Studio Day at Neumann University was a unique, if not unusual open house for a college.

The school in Aston invited only high school seniors who are interested in studying communications to the Oct. 23 event. The intent was to provide prospective students with actual hands-on experience in radio and television studios.

Thirty-nine high school seniors swarmed into the new John J. Mullen Communication Center to try their hand at a variety of high-tech roles that Neumann offers in its Communication and Digital Media (CDM) major.

They visited the largest of three radio studios, testing their on-air voices and putting songs into the WNUW playlist, while their parents and friends chatted with Steve Morrison of WMMR’s The Preston & Steve Show, the top-rated morning drive show in Philadelphia.

Karen Thomas, an NBC 10 meteorologist and Neumann faculty member, and Sue Serio of Good Day Philadelphia, both familiar faces in homes across the region, introduced students to the classroom television studio. Students sat at the news desk, read from teleprompters, operated cameras, and tested their green-screen image during mock weather forecasts.

In a second spacious television studio, designed for professional production, students took on different roles under the guidance of Neumann Media staff members and full-time faculty: Sean McDonald, Pat Fahy, and Dr. Joseph Glass. Here, they were introduced to the unlimited production possibilities of having both studios broadcast in conjunction with sports or other live events from the Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality, and Character Development.

Studio Day concluded with a panel discussion by four veteran professionals: Morrison, Serio, Thomas, and Frank Neill, a public relations and social media expert from Brian Communications. All spoke of the importance of college internships to gain experience and build networks in the field of communications.

Neumann’s CDM major requires at least one internship and encourages more.