Meet Sarah Kelly

Did you know that three of the 45 scholarships available to support students in the School of Communication, Journalism, and Media are named in honor of this year’s Media Hall of Fame inductees or their family members? CMU junior Sarah Kelly is one of this year’s recipients of a one-year scholarship award from the Peter B. Orlik Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation Scholarship, named for the founder and former director of the CMU Media Arts Program. 

Kelly, a native of Grandville, Michigan, near Grand Rapids, was very involved in sports and camping with her family while growing up. That led to her decision to seek an education in broadcasting and sports management. She decided to attend CMU because of its renowned Broadcast and Cinematic Arts program.  

“In high school I took a broadcasting class and enjoyed putting out school announcements,” she said. “I began to research possible majors and schools. I knew that CMU had a good broadcasting program and offered lots of hands-on experiences, so I really liked that.” 

Preference for this scholarship award is given for a Media Arts Major, Cinema Arts Major, or Minor, and active in media arts co-curriculars. Kelly plans to intern next summer at a Grand Rapids area news station to learn more about production. Currently, she is an operations manager for MHTV, and produces her own local news show, “Morning Central,” covering lifestyle, weekend events, pop culture and opinion. She is also getting involved with CMU Athletics’ Chippewa Sports Network to learn more about directing sports.

Kelly will graduate in May 2026, and will seek a directing position in news or sports somewhere in the Midwest.  She is grateful for the scholarship.

“It definitely gives me confidence that faculty members recommended me. They believed in me and that makes we want to get even more involved,” she said.

For more information about the Peter B. Orlik Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation Scholarship and other opportunities, visit School of Communication, Journalism, and Media Scholarships | Central Michigan University (cmich.edu).