ASU 'opened doors' for broadcast alum
A degree at Arizona State University can lead a Sun Devil just about anywhere. The following is part of a series that shows how ASU's young alumni are already making their mark on the state, nation and world.
The exhilaration of being in front of a live camera under the hot lights of a TV studio seeped into Joshua Kelman’s blood at an early age. His appearance on the Phoenix children’s television program, “The Wallace and Ladmo Show” – and winning a Ladmo Bag – when he was 10 set the stage for his future success.
“I was hooked on electronic media long before I knew there was a career in it for me,” says Kelman, who is a 2001 graduate with a B.S. in broadcast journalism and an award-winning FOX Sports Arizona producer. His parents’ video camera played a key role in the development of his passion for TV production.
“I started playing around with that (camera), and my passion just grew and grew,” he adds. “By high school, I was editing highlight videos, cutting commercials, campaign videos … you name it!”
By the time he landed at ASU, Kelman’s propensity for educating and entertaining people was full blown. Continuing to enjoy his time in front of an audience, he joined ASU’s resident comedy troupes, the Farce Side Comedy Hour and Barren Mind Improv.
“It was undoubtedly my favorite on-campus experience at ASU,” says Kelman, 31.
After he graduated, FOX Sports Arizona hired him to produce the “Sun Devil Insider” newsmagazine show, eventually transitioning him to produce original programming for the sports department. Kelman has created two new shows in the last year – the weekly “Devilball With Herb Sendek” and “Planet Orange Primetime” – and picked up three regional Emmy Awards along the way.
Even though Kelman left ASU eight years ago, he credits his alma mater for many opportunities he wouldn’t have had otherwise: studying abroad, interning with the Arizona Diamondbacks and, last but not least, meeting his wife, Christy (nee Naumann), ’06 B.A.
“ASU opened – and continues to open – a lot of doors for me,” Kelman says.
By Cecile Duhnke