A new semester brings new changes and possibly new professors. Elizabethtown College’s Communications department gained a new face this year. Professor Melanie Gardner, Ph.D., has joined the department to teach audio and visual production courses. 

We took a deeper dive with Dr. Gardner to learn more about her background in production and advice for current students.

Andi Gates: So, where did your career start?

Melanie Gardner: I began in radio at age 16. I approached a DJ at a high school dance and told him I noticed there were no females on the radio station where he worked.  He told me to stop by after school that coming Monday to talk.  I went and he said he didn’t think I would really come, but he offered me some very minor tasks I could do there.

Was your path fairly linear? Did you always work in Communications?

Prior to teaching, I really only worked in communications.  In college, I tried waitressing and was fired in two weeks for clumsiness.  I burned myself on hot dishes, dropped dishes, and messed up orders.  I was then fired after two weeks working at a small ice cream stand because I refused to open the window to hand out the ice cream if there was a big bug on the window screen.  I decided to stay in communications as I had not yet been fired from the radio station.

Did you have any cool internships during your college career?

I was able to do two internships in college; both of which were highly beneficial.  In my junior year I interned at a local news radio station.  I learned to gather and report evening news for radio. The summer before my senior year, I interned at CBS-21 WHP TV in Harrisburg.  I am a huge promoter of obtaining internships to get experience and to network.

If you had to pick one favorite moment in your career, what would it be and why?

My time at WPMT Fox 43 tops my highlights reel.  As the entertainment multimedia journalist/anchor, I met some fantastic famous people (Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith) and some not so pleasant ones who shall remain nameless (stop by my office to find out).    My all-time favorite moment though was when my then 5-year-old son shot a nerf rocket in my face while we were live on the morning news.  I keep that video on phone for when I need a laugh.

You mentioned working with Dr. Johnson and Andy Williams at WGAL, can you talk about that experience? Did your prior coworker-ship lead you to Elizabethtown College for work?

Dr. Johnson was the morning show producer at WGAL when I first started working there. I was the traffic anchor, so she was in my ear all morning.  Andy was a photojournalist who teased me for my choice in snacks.  Our friendship is a large part of why I jumped at the opportunity to interview for this position.

You’ve mentioned teaching prior to starting at Elizabethtown College, where have you taught before? Was it similar courses?

I began teaching at Harrisburg Area Community College.  Prior to Etown, I taught at Penn State Harrisburg for 14 years.  The courses are similar, but as we know, the communications industry is always evolving and, therefore, our courses must also.

Do you have any fun stories or a favorite moment from your prior years as a professor?

I will always hold rebooting WPSH’s campus radio station close to heart.  The station had been shut down for more than a decade and I wanted to restart it for years, but did not have the means or support.  I was fortunate that a radio station I moonlight with obtained new equipment and donated the old equipment to me to use.  It took a lot of sweat, tears, and hours but eventually it came together.  That was a very proud moment for me.

Have you always had an interest in becoming a teacher or professor?

Yes! When I was 18, I told my academic advisor I wanted his job someday.

If there is any advice you could give to current students, especially those in Communications, what would it be?

I will offer the same advice my academic advisor gave me when I said I wanted his job.  He told me to jump into the communications industry and get my hands dirty upon graduation because I can always get more college degrees (masters, doctorate…) later in life.  The communications industry does not wait for anyone.  As challenging it is with rough hours, not great pay initially, and stress…there is nothing else like it!

Is there anything I didn’t touch on that you’d like to add?

I am always open to discuss more about the communications industry if anyone is interested. Just stop by my office in Steinman.