My Life

By now, I'm sure you've figured out that my name is Michael Handy...I'm a Senior at the University of North Carolina, where I'm majoring
in Broadcast
Journalism and
Political Science.

When I graduate in May, I hope to find work as a television reporter...I really don't care where the job is...just as long as it pays enough for me to survive.

I worked at ABC-28 in Tampa for two summers...
and while I was
there, I got the
chance to work under Robin Guess, the station's lead investigative reporter. Robin started at a station in Chico, CA, but quickly moved up to KING-TV in Seattle, WA. She later went to CNN's Chicago bureau, before heading to the Sunshine State to head up the investigative unit at Orlando's WKMG-TV. After a few years in Orlando, she moved a little further south to Tampa, and launched ABC-28's new investigate unit.

While working at ABC-28, I decided not only to pursue a career as a journalist but to also focus on investigative reporting. I've already started working on a few investigative stories for "Carolina Week," so look for those on my portfolio page in the coming months.

This past summer, I stayed in Chapel Hill to catch up on a few classes, and I was lucky enough to
get an internship at
ABC-11 in Durham.
At ABC-11, I worked
under Katina Rankin,
the station's 5:30 anchor and 11 p.m. reporter. Katina started her career at WAPT-TV in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. Katina's a great reporter and even better anchor. Watch for her on one of the networks in the next few years.

Outside of school, I spend a lot of time hanging out with my brothers in
Lambda Chi Alpha.
I also spend a lot of
time running, and I
hope to run in a marathon someday...
but that will have to wait until I'm finished with college...not enough hours in the day...

I'm also a huge Jimmy Buffet fan. My sister
and I are both
members of the
Tampa Bay
chapter of the
Parrot Heads
Fan Club, which is
the largest chapter in the country! FINS UP!

As far as where I'm from goes...I was born in Charlotte, NC, and went to the first part of elementary school there. Then, my family moved to Orlando, and eventually came back to Charlotte...but we didn't stay in Charlotte long...it was off to New York for middle school in the Big Apple...which was quite an experience for a kid born in North Carolina. Eventually, we made it back to Charlotte, where I went to high school at South Point...and now, I'm at UNC. My mom and sister are back in Florida now...living in Tampa...and my dad is still in Charlotte, so I have the best of both worlds.
Go Bucs and Go Heels!