CREDIT: FANSHAWE COLLEGE YOUTUBE PAGE
Cheryl Hickey, Fanshawe alumna and host of Entertainment Tonight (ET) Canada, wants students to know they should never give up on their journalism dreams.

Fanshawe alumna and Entertainment Tonight (ET) Canada host Cheryl Hickey has come a long way since her days as a broadcast journalism student.

Hickey, who was most recently nominated for a 2016 Premier’s Award in the creative arts and design section and was featured in Macleans magazine’s “College All Stars” section, graduated from Fanshawe in 1996, and has climbed her way up to a great deal of success.

Though she has made quite the name for herself, the Owen Sound native took on many opportunities to get to where she is now.

Hickey first hit the journalism buzz at 16, when she volunteered at a local cable station at home.

“That was when I quickly realized how fascinating it was that there were so many different jobs in television,” Hickey said.

Hickey applied to Fanshawe at 17, completed the broadcast journalism program and from there went on an impressive and hardworking journey to make it where she is today.

Hickey said the program got her “primed” for the real world.

“You really have to be over prepared for this industry and that when the door of luck opens up, or the door of opportunity, you’re completely ready. It’s not just in one specific field that you have to be ready, you don’t know which door is going to open up necessarily, so to be prepared in as many spaces as you can is crucial,” Hickey said.

Hickey said she chose Fanshawe for a number of reasons, including the fact that the program offered everything she was interested in learning, and the fact that she had family in the city.

“I’ve always been in love with London and it always sort of felt like home and it still does,’ Hickey said.

According to Hickey, the program taught her about perseverance, and remembers staying up late finishing up her assignments thinking she would never be able to do it.

“You sort of have to push through it and having to be a jack of all trades, you really have to know a little bit about a lot of things, and then when it’s time to kind of hone in on a skill you have to have that dedication and drive to just get it done. Excuses don’t work,” Hickey said.

Though Hickey has a number of moments that are special to her from her time at Fanshawe including going out to shoot stories, editing late at night and getting to do her first broadcast, she said getting to sit in the newsroom and read the teleprompter was a fun one for her.

After graduation, Hickey worked in radio back in Owen Sound, then worked in Barrie as a writer for the 6 o’clock news, rolled the teleprompter, worked as a camerawoman, at one point had her own five minutes show during the day between soap operas, then worked as a shooter, videographer and switcher in Toronto where she flew up in a helicopter even though she was afraid of heights.

“It was one of those things where if you’re afraid to do it, you should do it anyways because it probably means you’re heading towards something great,” Hickey said.

Hickey shared she ate saltines before going up each time to help her nerves, and also said how nervous she was to drive in Toronto for the first time.

She even shared an embarrassing moment when she had a live hit and called Beverly Thomson by the incorrect name, but she recovered.

As time flew by, Hickey worked with Global and eventually auditioned for ET Canada, though she was told afterwards that the producers were not looking for a blond haired, blued eyed girl.

That didn’t stop Hickey from reaching for success. After a trip to Australia to “find herself’” as she puts it, Hickey returned to work and was then offered the position for ET Canada.

“I didn’t know what to say, I was pretty shocked and they told me Rick Campanelli would be my cohost and I nearly came out of my chair because I grew up watching Rick every Sunday on MuchMusic. Then they said I would be working with Roz Weston who I had worked alongside with at Global for a few years and have just admired. He’s the smartest person I know and he’s just an excellent producer on top of being a really good reporter and host. He’s just the ultimate so to be able to work with him is really exciting.” Hickey said.

Hickey said it’s been a “crazy and wild” ride ever since, but it’s been a good one so far.

Hickey said she lost her mind when she found out she was featured in Macleans.

“I love Macleans magazine, and to have my name in there along with the college was a really special moment and definitely very memorable,” Hickey said.

The same sentiments go towards her Premier’s Award nomination.

“It was just an honour to be in the room with all those talented people and it was also just really fun to learn everybody’s story. Sort of by nature, I’m very curious. The fact that I got to sit back and listen to so many people’s journey was really exciting,” Hickey said.

The fact that Fanshawe is rooting for her along her career is meaningful for Hickey.

“I think it’s very humbling because I guess sometimes I don’t realize how many people are in my corner [and] that’s really special, it’s just a really lovely feeling. It’s a very warm feeling. I don’t take that for granted and I really appreciate it,” she said.

When asked what advice she would give towards today’s current journalism students, Hickey had a few words to share including that with today’s day and age, the Internet is one’s calling card, and with social media, it can be a factor to help you get a job, but be careful what you post.

“Remember social media is your footprint,” Hickey said.

One final remark she shared, that will reassure many young journalists is to simply never give up.

“It’s really hard, I know how hard it is… there are days when you think you can’t handle it, but those are the days that are going to make you into a really great journalist, or cameraman, or reporter or director or writer, whatever path that you chose to get involved in, in TV,” Hickey said.

Hickey said there will always be people who tell you that it’s a bad time to get into the industry, but that’s not the case.

“The reality is, there’s never a bad time. It’s just that things are changing, the way we do things are changing and as long as you’re open to go with the change and be inspired and excited about the change, you’ll be fine. Don’t listen to people who are trying to tell you, you won’t make it. Just keep going,” Hickey said.

Fanshawe alumna Cheryl Hickey shows that with hard work and dedication, success can come your way. CREDIT: KATHERINE HOLLAND