{"id":1541,"date":"2025-12-29T09:00:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T09:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/?p=1541"},"modified":"2025-12-18T19:10:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T19:10:21","slug":"emma-johnson-broadcast-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/2025\/12\/29\/emma-johnson-broadcast-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Shaping her path through storytelling"},"content":{"rendered":"
For Emma Johnson, a junior broadcast journalism<\/a> major from Logan, West Virginia, the moments that have shaped her Marshall journey did not happen in just one newsroom\u2014or just one state. They happened in places she once only dreamed of: in the briefing room of The White House, on the floor of Gotham Hall in New York City, and inside the studios of WMUL-FM<\/a> where her passion for storytelling first began to feel real.<\/p>\n
\"Emma
Emma Johnson in the WMUL-FM Studio at Marshall University<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Emma still remembers the exact feeling of standing in The White House Press Briefing Room during the 2024 Presidential Election.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were no step-by-step instructions for something like that,\u201d she said. \u201cBut the experiences I\u2019ve had at WMUL-FM and MU Report taught me how to think quickly, lead when needed and stay calm while live on air. When it came time to report from D.C., it just felt like second nature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preparation came from countless hours behind the mic, anchoring Newscenter 88 each week and working closely with professors who pushed her to grow. She credits Dr. Rob Quicke and Dr. Chris Swindell for preparing her and the Student News Live team long before their feet hit the ground in Washington.<\/p>\n

\n\tJournalists from all over the world stopped to hear what we, as students, had to say. It was surreal, one of those moments you never forget. <\/span>\n\n\t\t\t- Emma Johnson<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

\u201cDr. Swindell was always the first to answer the phone when we called from D.C. with questions,\u201d she said. \u201cHe made sure we were ready for everything.\u201d
\nStill, nothing could have prepared her for what happened once the cameras rolled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went live in the Press Room, and suddenly every professional journalist in there turned to watch us,\u201d she said. \u201cJournalists from all over the world stopped to hear what we, as students, had to say. It was surreal, one of those moments you never forget.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Emma
Emma traveled to NYC for the Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala after a WMUL-FM newscast she anchored won a prestigious honor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That experience was the result of years of hard work, but it was not the only milestone that shaped Emma\u2019s story.<\/p>\n

In October, Emma traveled to New York City for the Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala after a Halloween-themed WMUL-FM newscast she anchored in 2024 won a prestigious honor. The broadcast, filled with festive stories, was put together by a team Emma calls \u201ctruly special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was tearing up when we walked into Gotham Hall,\u201d Emma explained. \u201cBeing in the same room as some of the greats in journalism was incredible. It was inspiring to see the work that earned them a spot there and to be recognized alongside them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Emma
Emma at the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters Awards<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These moments, big and small, have defined Emma\u2019s time at Marshall. And through it all, one person has continually guided, encouraged, and pushed her to be her best.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy biggest influence has been Dr. Charles Bailey,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s always believed in me. He gave me opportunities at WMUL-FM that helped me grow, and he rarely turns down an idea. Instead, he\u2019s there cheering me on with every new program, every award, every challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emma\u2019s leadership roles at WMUL-FM, first as news director and now as executive director have shown her what true collaboration looks like.
\n\u201cJournalism can be competitive, but I\u2019ve learned that teamwork matters more,\u201d she said. \u201cWatching the staff brainstorm new programs or build a newscast together has taught me just how important connection is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those connections extend far beyond the radio station.<\/p>\n

Emma has represented Marshall across states, from reporting trips to Washington, D.C., to attending the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters Awards, where she recently placed second for Best Radio News Anchor and first for Outstanding News Operation.<\/p>\n

\"Emma
Emma Johnson stands outside of The White House in Washington, D.C. before reporting live during the 2024 Presidential Election<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI never imagined I\u2019d have these opportunities while still in college,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s helped me realize that anything is possible, especially when you\u2019re willing to do things a little unconventionally and never turn down a chance to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

That mindset continues to drive Emma\u2019s future aspirations.<\/p>\n

\n\tI never imagined I\u2019d have these opportunities while still in. <\/span>\n\n\t\t\t- Emma Johnson<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

\u201cMy biggest career goal is to tell stories in a fair, respectful way,\u201d she said. \u201cConnecting with people and sharing their experiences is what I love most, and I hope I get to keep doing that wherever I go after graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Emma, Marshall is not just a place where she learned to report, it\u2019s a place that gave her a community, mentors, lifelong friends and opportunities she once only imagined.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part of being a student here is the community. It always feels like one big family,\u201d she said. \u201cMarshall has prepared me to go out into the world with confidence\u2014ready to take on whatever comes next.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wherever her career takes her next, Emma plans to keep sharing the stories that shape communities, lift voices and create the moments that matter most.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Emma Johnson, a junior broadcast journalism major from Logan, West Virginia, the moments that have shaped her Marshall journey did not happen in just one newsroom\u2014or just one state. They happened in places she once only dreamed of: in the briefing room of The White House, on the floor of Gotham Hall in New […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":198,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-moments"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/198"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1541"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1554,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1541\/revisions\/1554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}