Following Their Passions

For sports communications graduates Alan Fuehring ’12, Aaron Ferguson ’15, and Aaron Freeman ’16, passion drove early success.

For Alan Fuehring, an early experience with Peoria’s hockey team, the Rivermen, shaped his career goals. “I immediately fell in love with the broadcasting and PR side of professional sports,” said Fuehring of his three years interning for the Rivermen.

After interning at the #1 local television station in Los Angeles during his Hollywood Semester, Fuehring graduated and worked his way up from doing the play-by-play for the Single-A Rivermen to doing the play-by-play for the Triple-A Sound Tigers, the New York Islanders’ American League affiliate.

“A very fortunate progression in such a short amount of time” Fuehring reports. “The Hollywood Semester played a huge role in helping my career get off to a strong start.”

“The Hollywood Semester was great,” said Aaron Ferguson. “The opportunity to intern for KABC-TV was a dream. I loved every assignment, whether it was going to Dodger Stadium to cover the Dodgers. . . or to the Los Angeles Coliseum for USC football practice, it was all a great experience and confidence boost. That experience has enabled me to be confident in my ability to report on any level.”

 After graduating, Ferguson freelanced before settling at the Peoria Journal Star, where he reports on high school sports, which was what drew him to sports communication in the first place. During his first internship at KHQA-TV in Quincy, Illinois, Ferguson followed a high school baseball team through the state playoffs. “Seeing the joy on people’s faces while covering the team each game through the playoffs was fun,” remembers Ferguson. 

Aaron Freeman recently accepted a position as a PR associate for the Minnesota Timberwolves. To Freeman, confidence and hard work are integral to every facet of his job with the Timberwolves. “Bradley taught me those two things the best,” Freeman said. “I think the Department of Communication helped me in being the most professional I can be.” Freeman also participated in the Hollywood Semester interning at KABC-TV where he honed his skills as a sports broadcaster before moving on to the “Timberwolves”.

Fuehring, Ferguson and Freeman are three successful sports communications graduates, all three attended Bradley University and participated in the Hollywood Semester. Each turned their Los Angeles and Bradley University experiences and passions into successful sports-related careers.