“I'm just a pretty regular guy,” is how television newsman Bob Herzog describes himself. “I always want to be a person that everyone can trust.” There’s nothing regular about the path that took this proud Cincinnati westsider, Xavier University graduate, and father of four, to the anchor desk for WKRC-TV, Local 12. Herzog’s LinkedIn profile lists him as anchor and program host. That hardly tells the whole story. He’s been a radio newsman, traffic reporter, theater per

When Ben Yee arrived at Xavier University, he wasn't planning on a career in the movie business. A theology major, Yee envisioned becoming a teacher. He took just two Electronic Media production classes while at Xavier — more out of curiosity than career planning — but those classes opened a door he never expected. Nearly three decades later, filmmakers from across the country are knocking on the door of The Camera Department, the company Yee co-founded just six years after

When Bob Rainey was growing up in Rochester, New York, ”He would turn the sound down so he could do the play-by-play," said his mother, Mary Ellen Rainey. Something about the Minnesota Vikings caught his fancy; he became a fan for life. Bob played sports announcer so much that he sometimes drove the family to distraction. "But I just let him do his thing," his mother said. His “thing” was sports, and his games were basketball and football. With a sinewy body on a 6’2” frame,

For more than two decades, Tom DeCorte has been one of the steady hands behind some of ESPN’s most recognizable programs—a coordinating producer whose calm in the control room belies the organized chaos around him. “Directors, technical directors, assistant producers, researchers — everyone’s talking, everyone’s reacting — when things change, everyone adjusts. That’s always where I feel like I’m excelling,” admits the Detroit native and 1998 Xavier University graduate. That

The Big Easy native never intended to leave Louisiana for Ohio. Nor could Victoria Page Jordan envision that she would eventually make her way to Los Angeles as a senior manager for Paramount Pictures. “I was a senior at Ursuline Academy in uptown New Orleans, when Hurricane Katrina happened,” she recalled. Ursuline schools across the country mobilized to help displaced students. Most could offer a classroom but not housing for both Jordan and her mother. One school did.

This Wooster Ohio native has a gift for connecting with people, a necessary quality for any young journalist. Described by friends and co-workers as warm and caring, Tara Jabour is also career focused. Growing up in a small town an hour south of Cleveland, life was close-knit in all the ways that mattered. Her mom a neonatal nurse and her dad a gastroenterologist, Tara grew up with two older brothers and says “the most important thing to me is my family.” Tara followed bro

A natural leader. A mission-driven leader. A compassionate leader. Whether on a college campus or leading a transitional living center Russ Read has impacted people and changed lives. Russ retired this month as CEO of Beacon House Aftercare in Louisville, Kentucky, a long-term home for men overcoming alcohol and drug addiction. It’s work he described as “very, very rewarding—and very, very frustrating.” The role was far removed from college radio, television production,

“He dreamed therefore we are…” reads the plaque that hangs in the offices of WVXU-FM. He is Rev. Lawrence J. Flynn, S.J., Ph.D., the original chairman of the department of Communication Arts at Xavier University. Fr. Flynn led the department for fourteen years, during which time he was instrumental in creating the university’s radio station and television studios. The Jesuit priest, the plaque continues, “impacted countless lives as a teacher, an author, an historian. Fr

She feels it every time she returns to campus. “It feels like a second home,” reflects 2004 graduate Sarah Cook. “No matter how much time has passed or how much Xavier University has changed, I feel a sense of home being there.” After majoring in Electronic Media, now DIFT (Digital Innovation, Film and Television) program, Cook has built a career rooted in storytelling, service and strategic thinking. Described as “a natural leader who leads with positivity,” the high ener

Perserverance describes one 2021 Xavier University graduate best — not as a slogan, but as a lived practice. Julius “Tre” Crouch has turned moments of disappointment into fuel for creative purpose while building a career in the world of sports media. Today, he lives in Bristol, Connecticut, working at ESPN, designing visual identities and thumbnails that help shape how millions of fans experience sports content. His journey there, however, began not with instant success, b

Xavier University’s Digital Innovation, Film & Television (DIFT) program continued to shine in 2025, earning national recognition and celebrating a year marked by creative achievement, alumni support, and investment in the future. For the third consecutive year, the Broadcast Education Association ranked Xavier’s DIFT program among the nation’s best—affirming the program’s growing reputation for excellence in hands-on media education. More success followed when four DIFT stud

Radio is theatre with a steady paycheck. It’s not often that an offhanded remark from a stranger changes your life—but that’s exactly what happened to Cincinnati native Mike Martini, whose career in professional radio would span nearly four decades. “I went to a career night in high school and met a guy from a radio station and he convinced me. I loved being in plays and thought radio was pretty similar.” Several area colleges had a radio station, but Mike chose Xavier Uni

“Local news is one of the few places left where people can come together to talk about real things happening in their world. I really believe in the mission.” Journalism is a calling to Xavier alumnus P.J. O’Keefe. “Journalism has the power to unite and connect—to find those little moments everyone can feel together. The core of what we do is meaningful and necessary,” he says. “Yes, we uncover wrongdoing and hold people accountable, but we also find those little moment

“This is the start of a new era,” said New Jersey Assemblywoman-elect Katie Brennan last week. The 2009 XU graduate was part of the blue wave that swept the country. Democrats scored victories in the four major races of the night — the New York City mayoral race, the governor's races in New Jersey and Virginia and Prop 50, California's redistricting ballot. Brennan scored a landslide victory in her race to represent New Jersey’s 32nd Legislative District. “This is our cha

(Oct 22, 2025) iHeartMedia appointed Stefan Schellhas (’96) Market President for Cincinnati. Schellhas will oversee all operations across iHeartMedia’s Cincinnati market. In this role, Schellhas will guide its broadcast, digital, social, and live event initiatives. “Stefan brings not only a strategic vision and proven leadership, but also a deep-rooted understanding of the Cincinnati market,” said Dave Carwile, Division President for the Midwest and Southeast. A 1996 gradu

Xavier University forms students who change the world for the better. Katie Brennan is one of them. The Jesuit university is rooted in...

“I decided radio just wasn’t for me,” said Pete Rightmire while a student at Xavier University. Nearly five decades later, the Cincinnati native could smile at the irony. He became one of the rare few to both launch and conclude a career at the same station—WVXU, Cincinnati’s public radio outlet. Peter Rowe Rightmire’s career spanned video production, media advertising, public radio, and higher education. The first in his family to attend college, he started at Cincinnati St

“I am someone who is weaving his path through life and trying to make a difference at each stop.” Damon Jones, Chief Communications...

“You need to come to news,” professor Blis Devault said to the affable college freshman the first time they met. As the director of the...