Liz at Mock Election. Liz, Senior

Liz Bales will never forget being on the scene with reporters from CNN - - the scene being an Iowa farm where presidential hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton campaigned. Liz snagged an interview, albeit off-camera, with the former first lady. And her news story, which won the National Broadcasting Society (NBS) Region 5 competition, was one of only three in the division to advance to the national convention and competition in California.

"Even though I didn't win, it was awesome to be at the national level and to showcase Western's talent," she said.

Liz served as anchor on WIU-TV3's live broadcast every Wednesday, had her own show on the channel, and tracked down news and feature stories for the broadcast, whether or not they were assigned by the student producer.

"In the broadcasting department at Western, you can be as good at it [broadcasting] as you want. You can check out equipment any time you want to and go out and find stories. The faculty really encourage that."

A 'Hands-On' Learning Environment

  • NBC intern, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
  • WIUTV-3 on-site anchor for "The Road to the White House Starts at Western Illinois University" mock election, 2007
  • Broadcasting Department Spring 2007: Best Reporting Package
  • WQAD News Channel 8 in Moline, (IL), intern
  • KWQC TV6 in Quad Cities, intern
  • WIUTV-3 anchor

Why Western?

As a three-sport high school athlete (track, basketball and volleyball), Liz first looked at Western because she wanted a school where she could compete in track while pursuing broadcasting as a major. Her campus visit sealed the deal.

"I met the professors and that was the icing on the cake. The other schools I visited, the faculty just wasn't as warm and welcoming as they were here," she said.

Bales on the Beat

Liz credits Western's faculty, who, she says, "are very hands-on and knowledgeable in the field," with helping her develop the skills and confidence she has now.

"When I first began as a reporter and anchor for WIU-TV3, I had no idea how to write or how to read a TelePrompter. I would just shake before I had to go on."

She also learned from working alongside professional reporters during internships for WQAD News Channel 8 in Moline, IL, and for KWQC TV6 in the Quad Cities.

"I learned that you have to write your own stories and then send them in as fast as you can," she said. "I also learned how when you're a reporter, you're an editor, too, because you sit down with your photographer after gathering your story and put it all together. It was a great experience."

On the Horizon: The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

In 2007, Liz was among 12 WIU students invited to interview in Chicago with NBC Universal, an opportunity she credits to Broadcasting Department Chair Sharon Evans, who worked in building connections over a number of years. She was one of two WIU students to make the cut to serve as interns at the Summer Olympics.

"There are only seven or eight other colleges and universities being represented in the NBC Universal internship program, and they are really big universities, so it's awesome that Western will be involved."

Liz will serve as a runner, alongside other interns who will be production assistants or loggers.

"I'd love to be able to work in the track and field area. To see the Olympic track… It would just be phenomenal," she said.

Her dream is to work for "The Today Show" and to follow in the footsteps of her idol, Katie Couric. For the immediate future, after the Olympics, she hopes to start out as a reporter in a mid-sized television market.

"With the experience I've gained at Western and with my internships, I know for sure that I'm ready for working in the real world," she said. "I know I can roll with it."