As a senior pursuing dual degrees in finance and business analytics at the Whitman School and television, radio and film at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Heath Megnin ’26 (WSM/NEW) has discovered his niche at the intersection of music, data and storytelling

“Music is 100% my passion,” Megnin says from his summer internship in New York City, where he was working at Columbia Records, the oldest record label in the industry.

At Columbia, Megnin was part of a team modernizing radio promotion for the digital age. While streaming services dominate music consumption, radio still reaches over 100 million people weekly, many of whom don’t use platforms like Apple Music or Spotify. “A lot of what I do is data analytics for the executives to go out and pitch songs to radio stations so that we can get as many spins on our records as possible,” he says.

Megnin’s role involves sophisticated data analytics, tracking song performance through databases like Mediabase to project chart positions and optimizing radio play. But he’s also working on something more ambitious: implementing artificial intelligence (AI) systems to automate routine tasks so executives can focus on what matters most—the music itself.

“The music industry has changed so much, even over just the past year,” he says. “With so many recent layoffs, I’m working to create systems that free up time and increase efficiency.”

The previous summer, Megnin worked at Republic Records, part of the Universal Music Group, which represents top artists such as Taylor Swift, Post Malone and Sabrina Carpenter. “Republic has been the most prominent label over the last ten years, and Columbia is the oldest label in the industry, so I really am fortunate to experience working at both,” he says.

He credits the combination of his Whitman and Newhouse education for being crucial to his success. “Both schools do such a good job of getting professors of practice who’ve actually done the job before,” says Megnin. “They really provide a perspective that you don’t get unless you’ve done the job.”

A Denver native, Megnin comes from a family with strong Syracuse University ties. His parents met as Syracuse undergraduates, and both grandfathers attended the University. Beyond academics, he’s an active member of Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, serves as a Whitman School ambassador, co-directs the collaborations board for the University Union and serves as finance commodore for the Syracuse club sailing team.

Looking ahead to graduation, Megnin hopes to land in New York, Nashville or Los Angeles, the music industry’s major hubs. “I’m passionate about exploring how art, music and culture can shape and inspire communities,” he says.

By Renee Gearhart Levy