Diederich College of Communication Dean Ana Garner announced May 20 that Mark Zoromski will be the new director of the student media organization, the Marquette Wire.
In previous years the Marquette Wire was completely student run. Zoromski will be the first faculty member to help run the organization.
The student media director is expected to oversee and manage all platforms of student media, including: The Marquette Tribune, Marquette Journal, Marquette Radio, MUTV and advertising department. Zoromski will assist in developing a future plan for the Marquette Wire, culminate weekly feedback on content for students and teach one class a semester.
While Zoromski described the job as a “big challenge,” he is eager to begin in what he sees as an extremely important role.
“I love student media, but I always felt there was an educational component lacking,” Zoromski said. “A lot of times there is an adviser in name only and so students are all out on their own and I don’t see them improving as much. But with an adviser, I believe they can get that much better.”
Zoromski brings nearly 40 years of journalism experience to the Wire. Previously, he worked as a news producer at WITI-TV stations in Eau Claire, Green Bay and Milwaukee. His most recent job at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee was senior broadcast lecture in the departments of journalism, advertising and media studies.
Throughout his time at UWM, Zoromski created PantherVision, a weekly television newscast produced by students in his television news reporting and television news management classes. It also works in conjunction with second year television and video production students at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Danielle Stobb, a teaching assistant for a UWM media writing class and a part-time associate news producer at WISN-TV, previously had Zoromski for his PantherVision classes.
“The way he worked with students was really beneficial,” Stobb said. “It didn’t feel like he talked to us as students, he talked to us like coworkers.”
When asked what he is most excited for, Zoromski didn’t hesitate – the students.
“There is no greater profession than to be teaching,” he said. “(Students) are home. I develop a real special relationship with my students and alums.”
PantherVision led Zoromski in 2014 to have the first collegiate news organization in history to win a national Edward R. Murrow award in the large market, professional division.
Stobb said Zoromski is a stand-out professor with both his mentality and teaching style.
“He’s extremely supportive and he knows students have a lot going on outside his class, but he’s still very supportive and encouraging,” Stobbs said. “But he also expects a lot.”
A Wisconsin native, Zoromski received both of his degrees through the University of Wisconsin system – his undergraduate in journalism and political science from Eau-Claire and graduate in mass communication from Milwaukee.
Zoromski will be on campus throughout the summer acclimating to Marquette, but his position officially begins August 15.
“I’m looking forward to coming up with ideas together and moving forward,” Zoromski said. “I don’t have all the answers and a lot of times we can come up with them together.”
