Southeastern Louisiana University student named state's first top broadcaster by LAB

Thursday, April 17, 2014Erika Ferrando
by: Tonya Lowentritt

ONE OF NATION'S BEST - Erika Ferrando, a Southeastern Louisiana University senior from Mandeville, was named Student Broadcaster of the Year by the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters recently at its 2014 Prestige Awards luncheon in Baton Rouge. It was the first time the LAB has bestowed the student award.


HAMMOND – A news anchor/reporter at the Southeastern Channel has been named the first top student broadcaster in the state of Louisiana.

Erika Ferrando, a Southeastern Louisiana University senior from Mandeville, was named Student Broadcaster of the Year by the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters recently at its 2014 Prestige Awards luncheon in Baton Rouge.

"The Southeastern Channel has given me so many opportunities that give me real world experience," Ferrando said.  "I have learned to produce news shows, anchor, report, conduct interviews, edit my video, and shoot my own work. I feel prepared to enter this industry because I have been taught exactly what it takes to work in this field."

The Louisiana Association of Broadcasters, or LAB, is made up of all television and radio stations in Louisiana. Ferrando was presented the award by Sandy Breland, general manager of FOX 8 News in New Orleans and former GM at both WWL-TV in New Orleans and WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge.

Ferrando, a communications major with a concentration in electronic media, was selected over all other college undergraduate, graduate and high school students in television and radio from throughout the state of Louisiana. It was the first time the LAB has bestowed the student award.

"It is a tremendous honor to win Student Broadcaster of the Year," Ferrando said.  "The Louisiana Association of Broadcasters is an extremely prestigious organization. Being the only student awarded alongside the best professionals in the state made this award very meaningful. I am so thankful for this recognition because I have such a strong passion for news reporting. "

Ferrando is an anchor, reporter and producer for the Southeastern Channel's student newscast, "Northshore News," named one of the top four college television newscasts in the country by College Broadcasters, Inc. She recently won "Best in the South" recognition for "Television Hard News Reporting" given by the Southeast Journalism Conference made up of all universities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

Ferrando also recently won honorable mention Emmy recognition for News Story-Serious News in the  Suncoast Region (southeast U.S.) of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In addition, she won a Mark of Excellence Award for Television General News Reporting given by the Society of Professional Journalists in Region 12 (Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee).

"We're absolutely thrilled that Erika has been recognized as the top student broadcaster in the state," said Rick Settoon, general manager of the Southeastern Channel. "The honor is fitting and richly-deserved. Erika's breadth and depth of talent, along with her strong focus and outstanding work ethic, separates her from other students and will lead to great success in the television news industry. She's left a high mark of student excellence at the Southeastern Channel, and it's been a great pleasure having her as a student."

After she graduates in May, Ferrando hopes to land a job as a news reporter and work her way up to a large market television station.

 


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