OCC Connection Brings Alum Home to "The Morning News"

Onondaga Community College alumnus Ryan Dean's unexpected journey home to Central New York began with a message on social media and an email to one of his former OCC professors who is also the News Director at WSYR-TV, Newschannel 9.

Late last year Dean saw a Facebook post announcing that morning news anchor Dan Cummings was retiring after 37 years with the station. At the time Dean was working as an anchor and reporter at KSDK television in St. Louis. "I didn't plan on leaving. My contract was expiring soon but I planned to stay. We were entrenched there." But when Dean received a text from a friend telling him he should apply for the job, he began considering it.

Dean had graduated from Dryden High School in 2001. He came to Onondaga Community College and enrolled in the Electronic Media Communications degree program which was recently renamed Broadcast Media Communications. One of his first classes was "Sportscasting" taught by Professor Jim Campagna who is a 1979 OCC alumnus and also the News Director at WSYR TV, Newschannel 9.

Dean sent Campagna an email with the subject line, "From A Former Student at OCC." He let Campagna know he intended to stay in St. Louis but if there was one job that might bring him back, it was the morning anchor position at Channel 9 which Cummings was retiring from.

Throughout the application and job interview process, Dean had strong support at home from his wife Dana. The two had met while working as multimedia journalists in Syracuse at Time Warner's "News 10 Now" which is now known as "Spectrum News." They moved together to St. Louis, worked together at the same station, married in 2011, and have two sons. "My wife was pushing me to do it. My kids had never had the grandparent experience. My dad is 75 and we thought this would be cool for them."

Dean began working at Newschannel 9 earlier this month but wasn't seen by viewers until Monday, March 21. One of the things he wanted to do before his on-air debut was meet with Cummings who he would be replacing. They were able to get together last week. "He was so gracious and so encouraging. To shake his hand, to have lunch with him, to get his blessing that I was taking his job, it was the highlight of my day."

As he settles into his role as co-anchor of The Morning News, Dean is grateful for his two years at OCC and how it built the foundation for his career. "I remember how hands-on the program was and how it set me up for great success in my bachelor's program. At OCC I learned what all of the behind-the-scenes people do and it was so valuable. It helped me start as a multimedia journalist doing where I had to do everything. The skills were so transferrable and portable. I learned all of it at the community college level."