(Row 1 left to right) Mason Kinsey, Sean Petraitis, Andrew Fried, Terrell Thompson, Professor Anjelica Trinone, Professor Ashton Marra, Mercedes Dykes, Connor White, Brian McQuillen, James Dailey, Drew Solt, Ty Mclung. (Row 2 left to right) Claudia Di Lima, Madison Ely, Cassidy Roark-Eshelman, Julianna Pond, Patrick Walsh, Jackie Guenther, Meredith Bobersky, Harley Cochran, Tiffany Knight. (Row 3 left to right) Lily Mcswigan, Mia Baroni, Dakota Swiger, Regan Duceman. Photo Credit: David Smith
The Reed School of Media and Communications recently selected the anchors, beat reporters, producers and directors for the Spring 2025 edition of “WVU News.”
“WVU News” is an Emmy award-winning student newscast produced by Journalism students in the Reed School. Students report, write, shoot and edit television news stories while serving as on-air anchors, producers, directors and technical crew.
This semester’s main anchors are Jackie Guenther, a senior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Patrick Walsh, a senior from Macedon, New York. Both previously anchored “Mountaineer Playbook,” a sports magazine show produced by Sports and Adventure Media students.
Patrick Walsh and Jackie Guenther
“I am looking forward to doing more shows with friends I’ve made through ‘Mountaineer Playbook,’” Guenther said. “We became so close throughout the year, and I’m so excited to do it one last time. I’m also excited to have the class with new people and make new friends and memories.”
“WVU News” provides opportunities for students to gain valuable experience in news and production roles under the mentorship of their professors, giving them essential tools to begin their careers.
“I am looking forward to continuing to hone my craft,” Walsh said. “I was fortunate to get my first anchoring experience in 'Mountaineer Playbook' and
having that opportunity again excites me, and I'm ready to put in the work.”
“WVU News” is part of the Advanced Television Reporting and Producing course co-taught by Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Teaching Professor Gina Dahlia and Teaching Assistant Professor Ashton Marra. The newscast streams on Pittsburgh's KDKA-TV's website, streams on the HD Media website and airs statewide on West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) and the City of Morgantown’s Public Access Channel.
“WVU News” has been awarded more than 100 regional, national and international juried awards in the past decade, including a National Emmy (2015), Regional Emmy Awards (2022, 2023) and Best College Newscast in the Region by the Society of Professional Journalists (2023). The Broadcast Education Association has named “WVU News” as one of the top four best college newscasts in the United States for the past six years.
The full Spring 2025 “WVU News” team includes:
Anchors:
Jackie Guenther: senior, Pittsburgh, PA, Education Reporter, Main Anchor
Patrick Walsh: senior, Macedon, NY, Local Government Reporter, Main Anchor
James Dailey: senior, Martinsburg, WV, Legislative Reporter and Anchor
Terrell Thompson: senior, Cincinnati, OH, Sports Reporter and Anchor
Regan Duceman: junior, Fredericksburg, VA, Energy and Environment Reporter, Studio B Anchor
Key Production Positions:
Harley Cochran: senior, Latrobe, PA, Producer
Meredith Bobersky: senior, Hurricane, WV, Assistant Producer and Public Safety Reporter
Sean Petraitis: senior, Long Island, NY, Director
Drew Solt: graduate student, Lancaster, OH, Technical Director
Mason Kinsey: senior, Grafton, WV, Technical Director
Reporters:
Andrew Fried: senior, Long Island, NY, Health Reporter
Brian McQuillen: senior, Cresskill, NJ, Sports Reporter
Claudia Di Lima: graduate student, Shepherdstown, WV, Senior Correspondent
Connor White: senior, Virginia Beach, VA, Arts and Culture Reporter
Dakota Swiger: senior, Bridgeport, WV, Campus and Community Reporter
Lily Mcswigan: senior, Cincinnati, OH, Social Media and Technology Reporter
Madison Ely: senior, Follansbee, WV, Nonprofit Reporter
Mercedes Dykes: junior, Youngstown, OH, Recreation and Tourism Reporter
Mia Baroni: senior, Folcroft, PA, Consumer Reporter
Ty McClung: graduate student, Madison, WV, Senior Correspondent
Social Media:
Julianna Pond: senior, Wheeling, WV, Social Media Producer
Tiffany Knight: senior, Naples, FL, Social Media Producer
Cassidy Roark-Eshelman: senior, Lancaster, PA, Social Media Producer