Senior communication studies and English double major Bennett Koffa is a future media mogul.
His pop culture brand BennettKnows includes a pop culture blog and two radio shows on URI’s FM and online stations, 90.3-WRIU and RIU2.org. His blog has received over 20,000 hits in one day, and his radio shows usually receives between 100 – 200 social media interactions per show via the hashtag #BennettKnowsRadio. He dreams of being a morning radio show host and a nighttime talk show host in a big city like New York or Los Angeles. We think that he’s well on his way to achieving that dream.
Koffa loves pop culture because he believes it brings fun to everyone but his love began as a need for escape.
“As I child, I grew up in the foster care system facing numerous changes throughout my life,” Koffa said. “While most things were inconsistent forcing me to quickly adapt to my ever-changing surroundings, pop culture was one of the only things that was consistent, and I found comfort in that.”
We caught up with Koffa to find out a little more about the guy behind this increasingly popular brand.
Age: 21
Major: communication studies & english
Grade: senior
What’s your favorite TV show, radio show, and movie?
“Firstly, I’m not a movie person. Whenever I talk to people and they bring up classic movies to help relate something we’re talking about, they become disappointed because I don’t watch movies. It’s actually hilarious because it happens so often. Taking that into consideration, when I do watch television and listen to radio it’s for both entertainment and inspiration. I enjoy watching television shows such as E! News and award shows because I’d like to be pursue a career in those fields. I enjoy radio shows such as Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club, HOT 97 and On Air with Ryan Seacrest because they understand radio and deliver such amazing content!”
Do you have any additional hobbies?
“I love eating! Food is a universal language that everyone can speak! I enjoy eating traditional foods such as my favorite cheeseburgers and French fries but I also love adventuring into other cultural cuisines. As long as you enjoy eating, you can share a smile and great experience with anyone!”
What’s your favorite thing about URI?
“My favorite thing about URI is the community. I really enjoy the campus size and all of the resources that the campus offers. I also appreciate the student body. As big as it seems, you become familiar with the same people making it easier to reach out to others. Over my four years on campus, URI became my home for both my love for the campus and the people who reside there! I think that’s going to be one of the things that I will miss the most after graduation.”
What is the hardest life lesson you’ve learned?
“One of the hardest lessons that I learned in life thus far is that everything happens for a reason. When something good happens to us we often appreciate the benefits, but when something bad happens, we often ask ourselves why it is happening. One of the things that I’ve learned is every situation in life helps us learn and understand ourselves a little better than before. When something affects our lives we can either let it break us down or build us up. I choose to be a warrior no matter how bad the fight looks! Once you create that mentality in life, you learn to appreciate the obstacles even while you’re facing them.”
What is your most embarrassing moment?
“My most embarrassing moment took place back in high school. It was homecoming night and I was super excited for a night of music and fun with my classmates. When I got home from school that day, I immediately prepared my outfit so when I got home from work, I could easily get dressed. However, what I didn’t know was that my mom was having a fish-fry that night. In a rush, I quickly took a shower, threw my clothes on and headed to the dance. That homecoming, I was the walking fish stick. No one even wanted to sit next to me! As embarrassing as it sounds, I often look back and laugh at the situation.”
You can connect with Bennett Koffa on Twitter at @BennettKnows and see his pop culture blog here.