Search
Search
News
Multimedia
Sports
Arts & Culture
Opinion
Subscribe
Life & Times
Fine Arts
Features
Send a News Tip
100 Years
Archive
Advertise
Donate

Subscribeto The Echo

The Echo

Friday, March 24, 2023 Print Edition

Donate

  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Arts & Culture
  • Life & Times
  • Features
  • Fine Arts
  • Multimedia
  • Archive
  • 100 Years
  • Advertise
  • Send a Tip
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Arts & Culture
  • Life & Times
  • Features
  • Fine Arts
  • Multimedia
  • Archive
  • 100 Years
  • Advertise
  • Send a News Tip
Search

Subscribe

Subscribe to The Echo

The Echo aims to represent the views of diverse voices on Taylor University's campus fairly and without bias and to be a vehicle of accurate and pertinent information to the student body. The Echo also aims to be a forum that fosters healthy discussion about relevant issues, acting as a catalyst for change on our campus.

Fill out my online form.

3/16/2023, 12:00am

WANE 15 employees teach at Taylor

Classes aim to help journalism students

By Will Riddell
WANE 15 employees teach at Taylor
The WANE 15 station offered students a glimpse of all the work required to produce a nightly newscast. (Photo by Will Riddell)

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Mail
  • Print

Members of the WANE 15 staff are stepping out of the newsroom and into the classroom here at Taylor University.

Since the beginning of the school year, multiple WANE 15 employees have started teaching in TU’s journalism department: those include Joe Carroll, Jenna Huff and Dirk Rowley. Carroll serves as the digital director at WANE 15, Huff is the news director, and Rowley handles nightly anchoring duties.

All of them desire to nurture and assist the next wave of journalists.

“I feel like we have a lot to give and a lot to show interested students,” Huff said.

During the fall semester, a small group of students in the communication department took broadcast news and web producing, a new class taught by both Huff and Carroll. For the first half of the semester, the students stayed on campus.

But for the second half of the semester, the format shifted with the class moving to the WANE 15 studios. 

Students had the opportunity to see how a professional newsroom operates and become more familiar with all of the moving parts involved in live TV.

Alan Blanchard, associate professor of journalism, said, “WANE 15 adjunct instructors have been an invaluable addition to our journalism program.”

Huff said she’s grateful the university was willing to be flexible. As the newsroom director at WANE 15, she knows the classroom can’t teach students everything they need to know.

“What we do is very unique, and you can’t learn it in a book,” Huff said.

Huff enjoyed giving students a hands-on, behind the curtain experience, and an experience students don’t always have access to.

While Taylor University might have been unfamiliar territory for Huff and Carroll, that’s not the case for Rowley, who this semester is teaching Intro to Multimedia Storytelling.

Rowley is an Upland native who graduated with a degree in mass communication from Taylor in 1989.

“I kind of liked the idea of specifically coming back to Taylor,” he said.

Although he said between the cost of gas and the mandatory Ivanhoe’s visits, he might actually be losing money. (For those wondering, Rowley’s go-to is the grilled chicken sandwich with a side of tater tots. A strawberry shake with banana slices satisfies his sweet tooth.)

And while the chance to reconnect with old friends and places has been fun, Rowley also understands he needs to advocate for his profession. Rowley said there are fewer and fewer individuals willing to serve and inform communities with their storytelling.

“I would say it’s a service,” he said.

At the same time, Rowley understands the constant grind that is the television news industry. It’s a lot of long hours with typically not a lot of pay.

According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary of a news reporter in Indiana is just shy of $29,000.

He said you don’t get into the job for the paycheck.

But for those who don’t mind the hours and pay, Huff, Carroll and Rowley are ready to engage.

Huff is hopeful the broadcast news and web producing class can continue to be offered.

“If I have something to give to the next generation, I’m here to give it,” she said.


Share



Related Stories

The fieldhouse will be located to the north of Turner Stadium.

Stillman Fieldhouse set to honor former player, coach

By Kay Rideout

RedBarn is an after-school ministry in Upland.

Mind the Gap: the “Town and Gown” phenomenon

By Kay Rideout

Provost Jewerl Maxwell and his family arrived at Taylor in November of this year.

Getting to know the provost and his family

By Katie Pfotzer


Most Popular


3/7/2023, 12:00am

People ponder meaning behind panini press posters

By Lilia Snyder

D.C. raises awareness for new dining options


3/8/2023, 12:00am

Looking into the abortion debate


3/17/2023, 12:00am

Foodie Fix: Spotlighting Ashley’s Ice Cream


2/27/2023, 12:00am

Arizona J-term trip cherished by Taylor baseball, softball


The Echo To Homepage
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Covers
  • Awards
  • Get Involved

All Rights Reserved

© Copyright 2023 The Echo

Powered by
Solutions by The State News.

Taylor University