Multimedia Journalism Adjunct Faculty Michael Wakefield has been around Keene State College since 1971, and has since accomplished many things in his time at the college.
Wakefield’s first role at Keene State was as a student back in 1971. Once he completed his four years, he came back in 1978 for media services, as well as a job as a technician at Keene State as well.
Throughout his time at Keene State, Wakefield has just about done it all, providing a collection of roles that he offered to the college.
Examples of roles he’s worked in are as Director of Media Services from 1996 to 1998, Chief Engineer of WKNH from 1979 to 1992 as well as currently serving as adjunct faculty since 1993.
Chad Nye, a professor of multimedia journalism since 2010, met Wakefield when he began at KSC. The two have worked on a variety of projects together since then.
“[Wakefield] is a very smart man,” Nye said. “He’s very up to date on technology and journalism. If you want to know something that’s going on in the world of digital media, he’s your go-to guy.”
Wakefield has made a variety of serious impacts when it comes to Keene State, and one of the most significant was his role in the creation of the TV studios.
Wakefield had helped in the making of four different TV studios during his time at Keene State, the first of which was a black and white studio.
Before the internet was as crucial as it is now, he even worked with former KSC President (1969-1979) Leo Redfern to create something called the Information Retrieval System. This system allowed videos and instructional materials to be piped into the classrooms.
“It was a system that would allow people to open real video tape decks and things that would start when you pushed the touch tone,” Wakefield said. “A professor would be, let’s say, in a class in the science building and wanted to show something about geology, he or she would be able to just punch a number and it would start.”
While it never ended up being fully completed, Wakefield’s efforts in making this a reality demonstrated his skills when it came to media tech.
As a professor, Wakefield’s impact has been evident to his students, such as Kerrin Shea, a multimedia journalism major. Shea met Wakefield on the first day of her first-year during an Intro to Thinking and Writing class, as well as a TV production class.
“From the get-go, Wakefield has absolutely nurtured my love for all things broadcast,” Shea said. “My first class starting in TV production was phenomenal, and my goal was always to be a TV reporter, to be in front of the camera, but he really taught me and nurtured the entire classroom on how to love working the behind the scenes aspects.”
Besides his accomplishments with teaching and tech, Wakefield is also a musician. When he first got to Keene State College, his original major was music. His instrument of choice has been the saxophone since 1968, even before he got to Keene State. He was also one of the founding members of the Keene State Jazz Ensemble.
“I wouldn’t call it a hobby. It’s more of the category that you would call advocation. It’s always been there,” Wakefield said. “I don’t just do it for fun, I do it to get paid, but I also do it for fun.”
Michael Ardita can be contacted at
mardita@kscequinox.com
