Communiqué
Former Student Staff Thankful for WOUB Connections
< < Back to former-student-staff-thankful-for-woub-connectionsJaime Schapker, BSJ ’05, is now a public relations specialist at a large regional law firm
ATHENS, OH – When Jaimie Schapker graduated from Ohio University in 2005 with a degree in journalism, she knew the connections WOUB Public Media would give her in the television news industry would be invaluable. What she didn’t know is that those same connections would help her find a career outside of news.
“When I got into public relations, there was rarely a time I worked in a market that I didn’t have WOUB or Ohio University connections,” said Schapker. “I was able to find alumni and was able to utilize those relationships. You don’t realize the connections you have.”
Schapker is a public relations specialist at Frost Brown Todd in Louisville, Kentucky. Frost Brown Todd is a mid-size law firm in 13 markets with more than 500 attorneys working in offices throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
“Every time something comes up in my job where I have to make a tough decision, I always remember back to what I learned at WOUB,” said Schapker. “It was the real-life experience that I was able to get there that helped prepare me for my career.”
After graduation, Schapker started out as a television news reporter. She worked in Evansville, Indiana; Lexington, Kentucky; and Louisville, Kentucky before changing careers.
“The importance of the WOUB and Ohio University connections started with my first job. The news director was an Ohio University graduate,” said Schapker. “In Louisville, my now husband and I were engaged, and I was trying to get a job near him in Louisville. The reason I got the job there was because someone I worked with at WOUB got my resume in front of the news director. Hands down that was the reason I got the job.”
After Schapker got married, she realized that a career outside of news might work better for starting a family. So, she pursued new opportunities in public relations which lead to her current role.
“It’s fun and everyone is really nice. It’s corporate law. I get my hands in everything expanding our brand,” said Schapker. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a client in a news market where I’ve looked up an Ohio University or WOUB connection that got my client a media placement. Working at WOUB made me familiar with markets that impact my clients.”
Schapker says she can’t even begin to put into words what WOUB has meant to her. And she hopes to be able to pay that forward to current WOUB students who are now entering the job market.
“That WOUB and Ohio University connection is always there.”