Pointing a spotlight on successful students and Alumni
Winter 2018
“I came to BGSU knowing I wanted to be a part of BG24 because it would give me on-air experience right away.”
By Alex Schiavone
When Amy Steigerwald was in 7th grade, her love for broadcast journalism was ignited after she toured a Cleveland news station for a field trip. As soon as she arrived at the University, she knew shat’s what she wanted to study.
During her freshman year, Steigerwald looked up to a lot of the upperclassmen. She was also influenced by professors such as Ken Garland and Kathy Bradshaw. They helped her grow as a journalist at BG24 as well as in her classes.
“I came to BGSU knowing I wanted to be a part of BG24 because it would give me on-air experience right away,” Steigerwald said. While involved with BG24, she shot, wrote, edited and fronted all of her own segments.
“BG24 taught me how to be self-sufficient,” Steigerwald said. Steigerwald is now a reporter for the WTOL-TV Station in Toledo. There were multiple reasons why she chose to work at WTOL-TV. The amount of University alumni who work at WTOL-TV factored heavily into her decision.
Other factors include her internship experience at the station previously and the way things are run. Her days at WTOL-TV start by pitching two to three story ideas in her morning meeting. She is then assigned to her stories for the day and the work ensues.
She sets up her interviews, shoots her segments and then returns to the station to edit them for the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. shows. “I really enjoy my job and I love that I’m getting paid to do what I’ve been working toward for so long,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to see that all of my work has paid off.”
By Erika Glover
Knowing that there are girls who look up to me and who are persevering to be just like me when they grow up makes me want to pave a way for girls who look like me all around the world,” international business and marketing junior, Nijiah Slaughter, said when asked about what motivates her.
In Slaughter’s time at the University, she has developed her passion for helping others and giving back, exemplifying this passion through her involvements all over campus. The current holder of many leadership positions, Slaughter devotes her time to outlets on and off campus.
These range from the treasurer of Women Everywhere Believe to the diversity and inclusion senator of the Undergraduate Student Government. She is also an active College of Business student ambassador and serves on the university conduct committee. Slaughter is also a scholar in the Sidney A. Ribeau President’s Leadership Academy, a program on campus devoted to personal development and building up the University through service.
“I always knew that I liked service, but in the same realm of service, I like being the voice of students and populations who lack a voice on campus or those who do not have relationships with administration and faculty,” Slaughter said. Each of Slaughter’s involvements boils down to one common theme — giving back.
As she finishes her time at the University, she is hopeful her connections and relationships have touched students and inspired them to serve others as well.
“Knowing that there are girls who look up to me and who are persevering to be just like me when they grow up makes me want to pave a way for girls who look like me all around the world.”
“One of the biggest things I have learned about myself during my time at BGSU is that I find my sense of purpose and happiness when I am helping people.”
By Brianna Blackburn
Hannah Cubberley is a student leader who is passionate about giving back, so she fills her time with roles that impact the University. “One of the biggest things I have learned about myself during my time at BGSU is that I find my sense of purpose and happiness when I am helping people.
When I graduate in just a few short months, I want to go out and find ways to make the most positive impact by helping individuals and ultimately the greater community,” Cubberley said. Cubberley’s long-term goal to help others has shown itself at both an individual and community level during her four years at the University.
She holds leadership roles in a variety of settings on campus: president of Undergraduate Student Government, student leadership assistant at the Center for Leadership and winter site leader for Bowling Green Alternative Breaks. Her involvement on campus landed her a spot on Homecoming Court this fall.
Cubberley has been able to make an impact on the larger University community through most of these involvements, but she has been able to make a direct personal impact while serving as a Rho Gamma for the Panhellenic Council.
“I really liked helping potential new members find the chapter that would be their best fit and supporting them throughout the process,” Cubberley said. The underlying drive of all her involvements is to be a force for good at the University.
She hopes this goal will surpass her undergraduate experience and she will “Stand Out” and “Go Far” even after graduation.
By Kayelyn Robinson
University alumna, Elsa Vos, turned her passion for creating into a business. Pieces of Me Co. is her brand of jewelry that highlights an individual’s personality traits and reminds wearers of their strengths.
Prior to graduating as a graphic design major in 2015, Vos used different programs at the University to help create Pieces of Me. Starting as a graphic design project in her junior year of college, Vos created graphics representing the different personality traits she saw in herself.
She decided this project was something to be shared with others. After her entrepreneurial spirit kicked in, she participated in The Hatch her senior year at the University to gain the support of investors. “I think the biggest tools I used while at BGSU were the connections and networking opportunities I’ve had. After The Hatch program, the College of Business adopted me in a sense.
I’ve had the chance to meet so many wonderful alum and others that I don’t think I would’ve otherwise,” Vos wrote in an email. Vos hopes Pieces of Me’s jewelry will inspire college students find their identity the way it did for her. Through starting her business, Vos realized she had something unique to offer.
“I designed Pieces of Me, so others could feel that, too,” Vos wrote. Vos plans on continuing to grow her line of jewelry. She hopes it will eventually become nationally known, but until then she will continue to work hard and encourage others to be proud to wear jewelry representing who they are.
“I think the biggest tools I used while at BGSU were the connections and networking opportunities I’ve had. After The Hatch program, the College of Business adopted me in a sense.”
