“I thought all the professionals were great!”
“It was an absolute pleasure attending this years seminar!”
“This was a great experience, I’m so happy to have been a part of it.”
“I got one-on-one connections with professionals that not only gave me advice, but also took interest in me.”
Those were just a few of the comments from the more than130 students who participated in the 2021 Virtual WBA Student Seminar on March 6.
Although this year’s seminar was a successful event, we all look forward to next year and getting together in-person. The event can be attributed to the hard work of the WBA Education Committee in putting together an outstanding program, which featured Emmy-winning journalist, comedian, host and creator of the “Manitowoc Minute,” Charlie Berens. Even though Charlie presented a very interesting and entertaining keynote. I have the pleasure of being the chair of this active and hard working group of educators and commercial broadcast professionals. Another contribution to the seminar’s success is the financial support from the WBA and the WBA Foundation. Thank you to the sponsors for your generous support.
The Remo platform that was used for the event consisted of more than 30 tables each with a broadcast professional and up to five students. Students had a chance to ask questions and talk to people working in the business in a more relaxed atmosphere. Professionals from radio and TV news reporting and producing, social media, engineering, marketing and sales, promotions, sports, management, on-air hosts, and campus radio and TV stations participated.
After the panels, Berens presented the keynote address followed by the presentation of the WBA Foundation Scholarships to four recipients and the 18th annual Student Awards for Excellence, which had 220 entries in 27 categories. Students from Union Grove, Kiel, and Bay Port and Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay won awards in the fourth year of the high school competition. Future broadcasters from UW-Madison, Oshkosh, Stevens Point, Whitewater, Milwaukee, Eau Claire, and River Falls, along with Marquette and Milwaukee Area Technical College, took home honors in the college competition. This year’s Leadership Award was presented to Alex Strouf from UW-Stevens Point. The award is given to a broadcasting or broadcast journalism student of junior standing or above who attends a Wisconsin college or university and who has most noticeably developed and exercised effective and creative skills in leadership.
On behalf of the Education Committee, I would like to thank Kyle, Michelle, and Liz for helping to ensure the seminar’s success.
We look forward to an “in-person” Student Seminar in 2022.
Ken Beno
Education Committee Chair
