Photo Courtesy of ESU Bloomfield native Mehki Williams, who is currently studying at East Stroudsburg University, has his own sports radio talk show and did play-by-play for the school’s basketball team.
Bloomfield native Mehki Williams, who is currently studying at East Stroudsburg University, has his own sports radio talk show and did play-by-play for the school’s basketball team.
Throughout his time at East Stroudsburg University, diehard sports fan Mehki Williams made it a point to pursue every opportunity to polish his skills, grow his confidence and position himself to one day earn his big break in broadcasting.
To reach his goal, the Bloomfield resident led his own sports talk show at WESS 90.3 FM, served as the station’s sports director, wrote for the Stroud Courier and ESU Athletics, did play-by-play for Warriors men’s basketball games, and used every class project as a chance to add a new strength to his resume.
It was a game plan Williams had in mind before his time at ESU ever began.
“When I was deciding to come to ESU, the thing I loved most was that it’s a smaller school and there were so many opportunities to make your mark, so I knew when I got here that I wanted to be aggressive at getting into the positions that would be valuable to me coming out of college,” said Williams, a 2025 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communication.
The effort paid off. Williams’ drive helped him secure a summer internship with SiriusXM Radio in New York City starting June 16. One of the premiere audio entertainment companies in the United States, SiriusXM reaches roughly 160 million listeners each month, according to its website.
Williams will work on the production team for Mad Dog Sports Radio, a channel anchored by longtime sports talk radio personality Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo. A big fan of Russo’s talent and style, for Williams to now be working with the iconic host felt like a dream come true, he said.
“Being able to get up every day, travel into New York City and be around something I love, getting to work with all these talented on-air personalities who I can learn from and see their process – it’s going to be awesome, and I can’t wait to get started,” he said.
Williams’ duties will include running the sound board, editing content, pitching ideas, ensuring on-air talent are prepped for their shows – many of the same skills he fine-tuned at ESU, he said.
“WESS is where it all started,” he said. “I got involved right away doing news briefs my freshman year, became sports director, had my own show, and just built my reputation from there.”
Next, he looked to sharpen his writing skills. He became sports editor of the Stroud Courier, where he covered games, wrote recaps and interviewed athletes and coaches. He followed that up with an internship with ESU Athletics in fall 2024 that further helped his writing and production skills.
As a senior, he seized an opportunity to hone his broadcasting abilities as a play-by-play announcer for men’s basketball games. Confidence and preparation were key to success in the role, he quickly learned.
“When you’re on air, listeners can tell when you’re not confident in what you’re saying,” he said. “I make sure that no matter what I’m doing or who I’m interviewing, I know everything there is to know and I read my notes over and over because that makes you confident.”
Williams said while interviewing for the SiriusXM Radio role, the recruiter noted his heavy involvement at ESU. Williams encouraged other students seeking their dream job to do the same by taking advantage of opportunities on campus that can set them apart from other candidates.
“ESU provided me the foundation to learn how to become a sports journalist working in these media landscapes,” he said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without ESU for sure.”
East Stroudsburg University, a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, opened in 1893 as East Stroudsburg Normal School. Today, ESU is a comprehensive university in northeastern Pennsylvania offering 49 undergraduate programs, 20 master’s programs and two doctoral programs. More than 5,000 students are enrolled.
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