Sports Broadcasting Student Gains Invaluable Career Experience at Dean
Brendan Howe, a 2017 Franklin High School graduate, admitted that Dean was not on his list of colleges when he first started applying.
“It wasn’t until late in the process when my parents pushed me to take a tour (of Dean). When I did, I was sold immediately.”
Brendan’s love for sports combined with Dean’s amenities that he discovered during his tour, like the gymnasium full of athletic trophies (known as the Trophy Room), the radio station, and even the office of John Rooke. Rooke, a professional sportscaster for over 30 years, oversees the Center for Business, Entertainment and Sport Management at Dean as well as serving as a faculty member. His office is filled with sports memorabilia and mementos from his long career in sports.
“I’ve had the dream to be a sportscaster since I was 15, and I knew that no other school would give me a better chance to get involved right away.”
So, he enrolled at Dean where he chose to pursue his passion in the sports broadcasting program.
When asked what it was like to attend a college in his hometown of Franklin, Brendan had no qualms. He lived on campus but had the luxury of going home whenever he pleased.
“It was unique being able to go to school in the same town I grew up in. I knew the area, and I was able to see all my friends from Franklin whenever they would come home. It was nice being able to combine college and my home life, which is an opportunity a lot of students don’t have.”
The summer after completing his freshman year, Brendan received his first play-by-play internship with the New Bedford Bay Sox in the NECBL thanks to the connections he made at Dean.
“Landing something like that, while being so young is almost unheard of. When I got there that summer, I was calling games with kids from Syracuse, Northwestern, URI and all sorts of big schools. I realized from there that the size or reputation of the school you go to really doesn’t matter, it’s the people who teach you and mentor you that matter, and I would argue that no school in this area is better at that than Dean.”
The following summer, Brendan worked for the Cape Cod Baseball League. That fall, now in his junior year, he created the Dean Daily, the Dean College newspaper.
“I noticed that Dean didn’t have a newspaper and I’ve always been big on writing, so I thought that if I were to start something and give students a way to voice their opinion, that it would really be something we could grow.”
In December of that year, Brendan extended his professional experience by providing color commentary for a Providence Bruins game on AHL TV.
Even during the pandemic, Brendan found a way to broadcast games. He spent this past summer in Louisiana working for a Texas Collegiate League.
As for the future, Brendan plans to start work as soon as he possibly can.
“I’m actively applying and inquiring about jobs across Minor League Baseball and additionally at Division I and II colleges across the country. Having worked through three internships in baseball at different levels with different responsibilities during my time at Dean has well-equipped me to carry a heavy workload wherever I land.”
Brendan wrapped up his time at Dean with the honor of being one of two seniors selected to speak on behalf of students at Dean College’s virtual graduation toast for December 2020 graduates held via zoom.
One thing is certain – based on his extensive resume, the future has great things in store for this standout student.
If you are a high school student interested in sports broadcasting, Dean offers summer pre-college programs that are for credit and offer a great introduction to college life. Visit www.dean.edu/summer to learn more. For more information on Dean College, visit www.dean.edu.