This fall, Gray Television renewed their annual investment in the Murrow College Industry Partner Program and hosted a second Shadow Day at the KPTV station in Portland, OR. Seven students, majoring in Advertising, Public Relations and News and Production, participated in a networking dinner followed by a day of professional shadowing. Students were paired with staff for a “day in the life” experience where they were exposed to a variety of career possibilities after graduation.

One student participant commented, “I loved having the opportunity to shadow a wide range of different careers and see behind the scenes. Having the chance to ask any question I had in mind and getting truthful and honest opinions from these individuals was amazing. Everyone at the station was so kind and welcoming which made this a fantastic experience.”

The concept for the Murrow College Industry Partner Program evolved from conversations about how businesses and organizations could engage more intentionally with students at all stages of their academic career. When the Murrow Center for Student Success launched the Career Ready Program – a program built to help students develop the career competencies necessary to be competitive in the current labor market – the opportunity for partnership emerged. In hopes of strengthening its recruitment pipeline, Gray Television made an investment in professional development for Murrow College students to prepare for the transition from academic to professional.

Corey Hanson, General Manager of KPTV and Regional Vice President at Gray Television, spearheads the company’s annual Murrow Symposium sponsorship and has personally recruited Murrow graduates for more than 10 years. Hanson recognized the quality of work Murrow graduates deliver from day one. And it’s not only the students that benefit from this experience. Hanson shared, “The time students spend at the station is invaluable. It allows them to see first-hand the opportunities available to them, not just in news but also marketing and sales. It also inspires the station employees when they see students excited about their futures in broadcast TV.”

The philanthropic investment from Gray Television further serves the college by removing financial barriers for participation in Shadow Day. “The ability for students to travel and experience an in-depth shadow day like this is immeasurable,” said Wendy Wegner, Career Ready Advisor and Program Manager. “The funding allows the college to provide equitable access to students from all backgrounds who are then able to connect with professionals and see first-hand day-to-day operations. This significantly impacts their confidence and career choices as well as expands their professional network.”

As an Industry Partner, Gray Television is given special engagement opportunities. In addition to Shadow Day, they build brand recognition and are invited to participate in panels and professional development sessions with Murrow students on various campuses.

Murrow College is grateful to Gray Television for its partnership and investment. We look forward to their recruiters traveling to the Pullman campus to engage in the classroom and facilitate one-on-one information interviews with students in February, as well as sharing their expertise and job opportunities during the Murrow Symposium to be held April 3-4, 2024.

To learn how your organization can become an Industry Partner at Murrow College, reach out to April Johnson, Sr. Director of Development, based in Seattle at [email protected] or Camille Vaughn, Director of Development, based in Pullman, at [email protected].