By Rolanda Gallop
David Thompson ’20 started freelancing with The Direct, an entertainment news website, in November 2020 and joined as a podcast co-host in June 2022. He joined The Direct full time the following year and today, serves as senior editor and podcast host/producer, helping lead TV and movie coverage, ideate article pitches and co-host “The Direct Podcast,” while also taking on other occasional freelance opportunities in the entertainment space. While he and his wife, Jasmine, live in Atlanta, they plan to move back to Florida in early 2026.
Residence: Atlanta, Georgia
Florida Tech Degree: Multiplatform Journalism, B.S.
Job Title: Senior editor and podcast host, The Direct
Top Florida Tech Course: Mass Communication with Heidi Hatfield Edwards
Impactful Faculty: Ted Petersen, Dzmitry Yuran, Heidi Hatfield Edwards
Why did you choose Florida Tech? In all honesty, my mom worked at Florida Tech, and that was a major influence. Also, my senior year of high school, I didn’t overcomplicate my application process and only applied to a few schools. The final allure to me was the smaller classroom sizes that Florida Tech offered, which really worked out better than I had expected.
How did your experience at Florida Tech prepare you as a professional? My time at Florida Tech prepared me well for my professional career. On top of my classwork, I worked at the Clemente Center. That experience was invaluable when it came to responsibility and people skills. I still tell people that’s the best job I have ever had. My time as a writer and editor at The Crimson student newspaper was also valuable when it came to honing interviewing skills and getting comfortable with receiving critical feedback on my writing. That’s such an important aspect of any writing job that you never truly realize as a student. From my classes, I had some tremendous professors: Ted Petersen, Dzmitry Yuran and Heidi Hatfield Edwards really stand out in my mind.
Specifically, were there any courses or faculty that had a significant influence on your education? Mass communication with Dr. Edwards was awesome. I talked so much, probably too much, but I was so engaged! The topics about a changing media landscape really grabbed my attention. I genuinely think I raised my hand at every question! The other class that really sticks out was senior design with Dr. Petersen. It was an incredibly collaborative process, conducting the interviews was fun and I was really passionate about our topic. Then, when COVID hit, the documentary we were working on became my favorite daily activity.
Share your best Florida Tech student memory. My favorite memory would have to be when my friend, Kevin Boodoosingh [’20, ’21 M.S.], and I relaunched Panther Radio as Panther Podcasts. We were producing a few shows and spending a ton of time in that recording studio next to FITV. It was during my senior year, so I had friends on campus and a newfound love for podcasting. I have been podcasting ever since!
What have been the highlights and milestones of your life and career so far? From a life perspective, marrying my wife in June 2023 has been the greatest milestone I have achieved! On the business side, it was a major accomplishment to make entertainment news my full-time job after graduating amidst COVID, working odd jobs, freelancing and being a full-time English teacher for two years. Last July, it was a pleasure to cover Comic-Con San Diego, where I conducted over 20 different interviews (including one with a Japanese interpreter) and attended different panels, including Marvel Studios in Hall H, which was a lifelong dream of mine.
What advice do you have for current COPLA students who want to make the most out of their time at Florida Tech? I graduated at the worst possible time, August 2020. If I can make it work, so can you. My greatest piece of advice is to make small goals for yourself and complete them. Are you a writer? Write every day. Want to start a podcast? Start one. Right now. There’s no time like the present, and you can start building your portfolio immensely while at Florida Tech, especially if you participate in clubs and campus events.
This piece also appeared in the spring 2025 issue of COPLA Connections.
