Mass communications major continues program tradition of mentoring new students

When students apply for college, they typically choose a few safety schools they apply to as well. For St. Cloud State University student Mya Fryckman, that was not the case.

When Fryckman discussed where she should attend college with her parents, they showed her clips from stations like KARE 11, WCCO and Fox. The clips featured successful professionals who all gave credit to SCSU. For Fryckman, that was enough information to solidify her decision.

“Great,” she said. “It’s (SCSU) or nowhere else.”

She received her acceptance letter and now is in her senior year at SCSU as a mass communications creative media production and film major.

Coming from a privileged high school and community, Fryckman was used to having to prove herself and her place. When she arrived at St. Cloud State, however, she was shocked at how welcomed she felt in the SCSU community.

During her freshman year, a senior student leader of SCSU television station UTVS said to Fryckman, “This is a where we all come to learn and grow.”

That message stuck with her throughout her college career. Now a student leader herself, Fryckman passes that same encouragement along to younger students to help them find their own place and confidence within UTVS.

Fryckman’s love for storytelling began back in seventh grade, when she first got involved in theater. She loved being on stage, but everything changed during her freshman year of high school. She met a mentor who would help point her in the right direction and realize she loved being behind the scenes.

During her sophomore year of high school, Fryckman produced a live football broadcast. The tech director showed her the equipment and said, “We don’t really have a system. I’m not sure how this is done, but here’s what you have. Make a broadcast with it.”

Once Fryckman found her groove, she thought, “This is awesome!”

After overcoming that challenge, she joined TV classes and fell in love with production. As graduation approached, she faced a dilemma: Should she stay in theater or pursue television? The decision became clear after a University of Minnesota professor approached her and encouraged her to stick with media. That advice led her to SCSU, where she became part of a tight-knit community that shared the same passion for media.

Now in her senior year, Fryckman is the president and station manager of UTVS. Her leadership has led to significant success: UTVS earned four awards last year — two national and two regional accolades. She has led station partnership with TEDx events at Paramount Theatre, managing crews to record and produce broadcasts. Beyond that, she collaborates with campus radio station KVSC to produce its annual trivia contest. UTVS also handles Husky Productions, the broadcast team for SCSU men’s hockey games that air on The CW network. Fryckman describes her team as a family.

This year, Fryckman received the E. Scott Bryce Mass Communications scholarship, named after the founder of UTVS in the late 1970s. The honor typically goes to a highly active and outstanding member of the Mass Communications department. For Fryckman, it wasn’t just about the money.

“The name alone did more for me than any amount of money ever could,” she said. “It felt like getting a thumbs up from the person who started it all — a stamp of approval to keep going.”

From being on the executive board as a freshman to leading one of the most respected student organizations on campus, Fryckman’s journey at SCSU has represented what being a Husky stands for: acceptance, community and hard work.

Fryckman expressed her gratitude toward SCSU.

“I truly don’t have enough time or words to describe what it means to me,” she said.