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Arman Nikmorad never knows whether his workday will involve repairing a microphone, producing a School Board livestream or meeting a U.S. senator.

The 2022 McLean High School graduate is now a lead technician with Fairfax County Public Schools’ Department of Information Technology. He also supervises the internship program that helped launch his career while completing his senior year at George Mason University.

Nikmorad’s interest in broadcasting began long before he joined the school system’s technology team. At McLean High, he balanced dual-enrollment courses with work as a student producer. When district technicians visited the school to repair television equipment, he asked how he could help other schools too.

The school’s broadcast journalism program gave him experience interviewing people without preparation and working in fast-moving situations. That foundation led to a high school internship, which eventually became a full-time position offering benefits and assistance with college expenses.

A Job That Changes by the Hour

Nikmorad’s assignments range from designing student podcast rooms and television studios to crawling inside equipment cabinets to diagnose crackling microphones. He also teaches students how to operate robotic cameras, use video equipment and edit their projects.

School Board meetings put another set of skills to the test. Working inside the district’s production truck—which he calls the “crib”—Nikmorad and other DIT engineers oversee camera color, audio levels and communication systems.

The team must ensure that remote participants can be heard through Zoom and that thousands of viewers can follow meetings with Spanish or American Sign Language interpretation.

His work supporting district events has also introduced him to people far beyond school technology departments. Nikmorad has met Sen. Tim Kaine, Fairfax County’s police chief, former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and an astronaut.

He has frequently worked at events involving Superintendent Michelle Reid, whom he considers a mentor. Reid has helped him expand his professional network while emphasizing that college must remain his first priority.

Nikmorad said she checks his report cards and has warned him to reduce his work hours if his grades begin to fall. He has kept a 3.92 GPA and is scheduled to graduate from George Mason in the spring with summa cum laude honors.

He also credits FCPS mentors and its practice of developing talent internally. Among them is Phil, a DIT engineer who helped teach him the job.

Despite his growing responsibilities, Nikmorad maintains a humorous connection to his former high school. Years ago, after telling a small lie about leaving campus for lunch, his principal said he could return only if he brought a hot fudge sundae.

The tradition apparently stuck. Nikmorad says he still brings the principal a sundae when he visits—a modest toll for returning to the school where his career began.