March 4, 2020) Spencer McLaughlin will be graduating from Santa Clara University a quarter early so he can start a new job broadcasting for Eastern Oklahoma State College. He will be the lead broadcaster and on-air personality for Mountaineers Athletics and 93.1FM/104.9FM.
“It is my responsibility to serve as the lead play-by-play announcer for all EOSC athletics events (and high school football), have a daily air shift at the radio station which will feature elements beyond sports talk, work with college students to improve their broadcasting skills, and help to further improve the station’s broadcast productions,” he says.
McLaughlin sees this as a great opportunity that will provide him extensive play-by-play experience for college sports, including a few with which his experience is limited: baseball, softball, and soccer. “Having these experiences will bolster my resume and my capabilities as a broadcaster.”
Prior to pursuing a job, McLaughlin did as many broadcasts as possible in order hone his skills. He believes this was one factor that helped him in his pursuit of the EOSC job, but he says another important factor was that he followed up with EOSC a couple weeks after sending his application.
McLaughlin joined STAA in January after being referred by fellow Nichols State University Play-by-Play Broadcaster Jack Benjamin, a fellow STAA member and a fellow graduate of Santa Clara University. He credits Benjamin with inspiring him to become a broadcaster and helping him get where he is today.
He shares, “When I met Jack he not only gave me the opportunity to love broadcasting as much as he does, but he immediately instilled the utmost confidence in my on-air abilities. He has guided me throughout this entire process, and for the last three years has been a great friend and an even better mentor. He has truly changed my life in the best way possible.”
McLaughlin also shares how helpful his STAA membership has been. Not only did he learn of the job opening from an STAA Job Leads email, but he believes his STAA membership made him a much more marketable candidate with a stronger resume. He says STAA furnished “tips on how to write better cover letters, how best to present demo tapes to employers, and insights as to which types of jobs I am most qualified for. Without it I do not think I would have gotten this position.”
(Visit Spencer’s STAA Talent Page).