In 2018, one of Bellefonte’s well-known students, Eddie Fitzgerald, graduated and left to pursue his life at Hofstra University, located in New York. 

Eddie has pursued a life in journalist reporting and is involved in anything and everything news-related. From producing two shows to doing play by plays for various sports teams, Eddie has taken Hofstra, and the surrounding community, by storm.

Throughout his time at Bellefonte High, Eddie participated in a variety of activities and clubs. Most prominently, he performed for the Drama Club where he even won an Isaac Award for best supporting actor as Moonface Martin in the show Anything Goes. He was also president of Model United Nations and led the group to Toronto and Boston where they competed.

Eddie was no stranger to helping others. While being Student Council president, Eddie helped start the first ever Mini-THON at the high school to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund, a tradition that the club still carries on today. He additionally helped organize the April 20, 2018 “Walkout” in solidarity with other schools in response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

From his sophomore to senior year, Eddie was highly involved in the student newspaper, The Red and White. During his senior year, he became the co-editor in chief with another Bellefonte High graduate, Joey Morrison. Throughout his time on the staff, he impacted not only the students in the class, but advisor Mrs. Jessica Lloyd, as well. 

“Eddie effortlessly created a healthy rapport with everyone around him. He could make people feel comfortable just by being himself. He truly wanted to understand where people were coming from and always took the time to listen to them,” she said.

Eddie began his college experience at Hofstra in the Fall of 2018, and since then has been producing two different shows at the radio station on campus, 88.7FM WRHU. 

“The first show is a morning show where we talk with local political leaders, field experts, and community activists to learn and converse about local national international issues,” he said. 

This show airs on Friday mornings from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., whereas his second show, “The Pro Take,” airs on Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m..

“The Pro Take,” is a sports radio show that focuses on talking with reporters, former players, and coaches about the latest news in professional sports. He also does “Play by Play” and “Color Commentary” for Hofstra Sports. Last year, he was selected to be the voice for “Play by Play” of the men’s lacrosse playoff tournament that he said was “loads of fun.” Eddie additionally got to be involved in Hofstra Votes last fall, which covered the 2020 Election. 

“I got to cover the election, call states for the candidates, and in real time break down the analysis of the votes. It was an unforgettable experience,” he said. 

Eddie prides himself on producing the best work possible. From producing articles in high school, to producing radio shows in college, Eddies put all of his effort into everything he does – and it shows.

“As a teenager, Eddie took on a lot of clubs and activities. He always delivered high-quality articles in journalism no matter how busy of a schedule he had, and he always made time for his peers even if he was overwhelmed with everything he was involved in,” Mrs. Lloyd said.

Although he’s started a new chapter of his life far away from Bellefonte, Eddie still misses home. 

“I miss everyone who has made any type of impact on my life. That’s sort of the downside of going five hours away for school; you do your best to stay in touch with home but at a certain point, I have to live my life here. So while I wish I was better at acknowledging the people who mean that much to me, just physically being back in Bellefonte would make that easier,” he said.

Although Eddie has left Bellefonte, pieces of his impact still remain; from helping form the first Mini-THON, to his work with The Red and White and beyond. He continues to encourage students to pursue what they want and make their own impact on the world, just like he did.

“Life is just a batch of experiences, so just go out and experience it. If there’s something you want, go out and get it. Bellefonte taught me that, and to always, ‘Go, be good out there, and go learn something.’”