Communiqué
WOUB Member Spotlight: Claudia Hale
< < Back toHale has been a supporter of WOUB since 1998
ATHENS, OH – A typical morning for Claudia Hale, as a retired Ohio University professor, involves listening to WOUB FM and walking her 90-pound, black lab named Dominque around Athens.
“I put my earbuds in and take WOUB and Chris Riddle with me on our morning walk,” said Hale.
“Dominque came from 4 Paws for Ability. The organization breeds and raises dogs to work with autistic children. Dominque is what they called a ‘fabulous failure,’” said Hale laughing. “She was not the right temperament for autistic children. But she and I work together just fine.”
Hale grew up in Lubbock, Texas. She came to Athens from Iowa State in the early 1990s when she accepted as position as a associate professor of Interpersonal Communication. Interpersonal Communication is now called Communication Studies.
“I do enjoy Athens. I have made wonderful friends here. The university always felt very comfortable for me, very much like home.”
During her time at Ohio University, Hale was promoted to full professor, became director of the school of Interpersonal Communication and then moved to director of the Individual Interdisciplinary Program. The Individual Interdisciplinary Program is housed in the Graduate College and is designed as a home for those M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. students with academic and research interests which might be best served by an interdisciplinary graduate degree.
“I loved working with graduate students,” said Hale. “Those students are so fascinating. You really have to be a strong-minded individual at the graduate level to say I’m going to put together my own program.”
In her retirement, Hale enjoys golfing and biking. She also volunteers her time with different community organizations.
“I’m currently Involved with the Athens County Foundation. I serve as the secretary on the board. I am also on the grant committee and response fund committee. The response fund was created because of COVID,” said Hale. “I was extremely involved with Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio. I was secretary of the board for several years. I loved building the homes and meeting the families we were working with. I discovered that I enjoyed being up on roofs and putting in floors.”
Hale has been a supporter of WOUB since 1998 and feels it’s a vital resource for our region.
“I rely on WOUB for my first take on the news every morning. I listen to it when driving into town and really enjoy listening to 1-A and some of the programs that address our environment and what’s happening in that regard,” said Hale. “On WOUB, there is a steadied attempt at objectivity, to the extent that is possible, in respect to the way issues are handled. Multiple opinions are voiced. At the same point in time, when there is a need to question a claim, it’s not done in a ‘gotcha’ fashion because the journalists know they have a responsibility to the listeners to get answers and find out what the consequences will be. I also appreciate hearing all sides to help me understand a little better why some think differently than me and have their point of view.”