Reed Talk from the WVU Media College

Kaitlyn Lopez graduated from the College of Media with an undergraduate degree in Public Relations and a graduate degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. During her time at the College, she tried numerous internships to find which career path fit her interests. Kaitlyn is now a social media coordinator in the nonprofit sector of TrueSense Marketing, an agency in Pittsburgh. She joins Whitney Godwin on our Reed Talk podcast with stories from her career and advice for students.

SeVohn Hunter's (BSJ, MSJ 2021) internships throughout college helped shape her success. Currently, she is interning as an assistant account executive at Leo Burnett Worldwide, a global advertising agency, located in Chicago. In this episode of Reed Talk, SeVohn joins Whitney Godwin to talk about her experience.

Journalism student Kasey Lettrich saw a flyer in Martin Hall for the NYU Publishing Institute internship program, and she threw her hat in the ring. Now, in the summer before her senior year, she is making friends and connections in the Big Apple. In this episode of Reed Talk, Kasey, who is also president of Mirage Magazine, joins Whitney Godwin to talk about this once-in-a-lifetime internship experience.

Darren Hartwell is a first-generation college student from southern West Virginia who earned his bachelor's degree in the midst of a pandemic. In this episode of Reed Talk, he joins Whitney Godwin to talk about navigating college; striking a balance between school, work and extracurriculars; personal growth and finding comfort in the College of Media.

New to WVU? Hear from rising Media College sophomore Elizabeth Howard on her first-year experience. Elizabeth is a journalism major with a minor in fashion merchandising from Wheeling, West Virginia. She joins Whitney Godwin on Reed Talk to share how she navigated campus and got involved even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Katiana Roc graduated from the College of Media in 2016 with a degree in journalism. Like many Media College grads, the skills she learned in school have translated to a variety of jobs in a variety of industries. She's a digital journalist, blogger, editor and video creator who now works as a production coordinator for NASCAR. She joins Whitney Godwin on our Reed Talk podcast with stories from her career and advice for students.

Jess Litras graduated from the College of Media in 2014 with a degree in public relations. She spent five years as an event planner before embarking on an entrepreneurial career working with brands and hotels as a travel and lifestyle blogger and influencer. In this episode of Reed Talk, she shares how she made this move and provides pointers for aspiring influencers.

Katelyn Amato graduated from the College of Media in 2015 with a degree in journalism. Now, she's a producer at WKBN-TV in Youngstown, Ohio. She joins Whitney Godwin on our Reed Talk podcast to discuss her career progression in the news field and what she does on a daily basis as a news producer.

C.J. Harvey (BSJ, 2017) and Cooper Simmerman join Whitney Godwin to talk about founding Mountaineer Media, a forward-thinking communications group that advocates for West Virginia. Check out their podcast on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/show/1uJF8YgIHa3wwUIjEaqfth.

Jake Byrne graduated from the College of Media in 2017 with a degree in public relations. Now, he's a senior media specialist for DISH Network in Denver, Colorado. He joins Whitney Godwin on our Reed Talk podcast to discuss what he's been up to and how his experience at the College shaped his future career path.

If you've attended a Mountaineer sporting event you know College of Media Instructor Bill Nevin's voice. For the past 17 years, Nevin (M.S. IMC, 2006) has been “the voice of the Mountaineers” as the public address announcer for WVU football, men's basketball, baseball and The Pride of West Virginia marching band. He joins Whitney Godwin, College of Media recruiter, on our Reed Talk podcast to discuss his course on voice performance for broadcasting as well as advice for students.

After starting her career in broadcast journalism right out of college, Marisa Sayre (BSJ, 2013) now works as the marketing communications manager at WVU Medicine Children's. In our latest podcast, she discusses her experience at the College of Media and the transferable skills she learned to succeed in her career. Tune in today to hear about her advice for students with Whitney Godwin (wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu).

Hannah Cebula graduated from the WVU Reed College of Media in 2016, earning her degree in public relations. Now, she is the retail marketing specialist for Audi of America. Tune in to hear her conversation with Whitney and to be connected further, just email wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu.

Today is National Girls and Women in Sports Day, so Whitney sat down with Olivia Sneed (BSJ, 2019), a sports information director for WVU Athletics, to discuss her journey in sports media. Olivia is also currently pursuing her master's degree in Sport Management at WVU.

You've probably heard a lot about the “fake news media” recently, and with the coronavirus pandemic and current political climate, you may have some concerns about a career in journalism. Whitney sat down with Jim Iovino, Ogden Newspapers Visiting Assistant Professor of Media Innovation at the College and former deputy managing editor of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, to talk about the role reporters play, the future for the profession and what everything going on in the world actually means for journalists. Want to connect further? You can email wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu anytime!

Before the new semester begins, there's time to check-in with how your resume, portfolio and networking are doing. Listen to Eric and Whitney's chat today to hear more on how your career development can continue as we navigate an already-chaotic year. Want to connect further? You can email eric.minor@mail.wvu.edu or wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu anytime!

Congratulations to the next class of 2020! We are so proud of the work that has led to this moment, so listen in today to hear Maura and Whitney reflect on the past few years and final semester as well as voices from this graduating class. Remember to follow the WVU College of Media on social @WVUMediaCollege and email Whitney wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu anytime.

Gina Sporio graduated from the College of Media in 2013, earning her degree in public relations. Now, she manages agency partnerships on the hugely successful social media and entertainment video app, Tik Tok. Tune in to hear her conversation with Whitney and to be connected further, just email wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu. Subscribe to the show today, download episodes to catch up and make sure you follow @wvumediacollege on your favorite social platform.

Tomorrow marks the summit for our College's Women Beyond Bars project-- a solutions journalism, advocacy-focused initiative to support and share the stories of women's mass incarceration in West Virginia. Listen in today to hear from professor Geah Pressgrove and student Hunter Bennett, both involved heavily with this effort! To connect with our guests further, just email Whitney at wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu.

Now that Election Day has passed in America, we're left with questions, votes that haven't been counted and a country in limbo. Here to talk about this year's campaign cycle is public affairs expert Scott Widmeyer. Scott started off as a reporter in the 70s, went on to be the youngest press secretary at 23 years old and has had a wide-ranging career in communications ever since. Tune in today, and if you'd like to be connected further with our guest just email wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu. Subscribe to the show and be sure to follow @WVUMediaCollege for the latest news!

At WVU, College of Media alum Alex Dye was a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Radio Television Digital News Association. Now, he works as a media and communications coordinator for the City of Virginia Beach. Tune in today to hear about his career and advice for students with Whitney Godwin (wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu).

Welcome back to Reed Talk! This week, we're diving into the ins-and-outs of transferring to WVU, especially for students interested in media. It may be daunting, but our team of academic advisors is here to help you along the way. Tune in to hear all about the process, opportunities and next steps-- and if you have questions for Whitney or Kayla, their emails are wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu and kayla.poling@mail.wvu.edu. They'd love to hear from you!

Mountain State Spotlight is a nonprofit newsroom, launched last month by a team of seasoned journalism professionals in Appalachia, some of which are West Virginia University alums. Today, we welcome back Douglas Soule who's a 2020 College of Media graduate, now working as a Report for America corps member and watchdog reporter with Mountain State Spotlight. Their mission? "To help West Virginians improve their state by producing 'sustained outrage' journalism that exposes abuses of power by government, business and other institutions." Tune in now!

Teaching Assistant Professor Chuck Scatterday is a WVU Alum who has covered Olympic events, launched ESPNU and now coaches our students as they prepare for a job in sports media. Today he joins us on Reed Talk to discuss the path that led him back to Morgantown, what the changing landscape of the industry means for those who cover it and current events in the field. You can follow him on Twitter @cScatTweet and email Whitney (Wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu) to be connected further!

This week we're joined by two College of Media graduates who started in media, then switched gears to law-- a popular education and career path for many. If you'd like to connect further with Connor Hicks or Denali Hedrick, feel free to email Whitney (wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu) or Eric (eric.minor@mail.wvu.edu) anytime! You can also read more about the WVU College of Law's 3+3 Program for students considering this field.

As a Mountaineer, you're part of a huge student body and Big-12 institution; but, in the College of Media, that community is much smaller and close-knit. One example of this is the MOVE mentorship program, led by advisor Demetrius Greer. Tune in today to hear more about it, to hear from students and any questions can go through Whitney at wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu.

Three College of Media grads-- Ryan Decker, Caroline Peters and Chris Jackson-- all currently work as sports reporters and join us on this episode of Reed Talk to talk about their careers and the benefits of working in smaller media markets. Interested in talking more with any of our guests? Just email Whitney at wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu!

Today's internship update comes from Jack Tolman a rising senior who spent his summer working as a digital content intern with the Orioles. You can learn more about Jack beyond the podcast here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=937629193263869 and reach out to Whitney at wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu to be connected further.

Today, Whitney is joined by rising junior Taylor Kennedy, a Sports and Adventure Media major for another internship update He started working before studying at WVU and has continued ever since. To be connected with Taylor, just email wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu.

From working the Super Bowl to founding her own brand dedicated to allyship, University of Minnesota grad Sydney Large is at the forefront of sports social strategy. She joins us today to talk about her path, advice for young professionals with similar interests and how to stand out in the world of content creation. You can find her at @SupportWSports and email wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu to be connected further!

Since January of 2017, Erica Mokay has been reporting with WWMT in western Michigan as a weeknight anchor. Listen in today to hear about how she went from middle school on-air morning announcements to being named “Best Television Anchor” by The Broadcast Education Association in 2011, and everything in-between. To connect with Erica, you can email wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu or eric.minor@mail.wvu.edu!

If you're energized by project-based work, collaboration and more freedom at work, freelancing could be the right path for you. In today's episode, we chat with 2012 College of Media grad Sebouh Majarian who works as a freelance multimedia producer. To connect with Sebouh, just email Whitney at wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu!

Joining us for this episode of #ReedTalk are Alex Balog and Aaron Shackelford, who both do sports freelance work. Tune in to hear how they got started, what they've learned along the way and how you can follow in their footsteps working for networks and sports teams producing gameday coverage.

Today on Reed Talk we're joined by College alumna Shae Maier and current student Lily McKnight working now in fundraising and digital marketing. To connect with Shae or Lily, just reach out to Whitney at wgodwin@mail.wvu.edu.

College of Media student Taylor Steele studies public relations, and she always knew entertainment was her calling; now, she's now working with SSM records in Nashville, Tennessee. Tune in to hear more about her experience, tips for following this path and just how important communications is in all industries.

College of Media students Alayna Fuller and James Knable were called to action as the Morgantown community rallied around the Movement for Black Lives in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder. Tune in now to hear about their experience covering the demonstrations, why student reporting is so critical and their advice for the next generation of students entering media.

Today we welcome Erik Roberts, a 2013 College of Media grad, who's currently working as the Group Sales Manager at Sky View Observatory and Legends in Seattle. You can connect with Erik on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-roberts-4500334b/) or reach out to Whitney for an introduction!

We're finishing off our New Student Orientation series with two College of Media grads-- Kyle Monroe, an engineer at Game Creek Video and Isaac Ferebee, a digital content associate for ESPN's Fantasy Focus Live and the college football show.

WVU's chapter of AWSM is part of a national organization whose diverse members support the advancement and growth of women– both professionals and students– in sports media. Today, president Kierstin Lindkvist joins Maura and Whitney to talk all about the team, what they offer to Mountaineers and how to get involved.

On the field and behind the scenes, women are fighting for equality in sports. Today the Reed Talk team is joined by Eva Buchman, Sarah Ramundt and Anjelica Trinone to discuss their experiences and advice for succeeding despite underrepresentation in the industry.

For many students entering the media arena, specifically for news reporting, working for the school's independent newspaper can be a critical experience to have on your resume. Hear from the DA's current leaders on getting involved with this community of creators.

WVU journalism alum Madison Fleck Cook, who also has a master's degree in convergence journalism from the University of Missouri, joins us to talk about her work with IRE-- a grassroots nonprofit organization founded in 1975 dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting.

Listen in to hear from this year's PRSSA president about the org's mission, practices and opportunities for college students of every major. Learn more here, too! http://www.prssa.studentorgs.wvu.edu/

Kiley Putnam, a 2015 College of Media grad and broadcast major, now works for New England Dairy. Learn more on why College of Media grads are prepared to enter any industry with our broad, versatile and transferable skills.

The cameras are off for this corner of the broadcast industry-- radio. Listen in to hear insight from WVU alum Adam Crowley on his journey finding the right place place in the media industry.

WVU sports teams are a huge draw for College of Media students looking to get hands-on experience beyond the classroom. Sean Merinar, Chris Ostien and Scott Bartlett join us to talk about sports production opportunities right at Mountaineers' fingertips.

Today we hear from three WVU alums working in a specific sector of the media industry: college sports. Joining us are Nicole Curtin, Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations at Towson University; Ben Murray, Director of Video Services at Mercer University; and Terrell Adams, Assistant Director of Multimedia at Wake Forest University.

Are you a Mountaineer interested in broadcast media beyond the classroom? Hear from Gillian Wanosky, president of WVU's Radio Television Digital News Association chapter, on what the organization is all about and how to join.

Can you picture yourself in front of or behind the camera? As the broadcast media industry booms, WVU alumna and on-air reporter Nicole Ford chats with Whitney and Eric on what it takes to succeed.

The BrandJRNY team at WVU creates campaigns to improve economic development, tourism and community pride-- while giving media students unparalleled, immersive training outside the classroom in the great Mountain State. To find out more, head to https://www.brandjrny.com/

This semester has certainly been one for the history books, and we couldn't be more proud of all 227 Mountaineers graduating from the WVU Reed College of Media this May. Listen in to hear some of our grads reflect on their time at school, and share advice for those following in their footsteps.