Thursday, January 14, 2010

Wild Bill (Bill Middeke, that is...), Class of 2000

I'm pleased to offer you yet another in my ongoing series of alumni talk vlogs. (These are soooo fun!) This time it's Bill Middeke.

Bill was known by some as Wild Bill when he walked the hallowed halls of Waldorf College as one of the class of 2000. Today he's an award-winning broadcast journalist who can boast he's earned an Edward R. Murrow Award, a national award given to broadcast news journalists and organizations by the Radio-Television News Directors Association in honor of the revered journalist - noted for honesty and integrity - who is its namesake. (Sorry, probably pushing run-on sentence status, but I'm gonna leave it.)

As for Bill, the "wild" in his nickname had more to do with his college wrestling career than his academic or social endeavors. Today, there's nothing wild about the way this dedicated journalist - now married to a wonderful veterinary assistant named Kari - chooses to spend his afternoon off each week. In fact, I'd describe it as far more extraordinary than wild. You see, for the past six years, Bill has driven to campus from either Des Moines or Minneapolis/St. Paul (and some weeks through crazy Midwest weather) to help Mark bring his broadcast journalism classes to life for the fortunate students enrolled in those extremely hands-on courses.

Bill is currently a photojournalist for KARE 11 (Minneapolis/St. Paul). I leave it to him to fill you in on the high points of his career during the vlog.

Bill, please accept a personal thank you from me for this very unselfish act. You live an example of service to our students. I know that Mark deeply enjoys having you as part of the classroom experience (and as a cohort on his not-so-clandestine trips to Hardees for the famous "Mark's onion burger" lunches).

Hey, former broadcast students, you'll love the opening of this video. I promise. It's one of those rare (ok, not-so-rare) Mark and Joy moments caught on tape.

Enjoy!


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