Alumni Spotlight
Brad interviewing Adam Wainwright for his podcast a few years back “Here’s the Pitch....”
Brad Straubinger, ‘98
BA, Broadcast Journalism
Professional Achivements:
4 time Mid-America Emmy award winner with multiple more nominations while with Fox Sports Midwest
Favorite memory from Webster:
Met many of friends I have today, and still recall lessons learned from professors in my program.
Professional Career Path:
I was already in broadcasting while going through school, hosting and producing a high school sports show. I moved on to working for Channel 30 for a couple of years as a sports producer and then settled into my career at FOX Sports Midwest to become their lead sports producer of Cardinals pre-games and specialty productions. In 2016, I landed at the Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis doing video production for their internal in the house communication area. Currently, I’m a Business Analyst for the National IR arm of the Federal Reserve Bank. I also freelance produce for many different television entities, which include MLB Network, ESPN & DISCOVERY NETWORKS in a wide array of different assignments for each. And in my free time I host a podcast & blog, both titled “Here’s the Pitch” while actively creating content on youtube.com/stweekly
How did Webster University prepare you for your professional career?
I learned all facets of video, audio and news production, which gave me a head start when moving into my eventual career.
Words of advice to students:
Take your internships seriously. They could become your job if you work hard enough and show that you want it.
Jennifer Starkey, ‘98 & ‘16
BA, Broadcast Journalism
MA, Communications Management
Why did you choose Webster?
I liked the small class sizes and the ability to be hands-on at an early point in my major.
Favorite memory from Webster:
In my undergraduate years we had a cable access news show and we produced the show each week, anchored it and did news packages. I learned so much from my time in that class.
Professional Career Path:
I graduated from Webster with a degree in broadcast journalism and worked as a TV producer in both Columbia MO and Austin TX before transitioning into Public Relations. I worked in national associations doing PR in Chicago until moving back in 2010 and working at DuPont and then Webster University.
How did Webster University prepare you for your professional career?
Webster University gave me hands-on experience. In the classroom I never had to fight to get time on the equipment due to small class sizes. Not only did I have the ability to learn television production in the classroom but the required internship allowed me to make contacts in the industry. For graduate school, the flexibility was key for me. I was able to take classes on the ground and online which allowed me to better balance my job and my education. I liked being taught by people who are working in the industry. They had first-hand knowledge of what they were teaching and the professional connections I made with faculty and students have been invaluable.
Words of advice to students:
Take more than one internship if possible! You'll make more contacts and you'll learn more about the industry you are going to work in.
Daniel Neville, ‘20
B.A. in Film Television, and Video Production
Why did you choose Webster?
The Study Abroad opportunities.
Favorite memory from Webster:
Traveling to Norway while studying abroad.
Professional Career Path:
I've been doing freelance video jobs for a few years now, taking odd jobs here and there (such as estate/portrait photography). I interned at Unbridled Media in Fall of 2019 and they asked me to help out with a web series they were starting. That kept me in contact with them through the pandemic and now they call me up whenever they need an extra hand.
How did Webster University prepare you for your professional career?
Webster taught me great set etiquette and teamwork skills that I may not have had if I didn't go to film school.
Current Project:
Physical Therapy for Women: Ethiopia
Description:
Washington University Physical Therapist Tracy Spitznagle travels to Mekelle, Ethiopia to teach a Women's Health course to local PT students.With the country dramatically lacking resources in this area of education and health, Tracy showcases what problems Ethiopians are facing, why these issues are important, and what she is doing to help.
Words of advice to students:
Learn how to teach yourself new things. Once you're graduated, class is over but you'll still have a great deal of learning to do.
Jenna McDonald, ‘15
B.A. in Film Production
Why did you choose Webster?The film program, and the study abroad program!
Favorite memory from Webster:Meeting all my best friends freshmen year, including Cece O'Neill and Abby Dorning who are also my co-creators for our webseries One Brick Shy!
Professional Career Path:
I started acting my senior year in the senior film projects. One of the projects I was in went to the Saint Louis Filmmakers Showcase where I won Best Actress in 2015. From there I started acting in feature films like Tonight She Comes, Revisions, & Between the Moon and You, and I have also starred in countless short films. I moved to LA in 2017, but after several coffee dates with filmmakers and receiving the exact same advise, to create my own content, I realized I had more of a foundation and resources in STL to be able to create my own content with a smaller budget. I moved back to STL in 2018 and started One Brick Shy.
How did Webster University prepare you for your professional career?
It provided a general knowledge of working on set, and the basic structure of script format and storyline. It also provided a network for me to build connections.
Words of advice to students:
I'm going to repeat all the advice I received while living in LA- Whatever role you are hoping to fill on set, whether it be a DP or an actor, you have to create your own content! There are so many talented students at Webster that need to connect and create projects together.
CeCe O'Neill, ‘15
B.A. in Scriptwriting with a PR minor
Why did you choose Webster?
I liked the idea that there were international campuses I could access within the University to travel and study abroad, all from the cozy home base in Webster Groves. It was also just far enough away from ‘home’ at the time (Nebraska).
Favorite memory from Webster:
There are too many! I remember introducing myself to my first scriptwriting class freshman year & thinking “well I tanked that, they’re all far more artsy than I am.” Then to directly contrast that memory, a year later I was getting up in front of my classes to pitch scripts and outlines that had the full support of my fellow students and professors. Electrifying to create something out of nothing and have your peers love it.
Professional Career Path:
It all started on the internet. My favorite place. LinkedIn to be exact. I was in a professional development class for PR with Debra Carpenter and we were going over the intricacies of being professionally presented online. Within a day of creating my LinkedIn profile, adding my resume, and a personal bio, I had inMail waiting for coffee meetings and interviews around town. I attended each one, shook hands, got biz cards, and followed up. I accepted what was basically a data entry social media position with a one-woman startup working out of Bigwidesky’s office in Clayton, and began working part-time during my junior year. That owner decided to sell a few months later as she became a full time mom, but the startup she planned to divert existing client work to agreed to meet with me, and to possibly keep me on. I met with John Bracamontes of Acumen Studio and we both agreed it would be a great fit! I was also working part-time at Apple in West County as a specialist and sales person, so I was a full-time student with two part-time jobs, and a whole lot of motivation! After graduation, I stayed in STL and worked for about a year before I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska to be closer to family and to fall in love with my now-fiancé. I maintained freelance hours and a friendly relationship with Acumen Studios after the move, but eventually took up a full-time Content Writer position for Assurity Life Insurance Company. (I learned a lot at this job, but let’s just say it was a dark, two-year blur.) I was terribly unhappy; so I quit. Not exactly my most conventional move, but I hit the ground running and again I had another job waiting for me within the week. Back to startup-land, Oh Hello, was about as nimble as they could be when I joined; three co-founders and myself. We all worked our assess off to create killer branding, messaging, strategy and content for professional athletes, consumer products, fashion, travel, and more. 11 months was enough to burn me out, but it also overlapped with another move- back to St. Louis! I landed a job with MarketPlace as a writer for products and companies in food, pet and wellness industries. At about my 6-month mark, I was approached by a recruiter on behalf of FleishmanHillard and new it would be an opportunity that would be hard to turn down. Work at FH was fast paced and cutthroat- kinda my style- but seeing as I was a freshly hired contract position, I was unfortunately also one of the first rounds of COVID-CUTS. So here we are! Behind the scenes I’ve been running the social media and all outreach, partnership, and distribution strategy for One Brick Shy. We’ve been working on this show since 2018, and it finally started to come to life!
How did Webster University prepare you for your professional career?
Aside from all of the obvious life skills learned, cultural exposure and knowledgeable interactions... It felt like Webster pushed me to think of more than just what I was there to get my degree for. I wasn’t in any business classes or biology classes, but I hope those students also learned how to critically communicate with one another and solve problems that may lie outside of their initial scope.
Words of advice to students:
If your ideal job doesn’t exist. Find a way to create it. Recognize value and invest in it. There’s only up when you start at the bottom.