After working as marketing manager for ESTV, Orcutt takes charge as station manager.
Caleb Orcutt ’25 grew up deeply infatuated with film, particularly Marvel movies. Film served as his escape from reality, and he was eager to pursue his passion at college. The only problem: he didn’t have professional experience.
But Orcutt didn’t let his lack of experience hold him back. He joined Elon Student Television, Elon University’s student-run TV station that produces four television shows, in his first week on campus.
Now, Orcutt, a cinema and television arts and journalism double major with a creative writing minor, is the ESTV station manager.
“ESTV is the reason why I have friends on this campus,” Orcutt said. “I haven’t fully processed that I am now in this leadership role, but I am excited to jump in. There are a lot of people relying on me and I need to figure out how to best manage these shows and various staff.”
Orcutt started as a writer for “Elon Tonight,” a popular show on ESTV, and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming the development coordinator and eventually the marketing manager for all of ESTV. His ability to adapt and make friends quickly, despite being an introvert, helped him forge strong relationships within ESTV.
Kai Swanson, assistant professor of cinema and television arts and faculty adviser to ESTV, worked with Orcutt in his marketing manager role and witnessed his “keen eye for creativity” firsthand.
“Caleb is a natural leader who is always willing to go above and beyond to ensure the success of his team,” Swanson said. “His passion for the film and television industries is infectious, and he has a clear vision for the future of the station. I have no doubt that Caleb would bring a fresh perspective and a wealth of talent to the role of station manager.”
Orcutt said he aims to “bring the four shows together and have them help each other out” to create a more cohesive organization and improve the quality of all ESTV shows.
Orcutt is excited about his leadership role in ESTV and acknowledges the responsibility that comes with it. He is known for his quick problem-solving skills and humor during challenging situations and plans to work alongside talented producers to keep ESTV’s positive momentum.
“I want to fully embrace new ideas, such as a streaming platform and a new show, and continue to help promote those in a way where we could try to speed up the process,” Orcutt said. “Since the world of TV is such a quickly changing industry and one of the most in-demand, it’s important to me that we continue to stay up to date on big changes so that way there is not such a big difference for students who transition from these in studio shows into the real world.”
Orcutt’s passion for film and his journey in ESTV exemplifies his determination, adaptability and commitment to building a strong student group on campus. As he takes on his leadership role in ESTV, he said he aims to increase the size of the ESTV staff, embrace industry changes and continue to pursue his love for film.
“I have been interested in storytelling ever since I was a kid, and Elon University provides so many opportunities for film majors to become prepared for the real world,” Orcutt said. “Becoming the station manager is a role I take extremely seriously and seek to only improve the program. ESTV is one of the best opportunities here at Elon and I hope that I can spread my excitement to many new students on campus.”