Professional Certification
Where are Western's grads?
What can you do with your degree?
You’ll find that many doors are open to you. Our graduates have become writers and editors, television production managers, broadcast salespersons, on-air personalities, and public relations experts, to name but a few professions.
Check out WCU’s Career Services “What can I do with a major in communication?” for a wealth of ideas. And, if you need more inspiration, see what some of the department’s broadcasting graduates have achieved since graduation or visit Career Services for career-seeking support.
Professional Certification
Broadcasting students in sales and television have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized professional certification prior to graduation.
Western is one of fewer than 10 universities in the nation to offer broadcast sales students the opportunity to sit for the Radio Marketing Professional certification exam offered by the 5,000 member Radio Advertising Bureau. The certification is recognized by both the radio and television industry as a mark of professional achievement.
Television students have the opportunity to earn the Television Operator Certification from the prestigious Society of Broadcast Engineers. This professional certification signifies to the industry that a student is capable of operating a main control room in a television station and is competent with station technical operations.
Where are Western’s grads?
The following list does not constitute an endorsement of Western Carolina University’s programs by the individuals or companies listed; it is simply a list of graduates' first positions after graduation.- Katie Spears – Martha Stewart Omnimedia New York
- Mark Fox – WCNC TV NBC TV Charlotte
- Anna Gerts – Star 94 FM Atlanta
- Kristen Boggs – CBS Radio Group Charlotte
- O’Neal Cauley – IBM System Sales Atlanta
- Nick Nichols – Kiss 95.1 Charlotte
- Lloyd Van Horn – The Mountaineer Publishing Company Waynesville
- Sara Kepley – Free-lance Television Stage Manager
- Matt Janey – Clear Channel Group Asheville
- Jessica Bartley – CBS Radio Group Charlotte
- Chris Lane – Katz Media New York
- Josh D'Innocenzi – Star 104.3 Asheville
- Adrienne Avery – Clear Channel Group Columbia South Carolina
- Ryan Hipps – President, Stress Free Productions
- Leighton Grant – WLOS ABC TV Asheville
- Chad Leiser – Katz Media Atlanta
- Ricky Lanning – WLOS ABC TV Asheville
- Katie Chaffin – Clear Channel Group Greensboro/Winston Salem
- Mike Mariner – Clear Channel Group Raleigh
- Tony Vatimmo – Clear Channel Total Traffic Network Charlotte
- Charles Broadway – Armed Forces Radio and Television
- Lauren Kaufman – CNN Marketing and Promotions Atlanta
- Chris Edmonds – WRAY TV Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville
- Brittany Harris – Clear Channel Group Greensboro Winston-Salem High Point
- Samantha Saunders - Hagemeyer North America, Philadelphia
- Gena Clemmons-Davis – Clear Channel Group Asheville
- Adam Harris – WOXL Saga Communications Asheville
- Jenna Mills – NASA Houston
- Will Candler – Asheville Radio Group/Saga Communications
- Heidi Smathers – Clear Channel Group Asheville
- Patrick Whelan - 1010 WINS News Radio, New York
- Tyra Sitton - Public Relations Director American LeMans Racing Series, Atlanta
- Will Dillard, WPBF TV 25 ABC TV West Palm Beach, Florida
- Ryan Britland, Clear Channel Communications Raleigh
- Erik Malay, WXII NBC TV 12, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point
- Zach Colburn, WLOS ABC TV Asheville
- Lucas Mills, Hot 98.1 FM/1073 JAMZ, Cox Radio, Greenville, South Carolina
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