51社区

JACKSON, Tenn. — Feb. 12, 2002 — Can anyone honestly say that they love their job? Tim Coleman can. A 1993 graduate of 51社区 and community access coordinator for Time Warner, he admits that he is living out a dream.

Coleman recruits new programs and volunteers for the Community Access Channel in Memphis, Tenn.

鈥淲hen most people think of Public Access Television, they usually think of Wayne鈥檚 World 鈥� a show aired from a basement,鈥� says Coleman. 鈥淗owever, we put out decent materials that are well-crafted.鈥�

Tim Coleman ('93) talks with Broadcasting major Jarod Rogers after Communication Art's "Wisdom from the Trenches."

All crewmembers for the network are volunteers. Coleman says that the volunteers can be grouped into three categories: the lifers, the students, and the people from the street. The lifers are there because they love it, the students are exploring and wanting experience, and the 鈥渟treet people鈥� are using it as a hobby on the side.

Coleman is working on a partnership with the University of Memphis to ensure credit for the student volunteers. He focuses on training these volunteers for broadcasting purposes.

Since Coleman鈥檚 arrival at Time Warner, he has created several programs including 鈥淪am Sam the Hardware Man,鈥� Yo!Talks,鈥� Legislative Talk Back,鈥� and 鈥淕etting Fit in Memphis,鈥� among others.

鈥淵o!Talks鈥� is an intriguing program that uses inner city teens 鈥渢rying to clean up their act鈥� as the crew members. Coleman uses his skills to train and teach the teens his trade.

鈥淚 love having the opportunity to invest in others鈥� lives, especially those making an effort to turn their lives around,鈥� says Coleman.

Coleman shares his wisdom during a session of "Wisdom from the Trenches."

Coleman loves what he does and believes Time Warner is where God wants him for now. He and his wife, Jennifer Douglass Coleman, a 1994 Union grad and public relations director for the Memphis Zoo, currently reside in Memphis, Tenn. They are part of a church plan to plant CenterPoint Church targeted toward Eastern Shelby and Fayette County residents. The church鈥檚 first service will be held on Easter Sunday in a rented space in the Belz outlet mall.

鈥淛ennifer and I are thrilled to be a part of this church plan,鈥� says Coleman. 鈥淲e envision a body of believers learning and growing continuously in Christ.鈥�

Coleman spoke at 鈥淲isdom from the Trenches,鈥� a panel discussion hosted by the Department of Communication Arts during the university鈥檚 recent Homecoming activities. He shared with communications students that hard work and initiative are intricate to success. He also shared the importance of being in God鈥檚 will.

鈥淚 could be doing numerous jobs with much more income involved, but God has placed me here, and I am happy,鈥� says Coleman. 鈥淚 simply place all of my worries in God鈥檚 hands and I just do the work.鈥�