As a sports fanatic and broadcast aficionado, junior Emily Haydel found the overlap of her two major passions within the on-campus club, WOLV-TV, “an engaging and entertaining programming club in the UM community,” according to their MaizePages site. WOLV-TV gives students the opportunity to grow their TV resumes by hosting segments on topics ranging from sex to sports, providing broadcasting experience for the students involved, as well as a unique and personalized media source for student viewers.Through her involvement with WOLV-TV and through a host of other broadcasting & athletic clubs and organizations on campus, as well as her studies as a Sport Management major, Emily is pursuing her dream of becoming a sports broadcaster.
Her Campus: So Emily, how exactly did you get involved with WOLV-TV?
Emily Haydel: When I came to Michigan, I thought a lot about what I wanted to major in. Knowing that I wanted to pursue sports broadcasting, even though Michigan doesn’t offer a journalism major, I realized that I would have to get involved with clubs that allowed me to get the experience that I needed to pursue that career. So, I went to Festifall and discovered WOLV-TV.
HC: What do you love most about being on camera for WOLV-TV and other broadcasting opportunities?
EH: I really enjoy maintaining a steady back-and-forth conversation with my interviewees, asking thoughtful questions and facilitating an interesting conversation. Being the moderator on-camera, in itself, is my favorite part. I especially love to coach my guests, so to speak, if I notice that they’re not particularly comfortable on camera.
HC: Tell us a little bit more about the sports show that you founded on WOLV-TV, “Wolverine Women.”
EH: “Wolverine Women” is a specific show within the sports department of WOLV-TV that was largely inspired by Tracy Wolfson, a Michigan alumnae who helped to found the first all women’s sports show called, “We Need to Talk.” After hearing her speak at a career in sports media panel, I was inspired to do something similar here on campus. I spoke with my peers and realized that a lot of girls were interested. We pitched the idea to various organizations, and WOLV-TV was all for it. They asked for the run-down of the segments and had us move forward with the creation for the show. For each show we invite a student athlete to come on and be interviewed and play a short, fun game. Originally, the athletes would be guests on the show as a favor to me and the other girls, but now it’s developed into a treat of sorts. Student-athletes are really excited to be featured on the show.
HC: As the new Sports Director of WOLV-TV, what goals do you have for the show?
EH: I’m excited to develop and market each show, so that each one has its own unique identity. While our student broadcasters are extremely focused on developing their sideline reels for future employers, I really want to emphasize the importance of creating interesting content for the larger student body. I want each of the shows to have distinct viewership, people that are genuinely interested in hearing what’s being reported. With that in mind, we’ll have to focus on creating unique, quality content, as well as marketing it in a strategic and effective way to create these unique identities.
HC: What’s the hardest interview you’ve ever conducted?
EH: The first time I interviewed a professional athlete, as opposed to a collegiate athlete, was particularly nerve-wracking. I was interviewing two players on the Colorado Rockies, a major-league baseball team, and I was totally freaking out beforehand. They knew I had never spoken with athletes of their caliber. The players ended up being really nice, though, giving good answers and helping me out throughout the interview. The interview wasn’t my best work, but it definitely went well.
HC: What is a fun fact about yourself?
EH: I once took a selfie with Katie Couric.
HC: What other organizations are you a part of on campus?
EH: I do a lot of extra-curricular work on campus, mostly because I need the experience to build the resume I’ll need for sports broadcasting. Obviously I’m involved with WOLV-TV, as the producer of Wolverine Women and new Sports Director, but I also work as a student-manager for the Michigan Baseball team. I’m a crewmember for the University of Michigan chapter of BIG10 Network, and I work with Team Blue for the Michigan Football team, which helps in the recruitment process, talking with recruits and their families during their visits.
HC: Busy as ever and doing incredible work in your field – thanks for taking the time to sit down and speak with us!
EH: Of course, thank you!