Learning From the Best

By Patrick Bohn ’05, March 6, 2023

Eric Reid ’79 shares wisdom and stories with students.

Jeremy Menard, Eric Reid, and Amy Falkner

Eric Reid ’79 (center) took part in a Q&A moderated by Television and Radio Operations Manager Jeremy Menard (left) during his return, which was facilitated by Dean Amy Falkner.

(Photo by Patrick Bohn)

Aspiring sports broadcasters in the Roy H. Park School of Communications got the chance to hear from a legend in the industry when Eric Reid ’79 returned to campus in February to take part in a Q&A and workshop with current students.

Reid, who is the television play-by-play broadcaster for the NBA’s Miami Heat, is in his 35th year with the franchise that he’s been a part of since its inception. During the Q&A session, which was moderated by IC Television and Radio Operations Manager Jeremy Menard, he answered questions about his rise through the broadcast journalism ranks and the value of developing connections and mentors. He also shared a memory of a fleeting encounter with an Ithaca College icon.

While still a student, Reid found out he would be providing the radio play-by-play for the Cornell men’s basketball team. That same day, he was leaving campus when he was spotted by head football coach Jim Butterfield, who shouted out, “Don’t ever forget where you came from!”

“I have a deep appreciation for where I started my career, and it feels good to give back to current students, and in the process, to remember how it was when I was in their shoes, and I had the chance to interact with someone in the profession.”

Eric Reid ’79

Reid never did, recalling that an Ithaca alum, Chuck Wilson ’76, hired him for one of his first jobs at local radio station WHCU, and calling Ithaca College his “happy place”

“Being back in Ithaca, in a college community that I still love, is great,” he said. “I have a deep appreciation for where I started my career, and it feels good to give back to current students, and in the process, to remember how it was when I was in their shoes, and I had the chance to interact with someone in the profession.”

In addition to the Q&A session, Reid met with several students who do play-by-play for the college’s radio stations, listened to their tapes, and provided feedback. Taken together, the two components of Reid’s return to IC proved incredibly valuable for the students.

“The ability for our students to connect with alums who are in the business helps them get ready. There’s an incredibly valuable mentoring experience, and our alums have consistently reached out to me, and told me how interested they are in sharing things with current students, and our students are very excited to take part. We’re thrilled Eric was able to come back and be a part of it.”

Park School of Communication Dean Amy Falkner

“This is what I want to do for a career, said Josh Silverstein ’23, who currently serves as the Sports Director of ICTV. “He’s one of the best in the business and hearing about his career was fantastic. It’s great to hear from people in the field who were once in our position.”

That’s one of the goals of Park School Dean Amy Falkner, who sees these connections as an invaluable way to prepare students for their post-college careers.

“The ability for our students to connect with alums who are in the business helps them get ready,” she said. “There’s an incredibly valuable mentoring experience, and our alums have consistently reached out to me, and told me how interested they are in sharing things with current students, and our students are very excited to take part. We’re thrilled Eric was able to come back and be a part of it.”