Written by Emmett Steele '22
When Matthew (Matt) Mastromatteo ’22 (Journalism) was first considering his future after high school, he was faced with a problem that many of us can relate to - Matt had no idea what to do next.
“My high school guidance counsellor told me about Mohawk College’s Dual Credit courses and mentioned one of the options was TV Journalism,” Matt said. “I decided to take that class because it sounded fun, and instantly knew I wanted to come to Mohawk for Journalism. Once my course was complete, I applied for the Fall 2019 semester to begin my studies.”
Taking advantage of the Dual Credit courses helped Matt to discover his passion for journalism, and after having gotten a taste of what it would be like to attend Mohawk, he knew he needed more.
“Through the Dual Credit course, I learned that I really enjoyed the course work that was involved with TV journalism and was interested in studying it further,” Matt said. “I also looked forward to improving my writing skills and learning how to properly record my voice for TV and Radio”
The Journalism program allowed Matt’s passion for journalism to flourish, helping him to develop valuable skills and learn more about the industry. During his final year, Matt had the opportunity to put his passion and newfound skills to the test through a field placement position.
“At first the internship feedback was very scary to me,” Matt said. “I tend to get in my own head and think any feedback means I’m a terrible writer and I should quit. Through the placement, I learned that feedback is incredibly valuable and the opposite of a bad thing. It’s a lesson I wish I learned sooner to save myself the stress of submitting my work for review.”
His work-integrated learning experience helped Matt to discover the value of collaboration and working as a team. According to him, one person made the biggest impact.
“Meaghan Drury made a difference for me personally,” Matt said. “Throughout my placement Meaghan was very helpful through the feedback she provided on my social media posts and my profile article. She was also very quick to respond to my questions if I had them and was always able to clarify if I was unsure what to write.”
Throughout his placement Matt faced many challenges, but through the help of his team and using what he has learned as a journalist, he was able to overcome them all to complete his placement and his program.
“I found the placement very valuable,” Matt said. “Everything I’ve learned over the past three years has helped me to grow as a journalist and gave me the practical experience I need for the future. Though I’m sad my time at Mohawk College is ending, I’m looking forward to the future.”
Interested in exploring Dual Credits in high school? Connect with your high school Student Services or Guidance department to see if you're eligible and to sign up!
