Spotlight On: Matt Mendres, Assistant Professor of Communication

Matthew Mendres, a seasoned professor of Communication, is not only shaping the future of public speaking and television production but also redefining the way students engage with the world around them. Working with interactive equipment, he ensures his students graduate with the practical skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly evolving media landscape.  

How did you begin your career?  

I started working at News 12 New Jersey in 1999 just after graduating from NYU with a Master’s degree in broadcast journalism and got the job because News 12 was owned by the same company that I was already working for, Cablevision.

Was communication always your first choice? 

Absolutely. 

When I first started college, I thought I was going to go into film, but then I took a television production course and found that I liked TV even more than film production. That's the major I declared, and the rest of history.  

Was working at a news station stressful?  

Yes, but in a good way. It was stressful in a bad way when I first started, when I was still learning. But, once I found my feet and knew what I was doing, it was a good kind of stress. Instead of being stressful, it was exciting. 

Was there anyone you looked up to in the industry? 

I looked up to two of my professors at Montclair State more than anybody in the industry.  They were the ones who made it fun and were exciting, so they were the ones who really inspired me. One of them, Howard, and another we called  "Doc" were both amazing teachers who knew what they were doing. They were both in the industry for years before they went into teaching. What we liked to say at Montclair was that Howard taught us how to get the job and Doc taught us how  to keep the job.  

Did you always want to teach from the start?  

No, in college, I always wanted to be a TV director. That was the goal. I graduated from Montclair and I started working in the business, freelance and local programming. 

I discovered by accident about four years into my career that I really loved teaching and that’s why I decided I also wanted to  teach. Then, I found out the only way I was going to be able to teach on the college level was if I got a Master’s degree. By the time I got my dream job at News 12, the dream had changed, so I went from being a director to teaching.  

What brought you to Centenary University?  

I was told about it by one of my professors at Montclair State College. Many years later, that teacher was teaching at Centenary, and knew that I was interested in teaching on the college level. One day, she called me and said “Hi, I’m retiring and I’m recommending you.” 

That’s how I got the job here.  

Do you want to see any changes to the program?  

I would like to see all of our facilities upgraded. I would also like to see more outreach to students in high schools and community colleges to showcase what we offer here at Centenary.  

Callista McKeon conducted and wrote this interview as part of a class assignment in Intro to Journalism FA24. Her first love is radio where she is a member of WNTI.org, The Sound of Centenary.