Communiqué
WOUB Wednesdays: TNT Basketball Sideline Reporter Allie LaForce and Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart
< < Back toWednesday, March 17 at 7:15 p.m.
ATHENS, OH – TNT Sideline Reporter Allie LaForce and Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart are connected by the fact that they both worked at WOUB Public Media when they were students at Ohio University, but they didn’t work at the station at the same time. The two met when LaForce won the Miss Teen USA pageant in 2005, and Shugart steered LaForce toward Ohio University and WOUB to make LaForce’s dreams of becoming a broadcaster a reality. Both will talk about their time at WOUB, how it shaped them and what they’ve learned in their careers during the next WOUB Wednesday on March 17 at 7:15 p.m. WOUB Wednesdays is a program that gives former WOUB students the opportunity to conduct a virtual conversation with current students and talk about their career experiences.
LaForce graduated from Ohio University in 2011 with a degree in broadcast journalism. She worked as a student sports reporter and anchor at WOUB while playing on the Ohio University women’s basketball team.
Shugart graduated from Ohio University in 1981. She worked at WOUB in the newsroom, learning how to be an on-air anchor and in the production department, learning to be a director behind the scenes.
“During WOUB Wednesdays, current WOUB students are learning so much from former WOUB students who are out in the world working in the media industry,” said WOUB Student Professional Development and Production Services Director Michael Rodriguez. “Allie and Paula’s story shows how hard work, dedication and networking can make dreams become a reality.”
“Each week through mid-April, we will have a different former WOUB student scheduled to talk with current students,” said WOUB Community Engagement Manager Cheri Russo. “The former students are excited to share what they have learned out in the industry with current students at WOUB.”
Future scheduled WOUB Wednesday speakers include: Hollywood Celebrity Photographer Stephen Busken, WHIO TV Morning Meteorologist Kirstie Zontini and PBS A Capitol Fourth and National Memorial Day Concert Director Paul Miller. The final WOUB Wednesday will be held on April 14. It will be a virtual panel discussion examining the state of the broadcast industry during these trying times. Several former WOUB students will be on hand to talk about the issues and hear from current students about their experiences and questions.
The virtual discussions will be held each Wednesday evening at 7:15 p.m. and are open to all current and former WOUB students as well as WOUB staff. Those interested can register at https://bit.ly/ZoomWOUBWednesday Registration is required for each week’s session.