Sunny Skies in the Forecast for Trent Grad as National Anchor with the Weather Network
Michelle Mackey ’08 credits Trent for career success
While Cyclone Oswald battered the Australian state of Queensland in early 2013, the winds of change blew for Michelle Mackey ’08, setting her on a course that led to her current position as a national anchor with The Weather Network.
Upon graduating from Trent with a degree in English Literature and Cultural Studies, specializing in film, video and media. Ms. Mackey ventured abroad, pursuing her Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications in Queensland.
She started work at The Weather Network in 2014 as an on-call reporter and presenter before becoming an anchor, responsible for delivering national and regional forecasts.
“I’m truly in love with my career, there’s never a day when I dread going into work,” says Ms. Mackey, expressing much the same sentiment as she recalls her experience at Trent.
“Trent is so much more than a university; it’s a community, a place you can truly call home,” assesses Ms. Mackey, noting she received her “first taste” of the media industry through volunteer work with The Arthur and Trent Radio.
Academically, she notes her program prepared her “very well” for her current role.
“It taught me how to write well – a big plus in the journalism industry. It also taught me how to look at media in our culture with a critical eye. But the most important thing I learned at Trent was that I have a voice and my voice matters. Small class sizes and professors who really cared about me gave me confidence in my opinions and helped me find my voice.”