- Name (First and Last)
Laura Ewan
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-ewan-4a788a12?trk=hp-identity-name
Employment Info
- Employer
McLean County Chamber of Commerce
- Title/Occupation
Manager of Membership Services
Academic Info
- Graduation Year (list as "Month Year")
May 2009
- Major
Broadcast Journalism
- Minor and/or Certificates
Other Stuff
- Hometown
Bloomington, IL
- Hobbies
Teaching fitness classes, baking and traveling
Career Information & Advice
Please answer each of the following questions with as much detail as possible while keeping your answers succinct (aim for 2 - 4 sentences per question).
- What are your job responsibilities/duties?
I recently left radio after 9 years and started this job in the late fall. I plan the educational programming we offer to our Chamber members, set-up ribbon cuttings for businesses, and am the liaison for our Leadership McLean Country Program and Next, our young professionals.
- What does a typical day look like?
Most of my days consist of a meeting or program of some sort. I am usually setting up future ribbon cuttings, business before and after hours and communicating with various members of the community on different issues.
- What do you most enjoy about your job?
Much like radio, I love that this job allows me to interact with so many different community leaders and meet more people who want to be involved in the community.
- What is the most difficult aspect of the job?
Since I am still in my infancy at this job, the most difficult aspect is making sure I am staying on track with all deadlines and planning for my events.
- What on-campus activities were you involved with? Where did you gain relevant experience?
I worked for the Daily Illini On-Air covering sports. I also worked at the Athletic Department in marketing. The Daily Illini On-Air provided me with great experience in broadcast and I loved being in the thick of the action with the Athletic Department.
- How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your professional life? For this specific position?
I came out of Illinois with the fundamentals needed to be a radio producer, which was my original position at WGN Radio in Chicago. Switching career paths recently, I always speak highly on the education I received at Illinois and the variety of courses I had to take because of my major. Those courses gave me a greater understanding on many issues and topics that continue to come up in my professional path.
- What advice do you have for students interested in this field?
Broadcast Journalism is not an easy field to break into. I graduated and then did a non-paying internship at WGN Radio. I moved to the big city and worked hard, which turned into a position at the station. My advice is to be open for any on the job experience you can get because you never know where it could lead.
- What is one thing that you know now that you wish you had known when you started in the field? When you graduated from the College?
Not to sound cliche, but I don't think I understood the magnitude of being an adult. Life is hard and will throw you curve balls. As much as one thinks they know how their life will play out, it almost never does, especially in the uncertain world of broadcast journalism. Just hold on and jump at any experience thrown your way.
