Drew Best, the Station Manager at WSUW on the UW-Whitewater campus is being recognized for epitomizing influential leadership. Best will be awarded the WBA Student Leadership Award at the Student Forum at Lambeau Field on Feb. 24.
WSUW faculty adviser Brian Lucas said Best’s leadership qualities were evident the first time he met him as a sophomore and saw him asking many questions and getting deeply involved in the station. He started by calling games, hosting a daily sports talk show, and being an active sports committee member, all during his first semester.
Within a year he was named sports director. He produced a list of goals and set out to accomplish them. That included updating the training for live sports broadcasts and instituting practice sessions ahead of broadcasts to minimize technical errors. While sports director, he also played important roles in other aspects of station programming and events.
Best worked with student broadcasters to assess their strengths and help them improve on their weaknesses.
In fall 2023, Best stepped up to fill the unexpectedly vacated role of station manager.
“He brought much-needed enthusiasm and demonstrated his desire to have a successful semester,” Lucas wrote. “It was as if he had been station manager all along, and students responded very favorably to Drew.”
Lucas said Best loves to learn and seeks out opportunities for growth and improvement. He also credits Best with the level of enthusiasm and optimism among station staff.
“Drew Best is the kind of person who takes leadership as a responsibility to serve those around him. He does this with grace, compassion, and understanding,” Lucas wrote. “He treats others with respect and makes them feel welcome and assured. He holds himself to a high standard; students see that and don’t want to disappoint him.”
Best will be recognized with the Student Leadership Award on Feb. 24 at the Wisconsin Broadcasters Student Forum at Lambeau Field.
