Tom Ackerman

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Major: Telecommunications

Years at IU: 1993 – 1997

What he did at IU: Host/play-by-play at WIUX (then WIUS-AM), intern at WFIU, Sigma Pi

What he does now: I am Sports Director at KMOX in St. Louis, the flagship station for the Cardinals (MLB) and Saint Louis University (NCAA), hosting radio shows for both teams. I am also a co-host of Total Information A.M., the top-rated show at the station, providing listeners with news, traffic, weather, business and sports each weekday morning. In addition to radio, I call college basketball play-by-play on TV for the Missouri Valley Conference and host on the video board at Scottrade Center during Blues home games. I’m also the play-by-play broadcaster for SLU women’s basketball.

What advice he has for sports media students: Widen your knowledge base by learning as many aspects of the business as you can.  Learn to speak the “language” of the companies you are pursuing.  Know them inside and out!  And be the best writer you can be… it will take you a long way.