Alumni of the Week: Riley Robbins '95

What do ugly blazers, foreign love experts, and plenty of controversy have in common? They are all part of the legacy of Riley Robbins, our D3TV alumni of the week!

Riley (pictured with fellow D3TV members Nikki Miyasato '10 and Mara Mote '11) got his start in the media industry during his time at DePauw, where he was involved in D3TV, WGRE, and The DePauw. Although participating in student media takes some hard work, Riley proved that with a little humor, being a member of DePauw's media outlets can be fun as well. At WGRE, Riley hosted two radio shows, including one late night show where he pretended to be a foreign love expert. The show ran from 12 am-3 am on Saturdays, also known as prime socializing time at DePauw, but Riley felt it was worth sacrificing his social life to help others with theirs. While working at The DePauw, Riley caused more than a little controversy. Serving as a columnist and eventually Editor in Chief, Riley tackled topics such as guns on campus, cheap wine, hazing, and Student Congress's use of funds. When it came time for Riley to get involved with D3TV, he took the opportunity to be a sportscaster on "Evening Edition" and work on a D3TV original sitcom. Riley served as producer for "My Education," which was a five episode sitcom that was filmed during Winter Term and starred an all-freshmen cast. Although building the set proved to be a dangerous task when part of the set nearly fell on Riley, he was pleased with the final product and feels that it still "holds up."

Today, Riley is a reality TV development executive, which means he takes "different ideas, celebrities, concepts, brands, and try to turn them into TV for various outlets." Riley makes sure to keep up with reality favorites such as "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" and scripted hits such as "Big Bang Theory," "Modern Family," and "Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Riley regrets not getting involved with D3TV earlier in his DePauw career, and he suggests that any students interested in the media industry get involved immediately and spend as much time in the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media as possible. Riley also suggests that students think beyond DePauw when they are creating things such as television shows for D3TV. "Your friends love it? Fun. America loves it when it's on YouTube? So much better!" he said. "You might be in a bubble in DePauw but that doesn't mean you need to be with the work you make."

In addition to just getting involved on campus, Riley insists that DePauw students need to take advantage of internships in New York City or Los Angeles, even if they are unpaid. "Trust me. You're just as qualified as the kids who do get them here. The only difference is that they apply," he said. "You need to do the same and you'll get all the same advantages. And don't be afraid to reach out to DPU alums to ask for help."

Riley's one word of caution to DePauw students, however, is to resist the urge to pitch television show ideas to connections made in the industry. "That's just going to tick them off and have them sell your email address to Nigerian spammers!"