Stacy Landrum, KLN ’25, received his master of journalism degree last May. Later in August, he started as a reporter in Johnstown, Pennsylvania for WJAC-TV.
What looks like an easy path now didn’t begin that way for him.
Landrum first started his Temple journey in the 1980s and, after two hiatuses, received a bachelor of arts in Radio-TV-Film in 1998. During his time away, his child was born, and he continued working at the Chester City Fire Department as a firefighter.
After graduation, he worked in the fire department and continued for close to 30 years of service, later retiring as a battalion chief.
He still felt the inkling to continue his journalism career. In high school, he wrote on the school newspaper and gave the morning announcements—communication was an important part of his upbringing. Then, once he retired from the fire department, the option to pursue a higher degree presented itself at Temple University.
In January of 2023, Landrum enrolled in the master of journalism program at Klein College.
“On one hand, it felt like I never left because it felt like home, and right back where I left,” Landrum said. “On the other hand, I felt like I had been transported into the future because technology had advanced so much.”
A year before Landrum came back, he spoke to Linn Washington Jr. journalism professor, and discussed his interest in journalism and sought tips out tips for improving himself as a journalist. The duo stayed in contact as Washington Jr. taught some graduate courses.
“What makes Stacy a strong journalist is his proficiency with fundamental reporting skills,” said Washington Jr. “Plus, having necessary intangibles like tenacity, relatability and empathy for understanding people.
Another influential individual for Landrum in recent years was adjunct professor Neil Ortiz. The two first met in the classroom when Ortiz taught JRN 3805: Demo Reel Development.
Eventually, Ortiz enrolled in the master of journalism program alongside Landrum, and the two developed a strong professional relationship. In the final class they took together, they produced an article and video exploring differing perspectives on gun control in the Philadelphia region.
In April, the pair earned second place for Video Story at the 2026 Student Keystone Media Awards for their work, “Special Report: Guns and Control in the Philly Area,” in Philadelphia Neighborhoods.
“He goes out and just talks to people,” said Ortiz about Landrum. “In return, they don’t feel like they are being interviewed by a fancy lawyer or Don Lemon. You can tell he just connects to people and immerses himself in what he is doing.”
During his time at Temple, Landrum chose to spend his extra time learning from the crew at Temple Update. During his master of journalism education, he got the opportunity, along with other students, to interview for Sinclair Broadcast Group. He continued to interview at local news stations and, eventually, landed his current role as a reporter and multimedia journalist for WJAC-TV in Johnstown, PA.
Some might say that the third time was a cham for Landrum.
“I thought Temple was the right place for me as an undergrad,” said Landrum. “But when I came back for the graduate program, I knew it was the right place for me.”