Western Carolina University

What can you do with your degree?
Professional Certification
Where are WCU'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 Carolina University 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 WCU’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.

• Elizabeth Luedeman - Clear Channel, Charlotte, North Carolina 
• Tommy Peck - Smoky Mountain Center for Performing Arts, Franklin, North Carolina 
• Katie Spears – Martha Stewart Omnimedia, New York
• Mark Fox – WCNC TV NBC TV, Charlotte, North Carolina 
• Anna Gerts – Star 94 FM, Atlanta
• Kristen Boggs – CBS Radio Group, Charlotte, North Carolina 
• O’Neal Cauley – IBM System Sales, Atlanta
• Nick Nichols – Kiss 95.1, Charlotte, North Carolina 
• Lloyd Van Horn – The Mountaineer Publishing Company, Waynesville, North Carolina 
• Sara Kepley – Free-lance Television Stage Manager
• Matt Janey – Clear Channel Group, Asheville, North Carolina 
• Jessica Bartley – CBS Radio Group, Charlotte, North Carolina 
• Chris Lane – Katz Media, New York
• Josh D'Innocenzi – Star 104.3, Asheville, North Carolina 
• Adrienne Avery – Clear Channel Group, Columbia, South Carolina
• Ryan Hipps – President, Stress Free Productions
• Leighton Grant – WLOS ABC TV, Asheville, North Carolina 
• Chad Leiser – Katz Media, Atlanta
• Ricky Lanning – WLOS ABC TV, Asheville, North Carolina 
• Katie Chaffin – Clear Channel Group, Greensboro/Winston Salem, North Carolina 
• Mike Mariner – Clear Channel Group, Raleigh, North Carolina 
• Tony Vatimmo – Clear Channel Total Traffic Network, Charlotte, North Carolina  
• Charles Broadway – Armed Forces Radio and Television
• Lauren Kaufman – CNN Marketing and Promotions, Atlanta
• Chris Edmonds – WRAY TV, Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, North Carolina 
• Brittany Harris – Clear Channel Group, Greensboro Winston-Salem High Point, North Carolina 
• Samantha Saunders - Hagemeyer North America, Philadelphia
• Gena Clemmons-Davis – Clear Channel Group, Asheville, North Carolina 
• Adam Harris – WOXL Saga Communications, Asheville, North Carolina 
• Jenna Mills – NASA, Houston
• Will Candler – Asheville Radio Group/Saga Communications, Asheville, North Carolina 
• Heidi Smathers – Clear Channel Group, Asheville , North Carolina
• 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, North Carolina 
• Kyle McCurry, Program Director/Afternoon Host, WINGZ 104.9, WNGZ-FM, Elmira, New York 
• Erik Malay, WXII NBC TV 12, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, North Carolina 
• Zach Colburn, WLOS ABC TV, Asheville, North Carolina 
• Lucas Mills, Hot 98.1 FM/1073 JAMZ, Cox Radio, Greenville, South Carolina
• Joe Mullins - Turner Broadcasting, Atlanta
• Christopher Hamilton- Master Control Operator, Sinclair Broadcast Group, WLFL TV 22, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Ryan Sarda - Sportswriter, Sanford Herald, Sanford, North Carolina
• Victoria Scott - TAMA Broadcasting, Savannah, Georgia
• Michael Montanez - Clear Channel Group, Asheville, North Carolina
• Sam Neff - CBS Radio, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Samantha Daniel - WGHD Fox TV Channel 8, Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem, North Carolina 
• Terrence Tipps - Morris Publications, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Bessie Dietrich Goggins - Literacy Council of Highlands, North Carolina
• J. P. Good - WKGX-AM/WKVS-FM, Lenoir, North Carolina
• Noelle Bown - i play Marketing Associates, Asheville, North Carolina
• Sara Hayes - United Parcel Service, Asheville, North Carolina
• Danielle Dulken - Sunshine Sachs & Associates Public Relations, New York, New York
• Tyler Sellers - Clear Channel Communications, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Brian Case - South Central Media, WIMZ-FM, WNFZ, Knoxville, Tennessee
• Garrett Richardson - Account Executive, Clear Channel, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Jared Bass - Smith Systems, Inc., Brevard, North Carolina
• Brian Graham - Account Executive, Clear Channel Group, Asheville, North Carolina
• Ashley Fender - Account Executive, Clear Channel Group, Asheville, North Carolina
• Jeremy Powell - Clear Channel Group, Asheville, North Carolina
• Aaron D'Innocenzi - Digital Content Manager, Clear Channel Group, Asheville, North Carolina
• Matt Kelley - Account Executive, KCWX, San Antonio, Texas
• Adam Beatty - Clear Channel, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Amanda Peralta - JSW Media Group, Charlotte, North Carolina
• D'Anne Maddox - Public Relations & Marketing, Drake Software, Franklin, North Carolina
• Paxton Myers - Casino Marketing Manager, Harrah's Cherokee Casino, Cherokee, North Carolina
• Callie Utz - Communications Specialist, Highland-Cashiers Hospital, North Carolina
• Zev Cheen - Producer, WLIX NBC TV, Channel 10, Lansing, Michigan
• Matt Kelly - Cox Media Group, 99.5 KISS-San Antonio
• Bo Lossiah - The New Kituwah Academy Cherokee Language Immersion School, Cherokee, North Carolina
• Dustin Newcombe - 1190 WIXE, Monroe, North Carolina
• Logan Sherrill - WBTV, CBS, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Fern Lulham - afternoon drive, WMOM FM, Ludington, Michigan