Some of you may have seen her filming on campus or watched her videos online. But, how many of you have had the chance to meet this campus celebrity and the face of Take2?
Name: Shannon Hoyt
Hometown: Baldwin, Wisconsin
Major: Professional Communication in Emerging Media
Year: Junior
HC: Why did you choose to attend Stout?
SH: This is the only place I decided to tour. I decided on Stout because there are a lot of benefits of being close to home. When I first took a tour of the campus, I really felt at home and that this is really some where I want it to be. The benefit of it being a small school means I get the opportunity to connect with teachers a lot more in a one-on-one basis.
HC: Why did you decide to pursue Professional Communication in Emerging Media?
SH: I came to Stout thinking that I was going to be a psychologist. After I attended some of the meetings, I realized nope, not for me. I went undecided for a semester before sitting down one day and asking myself what It was I wanted to do. Then realized I love to talk and wondered if they have a major for that, which is how I stumbled upon PCEM. I saw they had a concentration in journalism which is something I wanted to do because of my background in theatre.
HC: How are you involved on campus?
SH: I am involved in quite a lot this year. I am the president of Running and Jogging Club. I am the current entertainment editor for Stoutonia and will be taking over as Editor-in-Chief next year. I am a manager and broadcaster for Take2 which is put on by the university communications. I also particpate in theater around Menomonie.
HC: Can you tell us about your role as a Take2 Correspondent?
SH: Currently I am the only broadcaster for Take2. I write blog entries every week for our news blog, broadcast at campus events, and conduct interviews. We have an ongoing series called Take to the Streets where we go out to events and have live on the spot interviews.
HC: What is your favorite part of being a correspondent?
SH: I laugh a lot because there are so many bloopers. There are so many moments where you screw up or say something wrong. My very first video for Take2 I was filming in Jarvis reading from our script. Instead of saying concentration, I misspoke and said contraception in front of a bunch of people. It was so embarrassing, but hilarious. It’s just those moments where it’s so funny and you don’t know what’s going to happen.
HC: We heard you just landed an internship as a reporter for WQOW News 18, what are some of your other aspirations for the future?
SH: I have always known that I want to end up in a city. I think that Minneapolis is somewhere I’d like to begin, maybe not somewhere I’d like to stay. I’m hoping to get a broadcasting position somewhere, either in the cities or anywhere I find an opportunity since it’s such a competitive field.
Speed Round
Favorite place in Menom: Acoustic Café
Dream Vacation Destination: Iceland
Celebrity Crush: Dylan O’Brien
One Word Friends Would Use to Describe You: Empathetic