, Henry hadn’t heard of Â鶹ԭ´´ until she began researching colleges.

“I toured the campus when I was in Orlando visiting family and ended up loving everything about it,� she explains.

While she was a student, she worked on Knightly News, directing live shows, and was a part of the Honors Congress, National Broadcasting Society and the Italian Club, just to name a few.

As an alumna and resident of Los Angeles, where “Revengeâ€� is produced, she remains connected to her alma mater through the L.A. Â鶹ԭ´´ Alumni Club.

THAT’S A WRAP Q&A

Q. Who’s your favorite character on “Revenge?�

A. Nolan Ross, the snarky tech genius

Q. Can you give us any hints as to how this season will end?

A. I can’t, because I don’t know, but I’m sure there will be plenty of surprises!

Q. What advice would you give to current radio-TV majors at Â鶹ԭ´´?

A. Be informed! Watch, read and listen to as many things as you can. You never know what you’ll learn or where inspiration will strike. Be able to form opinions about content and develop your own point of view. And network, network, network! You can never know too many people in this industry.

Q. Any hidden talents?

A. I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do/Karate.

Q. If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

A. Leslie Knope from “Parks and Recreation� because she is a glorious, hardworking, loyal, passionate person, invested in pursuing her dreams as well as building strong relationships with her friends and loved ones. And, also because she eats a lot of waffles.

Q. Last TV show you watched?

A. I just watched the newest episodes of “T³ó±ð Good Wifeâ€� and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.â€� I’ve also been watching “Friendsâ€� on Netflix.

Q. All-time favorite TV show?

A. “Scrubs�

Q. What part of pop culture do you wish would just go away?

A. The Kardashians

Q. What do you do for fun?

A. Trying new restaurants and seeing movies are two of my favorite things to do with friends. I also really love to bake in my free time.

Q. If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A. Anything Italian, really. Probably lasagna or ravioli.

Q. What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

A. Moving to Los Angeles without a job or an apartment was really intimidating. It’s worked out for me so far though!

Q. Best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

A. “Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles.� —Tina Fey, Bossypants

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“Every meltdown, every slice of pizza and every soda I had in that newsroom is so fondly remembered,â€� she says. “T³ó±ð countless times we all looked at each other and asked, ‘Why are we doing this?!’ Totally worth it.â€�

Although it was challenging at the time, she thanks her experience in the RTV broadcast journalism track for her success.

Shortly after she graduated, Moll-Ramirez started working as an assignment editor at WKMG-Local 6 News Orlando, where she had previously interned. She left WKMG in 2011 after being the first Â鶹ԭ´´ alumna chosen for the NBC News Associate Program in New York City. Out of more than 1,500 applicants she was one of seven chosen for the prestigious program.

In 2012, NBC News promoted her to bureau coordinator of its Miami office. At NBC, she helped generate content for all of their platforms, including NBCNews.com, “T³ó±ð Today Show,â€� “NBC Nightly News,â€� MSNBC and NBCLatino.com.

After an incredible three years at NBC News, she moved on to become a cross-platform associate producer at CNN, which is based out of Atlanta.

Moll-Ramirez answered some questions about her time at Â鶹ԭ´´, the difficulties and rewards of being in the news industry, and shared advice for students and alumni.

Q&A in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

Q. Why did you choose to attend Â鶹ԭ´´?

A. It’s going to sound a little silly, but the reason I chose Â鶹ԭ´´ is because it was the university that sent me the most promotional mail. One day I just thought to myself, “Well, if these people want me so bad, let me check this out.â€�

Q. How has your Â鶹ԭ´´ degree helped you in your career?

A. My Â鶹ԭ´´ degree has been essential in my career. All of my jobs have required a degree in journalism. Over time, I’ve also realized how great the RTV broadcast journalism program was. I’ve had colleagues who went to Columbia, Northwestern, USC, Berkeley, you name it. Not once have I ever felt like I fell behind.

Q. Favorite thing about your job?

A. No two days are ever the same — coming into work every day and not knowing what’s going to happen. Not realizing the moment you walk in through those doors, you may be a few moments away from informing the world about a certain historical event, good or bad, is invaluable.

Q. Most memorable experience on the job?

A. I’d have to say it was the 10th anniversary of September 11th. I was working for NBC at the time in New York City and got to be a part of the team that covered it. When the names of the fallen were being called and I looked at my colleagues, many of whom covered the actual attacks, with tears down their cheeks, it was so real. Seeing the fountains from high up and knowing that’s where so many lives were lost — the hurt was palpable.

Q. What piece of advice would you give to current Â鶹ԭ´´ students, as well as fellow Knights?

A. To current students, Â鶹ԭ´´ is becoming a bigger and bigger name. Don’t underestimate it. A degree is what you make of it. Not having a degree is a lot tougher than having one. Be proud, always. Oh, and INTERN! INTERN, INTERN, INTERN! It’s more important than most of your classes!

For alumni, let’s be friends! I love Â鶹ԭ´´ for all the doors it opened for me. A strong alumni association makes a huge difference.

Now, for some fun questions. Moll-Ramirez shared some personal info to help us get to know her better:

Q. Do you have any special/hidden talents?

A. When in top cardio shape, I’m pretty great at jumping rope. Bizarre, I know. But I actually became obsessed with it while at Â鶹ԭ´´. They used to have a half-hour class at the recreation center and I started taking it. The rest is history.

Q. What do you do for fun?

A. I love trivia nights and playing kickball. Yes, kickball — don’t judge. I also listen to Pitbull and Romeo Santos (a Spanish language singer) way too much. Also, the regular stuff like hanging out with friends, traveling and watching the news.

Q. What’s the most generous or thoughtful gift you’ve ever received?

A. The most thoughtful gift I ever received was really more like a gesture. On my last day at NBC News, my colleagues threw a huge surprise party for me. My desk was decorated — with pictures of Sanjay Gupta and Wolf Blitzer included — there were balloons, they made posters with pictures of all of my favorite things, they ordered food, I got flowers and even a crown! It was like my Quinceañera all over again! I didn’t expect it and it was above and beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined.

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Read more stories about alumni at ucfalumnitoday.com.Ìý

As the on-air producer of Scott McKenzie & The Morning MIX on MIX 105.1 in Orlando, Edwards’ job doesn’t stop when the show ends at 9 a.m. After that, he edits audio for their evening podcast, reaches out to celebrity publicists and managers to book interviews for future shows, and he manages much of the station’s social media and website updates.

“People dream about going to work each and every day to a job they love, and with people they like and respect,” he says. “I have exactly that — and they pay me! I get to talk about fun topics, listen to music and hang with celebrities. What’s not to like about that?”

Edwards fell in love with radio when he interned during his junior year at Â鶹ԭ´´. But, a career in radio wasn’t always on his radar. When he was a child, he dreamed of being a police officer.

His first paying job was as a summer camp counselor. He also worked as a recreation supervisor and tuxedo salesman. However, he says his love of music ultimately made radio much more appealing. “And I’m so glad it did, because I have the best job in the world!” he says.

Music also led him into a second job, about which he’s just as passionate. On most weekends, Edwards puts on his best attire and DJs his heart out for new brides and grooms. And, thanks to all of his hard work and dedication, his company, Liquid Entertainment, has been named tops on many wedding-affiliated lists.

Since he’s lived in Central Florida his whole life and wanted to stay, Â鶹ԭ´´ was a natural fit when it came time for him to choose a college. It also helped that his brother was a Knight. “He had nothing but good things to say, so I followed in his wise footsteps and now I’m a proud grad!” Edwards says.

Whether it’s teaching or mentoring the Â鶹ԭ´´ interns who work on the show nearly every semester, or scoring an interview with Coach George O’Leary, his alma mater has remained a constant in his life since graduation.

He’s even been out to campus several times to speak to radio/TV students about careers in the field. His advice to them: “Don’t just focus on your voice! Sure, vocal presentation is key in radio, but these days, there are so many other things that go into being a great DJ. Know how to blog, know every aspect of social media, and be up to speed with everything happening in the music and entertainment industries. If you’re a pop culture geek, radio is the right place for you!”

MIXin’ It Up

Q. Working in radio, you’ve probably had opportunities to meet some pretty famous people. Who has been your favorite so far, and why?

A. One of my goals as the producer of the morning show was to have Bill Cosby on the show. I’m a really big fan and, about six years ago, I was able to book him for a five-minute phone interview, which turned into a 45-minute interview. He was so cool! When you get to talk to someone that you’ve truly admired and respected your whole life, and they are genuine and humble, it makes you appreciate them even more!

Q. Do you have any special/hidden talents?

A. Before I got into radio, I was the singer in a band, and I also play the drums.

Q. What movie can you quote word for word?

A. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”

Q. What part of pop culture do you wish would just go away?

A. Baggy pants, twerking and lip syncing

Q. What do you do for fun?

A. I coach my kids in football, baseball, basketball and softball. So, if I’m not working, I’m on a field somewhere with them. We also have an RV, and we love to go all over the Southeast and camp at new places and go jet skiing.

Q. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

A. I still have the desire to be a police officer. I find their line of work absolutely fascinating, and I have the utmost respect for them. I will occasionally do ride-alongs with different departments just to get a taste of what they do day to day.

Q. What’s the first album you ever bought/owned?

A. I bought a cassette single of The Outfield’s “Your Love.”

Q. What was the first concert you ever attended?

A. I was a big fan of Van Halen and, shortly after they split up, David Lee Roth came in concert, and I had to go! He had some band no one had heard of opening up for him called Guns n’ Roses.

Q. If you could have front-row seats to any concert, which would you choose?

A. Red Hot Chili Peppers! My favorite band ever, and I’ve been close — just not front row.

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Presley graduated in 2010 with a Radio/Television Production degree. He produced the film his senior year while enrolled in Dr. Lisa Mill’s documentary course.

In The Best Available Science, Presley follows a group of local fishermen on the east coast of Florida as they struggle to survive with increasingly restrictive fishing regulations, which they say are unnecessary and are causing the demise of their local economy.

The Best Available Science has previously been recognized nationally with a CINE Golden Eagle Award and has screened at two international film festivals.

Visit to learn more about the film.