Age: Jeff Preval
Current position: Centre County News Reporter
Family: Mom, Joan, and Dad, Eddy; two sisters: Betsy and Christy
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.
High school: Arlington High School, 2003
College: Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y., 2007
My first job in TV: WTAJ
How I landed in my present job: I was working at a start-up station in Centre County. After a little time there, I applied to WTAJ and was granted an interview. Since then, I'm sure you can guess the rest.
My earliest influences in TV were: Bob Costas, Ahmad Rashad, Sean McDonough (Red Sox Television Network), and Tommy Heinsohn (Celtics legend).
The most interesting person I ever interviewed was: In college, I had the chance to interview a man who escaped slavery in Sudan. He came to the U.S. and taught himself English. He now fights to improve conditions in many African nations.
What I like best about my job: The ability to cover news and inform people everyday.
How the TV business has changed: More people have more roles and more responsibility. As a reporter, I am researching, writing, editing, shooting and online all the time. I think more newsrooms are going into this direction. ... It can be fun, challenging and rewarding.
Advice I could give to someone interested in making TV a career: Start as early as you can in getting experience. This includes, internships, newspapers, radio, TV, online, etc. Try to do as much in college so when you start trying to get a job you have a feel for what you can do. Even as a young professional, continue to learn, read and know a lot.
