From Penn State to Good Morning America to an Emmy

Mike Noble '62 with his EmmyWhen Mike Noble graduated in 1992, he came face to face with the daunting real world that bears a striking resemblance to today’s. The country was in a recession and in desperate need of a makeover. His initial job search took him across the Atlantic to London, England where he managed a youth hostel and traveled throughout Europe.

Upon his return to the States in 1993, he held a number of different jobs before taking a position at CBS Network Radio. His job required him to make copies and answer phones during the graveyard shift. Eventually he earned a spot as a news writer, copy editor, and assignment editor, which granted him access to many top news topics of the time.

“[I] covered stories like the OJ Simpson trial, Columbine, Princess Diana, all the major stories of our time,” Mike says.

He then joined the CBS Network TV News team as a producer in 1999 and then later landed a producer spot at Good Morning America, where he currently works as a Senior Producer

While Mike certainly has an extensive resume, he views his time as an undergrad at Penn State and a brother in Theta Chi as a contribution to his success. He originally pledged the fraternity because of the wide variety of members it possessed.

“I joined Theta Chi because the guys were all different. Not all jocks, not all rich mama’s boys, not all engineering geeks,” Mike says. “It was a great mix of different people, and I like that. Everyone I met when I rushed was just a real person.”

Some of his favorite memories of the fraternity include parties, the cook with a parrot on her shoulder, and deep frying many items “that should never be deep fried.” Along with that, Theta Chi taught Mike some lessons during his college years that have stuck with him ever since.

“I always carry a dollars worth of change in my pocket,” he says. “I also always answer the phone at our office on the first ring. And I’m always open to different ideas and different points of view.”

Mike credits that open-mindedness to political arguments he was a part of with fellow brothers while at Penn State. He also notes that a lot of the knowledge he took with him from college didn’t come from a book. Ironically, he claims his chronic procrastination tendencies are what made him the diligent worker that he is today.

“I often say I never would have stayed in shape in college if not for having to rush to my professor’s office to slide my paper under their door BEFORE security locked the building- and that procrastination has prepared me for the life I lead now,” Mike says.

This particular work ethic has led to Mike earning multiple Emmys throughout his career. One particular Emmy earned him a decorative addition to his mantle of success.

“The Emmy is actually a team effort. We won a daytime Emmy for Best Morning Show and because I worked for the show both as a producer AND senior producer, I got to get a statue,” Mike says. “I’ve won two other Emmys: One at CBS for 9/11 coverage and another at Good Morning America, again for Best Morning Show, but this is my first statue. I’m proud of it.”

During his career at CBS, he met his wife Angelena, a producer for MSNBC. In April 2005, the two were married in New Orleans.

When asked to describe his Theta Chi experience in one word, Mike says, “Horizon broadening. Is that one word? It is now!”

His advice for current and future brothers is to make the most of your time as an undergraduate.

“I would say don’t sweat the grades too much. I didn’t, and I turned out all right,” Mike says. 
He adds, “Make sure you live life to the fullest and make your mistakes now so you’ll learn from them and not make them when you’re older…they don’t matter now but they will then.”

It’s hard to believe how much Mike has accomplished since his procrastinating college days to his array of accomplishments defining who he is today. Mike is a great representation of the Omega chapter, as well as Theta Chi and Penn State as a whole.