My name is Dylan McKercher and I’m a sophomore at Longwood University. I am a Communication Studies student with a concentration in Digital Media. One of the best characteristics about going to a smaller school is the vast opportunities available to me. Within my first two weeks at Longwood, I had my own radio show on WMLU and I was a member of the Big South Network who is partnered with ESPN+. Not only have these opportunities helped me gain experience, but it has also allowed me to gain a better understanding of my end goal. I can confidently say that I want to become an on-air personality or a videographer for sports or concerts. I plan to finish up my degree, along with continuing to gain experience with the equipment on a professional level. My main goal is to continue to gain experience and on-site knowledge of how the industry works. 
My story in Communication Studies started when I was in high school. I decide to join my school’s newspaper team and the daily news broadcast during first block. I quickly gained a love for cameras and for media. I love film, music, and sports and being in this field gives me an avenue to discuss and stay involved in these areas of interest. I hail from the Richmond Virginia area and worked for the Richmond Flying Squirrels as a camera operator before I arrived at Longwood and have continued to work there since attending college. I chose Longwood based on how it allows me to be involved in so many things at a young age. I had the option to attend schools such as Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech, but choose Longwood since they provided an opportunity to join the radio station and film for ESPN+ during my first semester. Some of the most important aspects for me in the professional world is being flexible, allowing me to be dedicated, and an opportunity to gain skills. If you do not possess these attributes, I do not think one can succeed in the professional world of Communication Studies. The experience I had that inspired me the most is being told by my boss at Longwood, as well as the Flying Squirrels, that I was the best videographer on their staff at that moment. That made me feel very accomplished about myself. I want to be involved in videography and radio to help me continue to be involved with something I love, as well as getting to talk about the topics. You can access my personal social media accounts to learn more about what I do outside of the classroom and workplace at The_LifeOfDylan on Instagram and Dylan McKercher on Facebook. There you will see me head to movies, do reviews, and talk about pop culture.