MONTCO ON THE MOVE
MONTCO ON THE MOVE A podcast featuring stories about the Montco Family at Montgomery County Community College!
MONTCO ON THE MOVE
124: How MCCC Helped Prepare a 6ABC Journalist for Success
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Mike Niklauski, ’00, is a video journalist at 6ABC. He talks about how his time as a student at the College gave him the foundational skills to make it in the TV news business as a photographer.
Recorded by Quinn Szente, edited by Shaun Brown, Dylan Prestage, and Lucas O’Connor from the College's Sound Recording and Music Technology Program
Welcome And Guest Introduction
Speaker 1Hello, and welcome to the Montco and the Move podcast. I'm Dr. Jared Brown, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs at Montco's Pottst own Campus. If you've ever seen an Action News van drive by, you may have seen today's guest. He is a 2000 alumnus and works as a video journalist at 6 ABC. His name is Mike Niklauski,
Returning To Campus And First Impressions
Speaker 1and he is going to tell us his Montco story. He'll talk about his experience as a student and what's now the Mass Media Production Department and the skills that he acquired as a student that he still uses today in the newsroom. Welcome, welcome back.
Speaker 2Appreciate you having me.
Speaker 1How are you doing?
Speaker 2I'm fantastic. I'm not working, so it's great. I'm sure, I'm sure. So when you step onto Montco's campus today, what do you think? Before I get into like more about who you are, just that feel of being back here. I remember when I first stepped on campus and it actually feels like a a small, normal school, if that makes any sense. I mean I didn't I didn't get the sense that I was at a community college. It actually felt like a a small college. So when I step on now, I mean it brings me back to the first time.
Speaker 1That's awesome.
Speaker 1So tell us a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 1Speaker 1
Speaker 1
Speaker 1
Speaker 2
Okay.
Speaker 1And then I want to learn more about that Montco journey. So who are you? Where are you from?
Speaker 2So I grew up in Philadelphia. I grew up in Frankfurt. Being in the Frankfurt area, I always saw news vans, if that makes sense. Yeah. So that kind of brought me into the the TV interest. But now I live in Valley Forge, Phoenixville area. Two kids, beautiful wife, everyone's great. My daughter's going into her senior year, my son's going into his freshman year. Yeah, everything's good. I love what I do for work and I got a great family, so I can't complain.
Speaker 1So you attended the college in 2000.
Speaker 2I did.
Speaker 1What program were you in at the time?
Speaker 2So at the time, I believe it was called pr either production or broadcast journalism. I I actually don't remember. But I I came here mainly for the gen eds that I knew would either transfer to Temple or Kutztown. They were my two top choices for TV.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2So
The Childhood Moment That Hooked Him
Speaker 2when I met with you know the guidance counselor over at the main hall, you know, we went over courses and I knew I could get my hands on the equipment here. So that was one of the key factors that I was like, all right, this is gonna work. You know, I I was kind of paying on my own, so I didn't really have any, you know, financial aid. So I knew this was kind of a good start for me to take that leap.
Speaker 1So you mentioned you saw these news vans all around and you're like, hmm, maybe that could be a future for me. Was TV news always something that you wanted to do from a young age?
Speaker 2It was. So it's funny. Probably when I was eight, nine, or ten, I witnessed an accident when I was leaving grade school. Hmm and it ended up being a fatal accident. And, you know, I just kind of walked over and I saw the news cameras over there. I went home. Something just wanted me to go back to the scene, which was probably two miles away. Wow. My parents didn't know that I left the house, drove my bike back up to the scene, ended up getting interviewed by one of my future colleagues. Wow. When I was nine years old. Vernon Odom interviewed me for a story, and I ended up working with them probably 30 years later. It was unbelievable.
Speaker 1That's amazing how sometimes life can just set you on a course, and here you are. So you mentioned a little bit about being at Montco and that experience about being in college. What else was the
Why Monco Made Sense
Speaker 1appeal about attending Montco?
Speaker 2It was close enough for me at the time I was living in Willow Grove. So it was only a half-hour drive. So the the proximity was big for me. And again, I didn't feel like I was at a community college. It just felt good to me when I came here.
Speaker 1So it was location, it was gonna help you prepare for the transition to a four-year, and you mentioned
Speaker 2the affordability actually was great.
Speaker 1And and we'll dive into this a little bit because I want your perspective about what you're seeing now in 2026. But when you got to college, what were some of the things that you were involved in?
Speaker 2We would do, you know, TV news programs here. That was kind of the only thing I did while here. And we would go out and you know shoot our own projects for certain classes. We would create short films, which would be a few minutes long, and we would have to go beginning through end and end up almost with a short film probably five to ten minutes long.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2That ended up being fun because I met new people that I didn't know.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2And we kind of blend it. We would meet on a weekly basis and we would hang out and have a drink or two and just kind of do our thing and then just go about our way. That was kind of the only, I guess, outside of normal school stuff that I did here. But it was it was one of the things I I had fun with.
Speaker 1That's awesome. Was there a class or professor at the time that really impacted you or you have a fond memory about?
Speaker 2Honestly, I can't remember what I ate last week. So I a professor's name, I'd be lying if I said I remembered. I do remember Matt Porter, who I just ran into outside of the studio here. And it's fun, every time I run into him, it's like we don't miss a beat. And he was here when I was here back, you know, 26 years ago. But he's one of the faces I do remember. And you know, we would bounce ideas off each other even back then just to try and learn some new things.
Speaker 1As you walk the ATC and you look in
Then Versus Now In Media Facilities
Speaker 2the Sound Recording and Music Technology, some of our production space and technology equipment. I'm jealous because we did not have any of this stuff. Uh in fact, our equipment room was a quarter the size of this room right here.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2And we would jam everything in there. We didn't have a studio. We would have to, you know, find locations on campus to shoot our things on. You guys have a beautiful facility. I mean, I see audio mixing rooms, I see studios.
Speaker 1Oh yeah.
Speaker 2You know what? I was just up Penn State last month, you know, visiting for my daughter, and their studio is a little bit bigger than this, but this is eerily similar to the quality of studios that they have, which is saying a lot because again, this is a community college. This isn't Penn State where 50,000 kids go. When I walk through here, I'm jealous because I didn't have this stuff, but this is actually great for the students who who do attend.
Speaker 1I really appreciate those comments and I like asking former students when they see how innovative Montco continues to be. And they will share with me some of the equipment that they work on for their professional job is not up to par as what students are working on and get their hands on here at Montco. So I'm glad that you
Skills Learned And The Transfer Leap
Speaker 1recognize that as well. So your time at Montco, what are some identifiable skills that you acquired here that has really helped you in your career, your job, that really laid that foundation for who you are as a professional?
Speaker 2So this is a melting pot. You know, you have people from all over Montgomery County come to this campus. I kind of was used to that already, but it actually did help me, you know, see people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, everything like that. You know, this isn't dominated by one group or one religion or anything like that. Is this was actually a great spot for me to meet new people and you know, just kind of get used to that.
Speaker 1So you completed your time at Montco, you had that good foundation, and then you transferred like many of our students. Some go into the workforce, but some decide to transfer to a four-year and complete their degree. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Speaker 2Yeah. So I transferred to Kutztown University. One of the original options for me was Temple, but because I grew up in Philly, I kind of wanted to experience something new. So Kutztown had a great program. They had, you know, electronic media at the time, and it was an hour away from where I lived at the time. So it was a great fit for me. I knew some people that were going up there. They again, I got to get my hands on the equipment up there, which helped me a ton. And I would tell any student who's here now get your hands on anything you can, learn from anything and anyone you can, because you're never gonna know everything. So always take it as a learning experience.
Speaker 1Great advice.
Speaker 2Any advice someone gives you, take it.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2You're you're never gonna be full. I uh it sounds corny, but uh honestly, that's really how I was here. So I took everything in and I took every bit of advice that someone gave me.
Speaker 1So from that nine-year-old boy being interviewed and being like, hmm, I might be able to do this. Yeah. And then working, graduating high school, going to Montco, finishing at Montco, going to Kutztown, and then you finish at Kutztown.
Odd Jobs While Chasing A News Break
Speaker 1What was the first job?
Speaker 2So it's funny. TV is not an easy job to get. So actually, my first year out of college, I was a trash man.
Speaker 1Oh, interesting. Okay.
Speaker 2Because it paid the bills. I needed money.
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2I was applying to 30 different jobs at the time. I wanted to be a sports reporter or a sports anchor.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2I guess they didn't like my Philly accent. So because I I applied to probably 30 different states.
Speaker 1Wow.
Speaker 2I probably sent out 50 resumes, 50 tapes at the time, you know, we would send out production tapes of my work. Didn't get any bites, and I would do follow-ups. So at the time I w I worked as a trash man, I worked as a fence installing guy, I worked at a stockbroker's office, I did anything I could. And then one day I had my police academy paperwork filled out and stamped in an envelope in my passenger's seat of my car. I was on my way to the post office to drop it off and my first TV station called.
Speaker 1Wow.
Speaker 2Channel 17 in Philly. And they brought me in as an editor part-time, and that was my first introduction, probably a year out of school. It's crazy.
Speaker 1But you know, persistence. Yeah. You know, having that persistence in this field, I think, is another good lesson, is like don't give up, keep beating the drum, keep making those connections. It's so important. So now you're working at 6 ABC. What's that like?
Speaker 2It's amazing. I mean, it's probably the top three TV station in the country for news. Viewers, you know, we get millions of viewers a day. We're still number one in Philadelphia. I don't like to brag, but we dominate the Philly market for TV news. When something big happens, people turn it on.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2That's what I grew up on. So that was kind of my goal to work at Action News. And it ended up coming back. I turned down jobs in other states when I was ready to make a big move when I knew I was ready,
Life At 6ABC And The Grind Mindset
Speaker 2coming from my last station in Harrisburg. And Action News came calling and I knew
Speaker 1this is where you needed to be.
Speaker 2This this was my spot. This is where I always wanted to be. I was going to be back home. Because at the time I was living in Lancaster at my other job, and it brought me home. And it's full circle. It was my goal, and it ended up coming back.
Speaker 1So for our students that perhaps want to follow in your footsteps, can you share what a typical day is like?
Speaker 2I don't know what a typical day is like. People ask me, what are you doing tomorrow? I honestly have no clue.
Speaker 1You don't know.
Speaker 2I could know at 10 o'clock in the morning when I first get in, they'll be like, hey, you're doing this or that. And an hour later, everything changes, something breaks.
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2Breaking news happens. I honestly don't know what to expect every day, and that's why I love my job. Because it's I don't get bored. I'm never going to get bored with my job. I I could do news one day, I could do sports one day, I could cover a homicide one day, I could cover a fire, I could cover the Eagles one day. I have no idea what I'm doing day to day.
Speaker 1So flexibility and adaptability is key to being successful in your field.
Speaker 2Yeah, but I'm never bored.
Speaker 1Never bored.
Speaker 2It's great.
Speaker 1If a student walked up to you from Montco and said, What do I need to do?
Speaker 2Grind.
Speaker 1To get to where you're at.
Speaker 2Grind. Honestly, everyone says it. I mean, if you don't want to put the time and effort in, it's not going to happen. To me, laziness is a huge turnoff. So for me, my dad always taught me, if you really want to do what you want to do, you got to work at it.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2And that's how I grew up. Anything, sports, grades for school, and now my job. Again, this sounds corny, but grind. I tell students all the time when I meet with them, you know, if you really want to do it, go for it. Nobody else is going to root for you as much as you are. So if you really want to do it, do it.
Speaker 1And it just doesn't get handed to you.
Speaker 2No. No. And that's the problem with young kids nowadays. They expect everything handed to them, and that's not how it works. I mean, a manager is going to look at you. Who do you think they're going to choose? Someone who wants everything given to them or someone who actually works for it?
Speaker 1Yeah. Well, I will tell you, I, from my experience being here at Montco, our students work very hard to balance life, commitment outside the classroom, but also the gratitude that I hear from students, like I am so grateful to be here and have the faculty, the staff, and the equipment to one day want to do what I want to do. So I'm glad that you're giving that advice.
Speaker 2Yeah. I mean, the few times I've been here and run into students, these students, they really like what they do.
Speaker 1They do.
Speaker 2You know, they're not lazy.
Speaker 1Nope.
Speaker 2They're not lazy.
Speaker 1Nope. So as I close out, I really appreciate your time being here. But when someone mentions Montgomery County Community College to you, what do you think about or what do you say?
Speaker 2You know, I think some people would maybe be ashamed that they went to a community college instead of a four-year to start. I'm not. And when people say, Where did you go? I started at Montco. I'm actually kind of proud of it. Because I again go back to the grind. You know, I worked my way up. I went to community college, went to a four-year. I wasn't ashamed of it at all. I actually really, really loved my time here. I had a I had a blast. I met great people, and it actually helped me get to where I am now. So I'm I'm thankful.
Speaker 1Well, I really appreciate your journey. I think it is while it's unique to you. I think many of our students can relate to what you shared with us today. So thank you so much for taking the time to be here out of your schedule.
Speaker 2I appreciate your time.
Speaker 1Uh and and all of your work that you're doing and remembering that Montco helped you get to where you are, I think is the most important lesson that I've heard from our conversation today. So I really appreciate that.
Speaker 2I appreciate you having me on. Sure.
Speaker 1So again, thank you for spending some time with us today and sharing your Montco story. Congratulations on your all your success. And I'm sure that more success will come your way. I'd like to send a special thank you to our Sound Recording and Music Technology student, Tommy Crotty, and our alumnus, Quinn Szente, who produced today's show. And thank you again for listening to the Montco on the Move podcast. Check back soon to hear more stories from our Montco family. Until next time, I'm Dr. Jared Brown, and thanks again for listening.
SpeakerThanks for listening to Montco on the Move. Students at Montgomery County Community College working in the sound recording and music technology program, record, edit, and produce this podcast. Check out mc3.edu forward slash on the move to listen to our latest episode or download our podcast on your favorite podcast app. You can also learn about the latest episodes by following us on social media. Have a guest in mind you think would be great for the podcast? Email Eric Devlin at edevlin at mc3.edu or Diane Van Dyke at dvandyke at mc3.edu. And come back next time to find out more about what's happening at your community college and catch our Montco Momentum.