Saint Joseph class of 2015 alumni, Summer Horan, might be a familiar face for some of us in the Michiana area. She serves the community as a multimedia journalist for the local new station, ABC 57. I was able to catch up with Summer and ask her a few questions, and to begin, I first wanted to know how this career began, right here at here at home, in Saint Joseph High School. When asked about her experience in high school, Summer responded that she enjoyed having her high school experience in both the new, and the former Saint Joseph High School campus locations. She continued to say that she enjoyed the fact that she “felt like the guinea pig” because of this unique experience. All in all, Summer says that high school was great, and that she always knew she would want to pursue a career in broadcasting. She got her start in the News and Broadcasting class here at Saint Joe, which is the that runs the Saint Joseph Square website you are viewing currently. The biggest difference Saint Joseph had on Summer however was the faith. “That made a big difference in me growing up and becoming who I am now, and I am very thankful for that.”

Going into senior year, Summer knew what she would study, as she always knew that she had a knack for public speaking. “The technical end of things with camera work and editing was always intriguing to me as well.” After graduating from Saint Joe, Summer went on to study Broadcasting at Indiana University Bloomington, which she loved, as she never had aspirations to attend school away from home, only to pursue a quality education, which IU Bloomington provided. After visiting other colleges, Summer says “as soon as I stepped on IU’s campus, I knew that was where I was going to go.”

Upon graduating from IU, Summer felt well equipped to pursue her career as a multimedia journalist, after the classes and experiences she found at Indiana University. In the summer months after graduating from Indiana University Bloomington, Summer began searching for jobs here in the South Bend area to save money, and remain close to home. She then went to drop off her application at ABC, WSBT, and WNDU. She began first by giving the application to ABC 57, who then called Summer to set up an interview before she could even arrive at the other two places to provide her application. She turned around, and did the interview on the spot and at the end, she was offered the job that she has now.

Summer has now been with ABC 57 for a year and a half serving as a multimedia Journalist going on air, editing, writing, interviewing, and doing photography. Her position covers it all! In the recent months Summer has been anchoring the Morning Show which she enjoys. Anchoring is the end goal Summer, where it may be, she is not sure. However, Summer states that staying local is always going to be a dream of hers, as she herself grew up watching the McFaddens on WNDU. As for now, the end of her two year contract with ABC 57 is slowly approaching, and as for now, the job search has not yet begun for Summer, but her options remain open, and she will follow where her opportunities lead her.