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Patricia Piroh
"I'm a television producer/director, but my real product is my crew," said Patricia ("Patty") Piroh of Broadcasting. "What I'm helping to produce is capable young graduates who are ready to work in the real world."
Patty, who has spent time in the real world of broadcasting, knows exactly
what the field entails. Before joining Montclair State in 1989 (as a part-time
adjunct before becoming full time in 1993), she worked for United Artists
Entertainment Company and Cablevision, and was behind the scenes at two Olympics.
She also worked at ABC-TV on Monday Night Football and the soap opera, "All
My Children."
"Working on the daytime drama was interesting because I used to watch the show in college so I knew all the characters," she said. "And then I got to know the actors."
Part of what Patty enjoys most about teaching is bringing what she's learned in the field into the classroom. "I give my students crew assignments they need to take and treat seriously and professionally," she explained. One way students get hands-on experience is by working on "Carpe Diem," a student-produced 30-minute, magazine-format television show that airs weekly on Comcast and Cablevision. The program reaches 485,000 homes in Northern and Central New Jersey.
"I love my job," said the Montclair State alumna ('88 '92 M.A.). "There's always something new and different going on. And I enjoy helping students find professional work." Montclair State broadcasting majors have gone on to jobs at MSNBC, CBS, Fox News Channel and HBO, to name a few. "Former students then call us with job opportunities for students currently in the program."
Patty's career also has taken her around the world. She recently taught a four-week production class in Italy, and worked on the 1998 winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, Canada.
At home, Patty relaxes with her husband, Douglas, and their dog, Bonnie, a collie-shepherd mix they adopted after Patty produced a segment on the Bergen County Animal Shelter. "After it was over I ended up taking the dog home," she said.