Dylan Kerns is a recent graduate of The Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting at Full Sail University. Now he’s starting his first TV job in Patrick’s hometown. Kerns is joining WHIZ-TV in Zanesville, OH as a sports anchor/reporter.
“I don’t think there was a better opportunity out there for me to begin my career. Zanesville is a small market that has a big passion for sports,” Kerns enthuses.
Kerns joined STAA in May of 2021. “I learned about STAA through an instructor at Full Sail University. Mac McDonald was a huge reason why I joined.”
His membership is how he learned of the WHIZ opening. “I started applying for jobs before I officially graduated,” he recalls. “STAA does a great job of sending leads for open positions. The WHIZ job really attracted me.”
Kerns has long wanted to deliver sports stories on a nightly basis. “This job allows me to do exactly that and the location is wonderful for me,” he smiles. “It’s only three hours away from my hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Zanesville is also close to many large cities in Ohio and Pennsylvania.”
Relationship building
Building relationships was key to Kerns landing his new opportunity. “Reaching out and communicating with people can go a long way,” he suggests. “Someone that you know could have a connection with someone else who could help you in the pursuit. I also realized that updating my demo reel as I neared graduation was a great idea. It showcased my best work and allowed me to properly pitch myself to a future employer.”
Relationship building is also a reason Kerns joined STAA. “I wanted to network with more people in the industry. The website does a great job of that. I also joined because of the track record of members landing jobs. I knew that with proper guidance I could make the most out of STAA and it is a large reason why I got my first job.”
Discovering TV
Kerns is a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan and play-by-play has long been a goal. However, he also fell in love with TV while attending the Dan Patrick School.
“I spent the last two years doing play-by-play and really enjoyed it,” he recalls. “It is still one of my favorite things to do in the industry. The Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting program has helped me become well-rounded in many areas. As I got towards the end of the program, I really started to fall in love with a newsroom environment and creating sports stories. I am a great storyteller and that helps both in play-by-play and in a TV studio environment.”
Dan Patrick is the first famous sportscaster with Zanesville roots. Kerns hopes to become the second.