Lindenwood - Your Alumni Connection - Fall 2017

HERMAN WINS PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGIONAL EMMY AWARD by BAILEY E. KINNEY Winning a Regional Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is an honor truly like no other. Two-time Lindenwood graduate Suzanne Herman (DeMerit) (’03, ’11) joined that hallowed group on June 25, 2017, when she won an Emmy from the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the organization. A St. Louis native, Herman was bitten by the journalism bug back in high school when KSDK anchor Kay Quinn spoke at Notre Dame High School. Herman was hooked and went to college knowing that journalism was the only field for her. She was drawn to Lindenwood University when she visited campus as a high school student. “Lindenwood had a really good radio/ television department,” she said. “When I came to visit as a high school student, I knew I was in the right place. Plus, the campus was beautiful.” Herman went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications with an emphasis in electronic journalism and radio/television and graduated from Lindenwood in 2003. “I was always drawn to writing and the creative side of communications,” Herman said. “I interned at Fox2 my senior year of college. After graduation, I took part-time production assistant jobs at KMOV and then KSDK. I was paying almost as much to park in Downtown St. Louis as I was making, but I was working television.” Those production assistant positions earned her an opportunity as a producer at KMIZ in Columbia, Mo., where she cut her teeth producing newscasts. It wasn’t long until she had gained enough experience to return to her hometown to produce at the very same station from which Kay Quinn visited her in high school, KSDK. Her journey came full circle when she returned to Lindenwood as a graduate student and director in the Office of Evening and Graduate Admissions. “It was easy to sell other students on the LU experience, because I had such great memories from my time there,” she said. “Once I started taking graduate classes through LCIE (now the School of Accelerated Degree Programs), I was able to tell students exactly what it was like balancing classes, homework, life, and a full-time job.” Herman now produces the 10 p.m. newscast for KVVU-TV Fox5 in Las Vegas. Her special, “Vegas Is Hockey,” earned the Emmy in the News Special category in the 2017 Pacific Southwest Regional Emmy Awards. “There was such a fun energy behind ‘Vegas Is Hockey,’” she said. “The announcement of the NHL coming to Las Vegas was huge. It was our first major league sports team. Many people living in Las Vegas are transplants from other parts of the country and have hometown teams. I know, of the things I miss most about home is sports and being able to catch a game with family and friends. Now, people are going to be able to do that here. Our news special touched on so many aspects of securing the team and the excitement it would bring to southern Nevada.” So, with a coveted Emmy in hand, what’s Herman’s next goal? “Now that I have an Emmy, I’d love to get another one,” she said. “It’s not necessary, but it is always nice to be recognized for something I am so passionate about.” Lindenwood University AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS 9 CAMPUS NEWS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT UPCOMING EVENTS LINDENWOOD SPORTS ALUMNI EVENTS AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES LINDENWOOD Fall 2017 Suzanne Herman (DeMerit) (’03, ’11) It was easy to sell other students on the LU experience, because I had such great memories from my time there.” Suzanne Herman (DeMerit) “