St. Clair alumnus and CBC journalist Sanjay Maru has been recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association for Excellence in Editing.
This is the first regional award for the St. Clair College Media Convergence graduate.
The 26-year-old Windsor native and CBC Windsor Video Producer/Occasional Reporter said it is a tremendous honour and came as a surprise.
His story featured a Windsor man who dresses up like a superhero to help the homeless and goes by the persona of Canadian Justice.
“During my three years in this position there have been some great people who have supported and guided me along the way. Not just mentoring but making sure I had the tools possible to put this material together.”
Maru used some unique editing as well as superhero themed music and fonts to create a comic book coming to life feeling for the piece.
Before he began work at CBC Windsor in 2018, the only experience Maru had was what he learned and practiced at St. Clair College’s MediaPlex.
Maru said the MediaPlex was everything.
“The MediaPlex does a great job of replicating a real newsroom feel, giving the students a chance to experiment in all the different roles. They give you the hands-on experience by putting the control of the show in your hands and really seeing what you’re all about.”
Maru quickly realized if he could succeed at the MediaPlex, he could do the same in a real newsroom.
Rejected by CBC Toronto for a summer internship position, Maru said he was devastated, but after reading his rejection email a little closer, he realized they offered him a position at CBC Windsor which started immediately.
Although he had to complete school early to start his new job, Maru said he believes the opportunities he got at CBC Windsor were far greater than if he had been hired in Toronto.
“What originally I thought was presented to me as a failure or a pity position actually became the greatest thing that ever happened to me. They threw me into the fire right away, writing web and radio stories and putting me on television after only a few weeks.”
Maru also earned top honours as the Converged Journalist of the Year at the MediaPlex’s Journalism Awards Night.
He said it was as big an honour, if not bigger at the time and was the moment he realized this is a career he could and should pursue.
Coordinator and professor at St. Clair College’s MediaPlex, Veronique Mandal said she is beyond delighted with Sanjay’s success and not at all surprised.
“He is an exceptional talent, but he also works really hard. Winning those awards is very important to young journalism students and they become equally important to journalists once they get into the work force.”
Maru found more than the foundations of his future career during his time at St. Clair’s MediaPlex. He also met his wife Shubhangana.
“It was one of those situations where all the other students and professors knew we should be dating while her and I were the only ones who didn’t. After many months of knowing each other and getting close we started dating and the rest is history.”
- Todd Shearon