Senior J.P. Mosca may be a television-radio major and station manager of ICTV, but he makes sure he is almost never caught on the film he spends so much time with.
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“I would consider myself fairly introverted, and I don’t like to approach people and ask for interviews or anything like that,” he said.
After producing the show “Panorama” for ICTV, he began gaining more interpersonal confidence.
“[Being a producer] made me have to go out in the field and approach people and have dialogue that I normally wouldn’t,” he said. “Setting up bands and things, working with musicians — I found it was very difficult.”
A double major in television-radio and applied economics, Mosca knew he wanted to pursue those subjects in college when he realized during his last year in high school in Maynard, Mass., that the main topics he felt comfortable conversing about were economics and his high school television and radio stations.
When he arrived at Ithaca College, Mosca got involved with ICTV and held several positions. He began work as a master control operator, dealing with the behind-the-scenes technicalities of the station. His sophomore year, he was a co-producer of the show “Panorama,” which was a broadcast centered on entertainment in Ithaca. His junior year, Mosca became program director for ICTV, which primarily involved giving feedback to producers. As a program director he also switched over all the tape submissions to a digital standard system.
Carol Jennings, director of Park Media Lab, said Mosca stands out because he is organized and works well with other students.
“J.P.’s an extraordinary student, a gifted leader,” Jennings said. “He really stands out as someone who can work with his peers and can work with faculty and staff and just get a lot done. He’s very effective as a student leader.”
As station manager, Mosca is at the helm of the oldest student-run television station in the county, replete with a staff of more than 300. It’s a job that keeps him busy, as junior David Allen, producer of “Fake Out” and “Dual Redundancy,” can attest.
“Producing a show alone is a lot of work,” Allen said. “It feels like a full-time job most of the time, and to be in charge of all the shows and ICTV is mind-blowing, plus all of the schoolwork — I don’t know how he does it.”
From the stress of everyday happenings at the station to bands with divas for lead singers that demand specific microphones — it’s not a simple job.
“It’s a love-hate relationship when I have nothing to do,” Mosca said. “I love being able to have as much time as I had in high school and just play video games and hang out with people, but if I don’t have anything to do I feel very unproductive, even if I’m enjoying myself. I like being scheduled to the minute, and mentally I need that schedule.”
Ever since Mosca produced the first episode of “Panorama,” he has known it is worth the commitment.
“That was probably one of the biggest achievement moments in my life,” he said.
Mosca is also active in his applied economics double major and a director of communications for the Ithaca Real-Time Fund, which manages a $100,000+ account in the stock market for the college.
Mosca attributes his love for economics to a class he took his junior year of high school that he enjoyed so much he scheduled a study period his senior year to specifically coincide with the class time just so he could sit in on the class again.
“My teacher thought I was crazy,” Mosca said. “But I really did enjoy it.”
Mosca’s advice to those looking to pursue a similar path to that he has taken at the college is reflective of his own experiences.
“Try things that push your boundaries, and do a little soul-searching because you’ll learn things about yourself,” Mosca said. “I’ve done a lot of other things other than just TV stuff. Some things I’ve absolutely hated doing, but I don’t discredit them as not adding to my person.”
As for what the future holds for Mosca, he is not quite sure.
“I’m ignoring May slightly,” Mosca said, laughing.
Mosca hopes to attend graduate school in London studying communications management, which he says is “the combination of the two things that I really enjoy.”
“Whatever he does, he’ll be great,” Allen said. “The sky’s the limit for J.P.”