Last updated on May 31, 2025
By Myra Mulongoti, Editor
It’s not every day that you meet someone graduating with a double major in health sciences and broadcasting. However, Joe Frescott has always aimed to follow his heart and write his own story. He didn’t arrive at LIU with a plan, just with an open mind, an interest in writing and a love for sports. But four years later, he’s leaving as co-editor-in-chief of The Tide and Sports Director of LIU Sports Radio.
Frescott grew up in Lindenhurst, NY, only 30 minutes from campus. In high school, he developed an interest in writing and eventually became co-editor-in-chief of his high school newspaper, The Charles Street Times. But journalism wasn’t always the plan; sports were.
“I was a good student and an athlete my whole life up until college,” he said. “Football was my main sport. I had aspirations to play in college, but with COVID and everything, not to blame COVID, but recruiting was impacted, and it just didn’t end up being the path for me.”
Instead of leaving sports completely, Frescott found a new way to involve himself.
“That’s kind of how I found my passion for broadcasting and journalism, as a way to stay involved in the sports I loved but couldn’t play competitively anymore,” he said. “I still stay active and play sports in my free time. Gotta shout out the Lindy Dawgs.”
He reflected on his journey from The Charles Street Times to editor-in-chief of The Tide.
“I actually joined The Tide as a staff writer in my freshman year. I was taking it as a class. It was a lot different than the time I wrote in high school,” Frescott said. “I very much enjoyed the process, having to do real interviews and get sources for my stories, and just getting real experience was very enjoyable for me. From there, I became the assistant sports editor in my sophomore year. Then I worked up to sports editor in my junior year, and then in my senior year, I became co-editor-in-chief with [Myra Mulongoti]. It’s been an invaluable experience, not just for the memories and the people, but also the written work that I now have tied to my name.”
Though he is the sports editor with The Tide, Frescott has written stories on a wide range of subjects. Of all the stories he’s written, two stand out: one exploring the history of WCWP (LIU’s public radio station) and another on The Electric Company, for which he won the Press Club of Long Island Award for Student Narrative Feature Story (3rd Place).
He shared what made these two stories so meaningful.
“For the ‘60 Years of WCWP’ story, I interviewed six alumni about the celebration. I’ve done a lot of work with the radio station, so being able to talk to the alumni and learn more about that story, capturing the history of WCWP, made for a great piece,” he stated. “The other one was ‘Barbara Fowles and The Electric Company’ that I wrote my freshman year. It was about how The Electric Company, a show on PBS that came from the same network as Sesame Street, came to be. I interviewed my professor, Barbara Fowles, who was one of the women behind the scenes and a showrunner for it. It was cool because I didn’t know about it, and a lot of people didn’t either. So it was great to shed light on a story that’s been forgotten in history,” Frescott added.
Beyond The Tide, Frescott’s most significant role at LIU has been with WCWP, specifically as Sports Director with LIU Sports Radio. He discussed how he got his start in this role and how it has not only shaped his time at LIU but also given him invaluable skills that he will carry with him long after he leaves.
“When I joined the newspaper, Andrew Scarpaci was the Sports Editor, and he recruited me to do work at the radio station covering football games. I was immediately drawn to that, and it became a big part of my life. It’s never been a big crew at LIU Sports Radio, but I’ve met some really great people, some of my closest friends,” Frescott shared. “I got great experience producing live broadcasts. It’s taught me a lot: leadership skills, balancing different personalities, and the responsibility of producing a live talk show five days a week, plus live broadcasts almost every weekend. It’s a lot of work, but very rewarding. Honestly, it’s the best experience I’ve had here in terms of working in the field. I’ve also been able to travel: to Texas with the football team, to Maryland with baseball. The radio station has given me really great opportunities, and I’m very thankful for WCWP. It made my college experience,” he said.
Despite all his roles and awards with The Tide and WCWP, Frescott believes it’s the people who have been the most meaningful part of his college experience.
“I would say the people I’ve met have been the difference maker for me,” Frescott said. “That’s the one thing I’ll cherish the most when I reflect on my time at LIU. I’ve probably met my best friend for life here, and I’ve made a lot of other close friends and connections. More than anything else, that’s what I cherish most, the people who made my experiences and shared those memories with me. I’ve also had great faculty advisors and professors, people I’ve worked under in different capacities, who have really shaped my experience. They’ve taught me a lot about life and given me perspective on the future and direction. I’m very appreciative of the people, both students and staff, that I’ve had the pleasure of spending four years with at Post,” he shared.
Not only have professors and friends had a meaningful impact on Frescott’s college journey, but so has his family. Being the oldest of three, Joe emphasizes the importance of family in his life, and credits them for supporting him through everything and keeping him grounded.
With graduation approaching, Frescott is about to close his chapter at LIU, and he looks to the future with an open mind. He discussed his plans after he graduates.
“I could see myself going to graduate school for a discipline relating to the Health Sciences degree. Or I could use the broadcasting and journalism experience from The Tide and WCWP to make a career in media, either as a media personality or working in sports media. Those are the two paths I see for myself.”
Frescott made the most of his time at LIU: in the newspaper room, the radio station, and the lab. Whether his future is in health sciences or broadcast journalism, he is ready for whatever comes next.
Be First to Comment