(Photo Courtesy: Brendan Howe)
I had a chance to speak with recently graduated Brendan Howe and ask him about his time at Dean College and what he envisions for himself in the future. Brendan Howe is a Sports Broadcasting major that graduated in December after finishing up in the Fall 2020 semester. Brendan started all the way back in high school doing play-by-play commentary for all the basketball games. He then carried his passion for broadcasting to Dean College with him to further his education in the field. A fun fact: Brendan is the founder of the Dean Daily! Here is what Brendan had to say about the questions that I asked him.
Q: What was the reason you decided to major in Sports Broadcasting at Dean College?
Howe: “I felt like Dean presented the best opportunity for me to get on the air right away. You see bigger schools like Syracuse and Northwestern and ASU and they have the glitz and the glamour and the big-name alumni and all of that, but you wait until your junior, and in some cases, your senior year to get on the air. I didn't want to do that. I was promised on my tour that I'd be on the air within two weeks of getting to campus, and that sold me. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter where you get the reps, as long as you do it and stay consistent that's what really counts.”
Q: What was your favorite class while at Dean?
Howe: “There were a lot of classes that were extremely beneficial to me throughout the Communications program, but the one that felt like it was specifically tailored to me was 'Sports Play-by-Play' with John Rooke. Especially for what I'm trying to get into, to have the chance to call games and then receive critique and advice from John himself as well as my peers, it was invaluable.”
Q: What was your first internship you took on while in college; what was it like?
Howe: “The first internship I had was with the New Bedford Bay Sox in the NECBL. I served as the play-by-play announcer for the summer, doing press releases on the road and handling various other media tasks. It was a lot to handle because I received my internship opportunity a year earlier than most students did. In my case, it was the summer after my freshman year. I honestly wasn't prepared for the number of hours and travel that came along with the responsibility of a position like that, but it prepared me well for the following summer in the Cape Cod League, so I felt like I almost had a leg up in terms of the 'mental toughness' if you will, that goes into sustaining that drive and work ethic needed to succeed across an entire summer.”
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Sports Broadcasting freshmen students that you wish you had known as a freshman?
Howe: “If I were to offer advice to freshmen right now, it would be to jump in right away. Never say no. Some students go into it knowing what sport they want to do and so they develop tunnel vision and will only look for those opportunities. Don't do that. Open yourself up to anything, step out of your comfort zone. Try new sports to call, even the unpopular ones. Everyone wants to be a big-time football or basketball play-by-play guy on a network. But, if you can show an employer your ability to cover soccer, lacrosse, and volleyball in addition to the four major sports? That's what earns you the attention. Be willing to step into any role at any time.”
Q: What is your dream job? What do you hope to get from your degree?
Howe: “My dream job is to be a radio play-by-play announcer in Major League Baseball. I feel like I'm taking all the proper steps to get there, and my degree will only help back up my experience listed on my resume. I've been calling baseball for the better part of 5 years now in places like the Cape Cod League, NECBL, and Texas Collegiate League, in addition to Dean games of course and even other colleges and universities around New England. I hope to just keep gaining chances to be on the mic and for employers to put their trust in me. For me, it's all about building my way up. It's not about how you start, it's how you finish, and I feel like I've set myself up for a nice career and will hopefully be able to stick around for a while.”
From interviewing Brendan Howe, I can tell that wherever he goes in life, he’s going to do everything to the best of his ability. Brendan displays a great attitude in the sports media field. His work ethic paired with his determination and talent alone will get him to where he wants to go. Hopefully we get to see Brendan living out his dream as a play-by-play announcer for the MLB. We at the Dean Daily wish all the best for Brendan Howe and his future endeavors!
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