Communiqué
WOUB Senior Spotlight: Jacob Motta
By: Andre Norrils
Posted on:
Motta will be pursuing two master’s degrees at Ohio University after graduating this May
Jacob Motta, a senior at Ohio University studying journalism news and information, will be continuing his education at Ohio University next fall studying a different side of the sports industry. This comes after getting hands-on experience in front of the camera anchoring and reporting for sports programs at WOUB Public Media. Originally from Sugar Grove, Ohio, Motta chose to attend Ohio University because of its strong journalism program and its proximity to home.
“Ohio is one of the best schools for journalism and that was big for me,” said Motta. “I also knew I could talk about sports, and I like being in front of the camera.”
Motta attended a student involvement fair his freshman year and discovered WOUB. He signed up to learn more and has been a part of WOUB ever since. Since joining WOUB, Motta has anchored and reported for multiple sports shows and WOUB TV’s night half-hour news program, NewsWatch.
“WOUB has helped me with my time management skills and really taught me how to work well with a group of people,” said Motta. “I am also more knowledgeable about the news and sports industry.”
After graduation, Motta plans to stay in Athens to pursue two master’s degrees: one in business administration and one in sports administration. He wants to work in marketing for college athletics or for a professional sports team.
“I started talking to someone who helps with the sports management courses, and I thought it sounded interesting,” said Motta. “Coming from the Scripps College of Communication gives you a good background to start understanding some of the curricula in the sports administration program. I think it would be beneficial to have that knowledge alongside my journalism degree.”
Motta has learned a lot while at Ohio University and looks forward to learning more through his master’s degree programs. WOUB has been a place for him to grow for the past four years, and he hopes more people take advantage of it.
“I recommend it to anyone that thinks they want to get involved,” said Motta. “If there’s any kind of thought in their mind that they might like this, they should join. The people that you meet, the experiences and networking you get is one-of-a-kind.”
Outside of WOUB, Motta prefers being outdoors in a hammock while playing music.