April 8, 2025

Ferris State’s Television and Digital Media Production program celebration April 12 shows new facilities, honors 50 years of academic excellence

Ferris State University educators were in step with a changing market in 1975, establishing the Associate of Applied Arts curriculum in Television Production as the U.S. broadcast industry began feeding cable contractors their programs to transmit to the nation.

A 50th anniversary celebration of the program is planned for Saturday, April 12 with longstanding and new-age facilities featured in an afternoon program on the Big Rapids campus, followed by an evening banquet.  
Ferris State’s Bachelor of Science degree is now in Television and Digital Media Production.

Glen Okonoski, a TDMP professor and School of Digital Media chair, said more than 900 alumni have been invited to register online to enjoy memories, old classmates and new facilities beginning with the afternoon tour.

“Our open house will welcome alumni to the third floor of the Center for Virtual Learning, where digital media technology, editing suites and extended reality capabilities are available to current students,’ Okonoski said. “Our studio production space in the Interdisciplinary Resource Center has also recently been upgraded, so past TDMP students from our beginning to just a few years ago would see significant improvements there as well.”

Also available for visitors is the annual Ferris Media Festival on Friday, April 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Ferris State’s David L. Eisler Center, 805 Campus Drive.

On Saturday, Ferris State is hosting a parade through downtown Big Rapids to celebrate the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championship for the Bulldog Football team, beginning at noon.

Okonoski said an evening program brings the celebration’s focus to recollections and tributes to the program’s worldwide reach in visual storytelling.

“A 5:30 p.m. cocktail reception in the Eisler Center ballrooms should let classmates share stories of their Ferris days and careers, we are hoping for representation from alumni across the program’s history,” he said. “Following dinner, there will be a program with speakers including current and retired TDMP faculty along with alumni recounting their Ferris experiences and career exploits, where some have gained national attention.

"Our final point of pride will be a special preview of a documentary on the 50 years of Television and Digital Production’s unique qualities and excellence. We believe it supports our case that the program is a national leader.” 

Registration opportunities for the celebration continue through Monday, March 31 at www.tdmp50.com.