There are a couple of new faces at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s Radio TV Film Department.
Beth Hubbard, assistant professor, was hired in fall 2016 to replace Troy Perkins, who left his longtime position for an opportunity in Dallas, Texas. Hubbard teaches video production and post-production courses at UW Oshkosh. Andrew Radig, who started in April 2016, was hired as an engineer at his alma mater.
Hubbard
Hubbard received her master of fine arts degree in film production with an editing and sound design emphasis in 2012 from Chapman University in southern California. Following graduation, she worked at a post-production house, editing and doing post coordination for a variety of reality television shows including Flipping Out and Toddlers and Tiaras.
In her spare time, Hubbard worked on short films. She edited and sound designed a film that was awarded Best Comedy Short at SENE Film Festival; and official selection at LA Comedy Film Festival.
“When I was earning my master’s, I was also a teaching assistant. I didn’t realize how much I missed being in the classroom helping students, until I left,” Hubbard said.
Her mother suggested she consider teaching at the university level. The position at UW Oshkosh, she said, was “the perfect posting for my skill set and passion to get back into the classroom.”
It didn’t hurt that Oshkosh reminded her of her native Michigan.
“It wasn’t just the Midwest charm that brought me here, but also the great hands-on facilities of the RTF department,” she said. “The hands-on experience that the students get right away at UWO is very rare. At most universities only seniors and sometimes juniors get experience with the equipment. At UWO, students get to work on film sets, TV shows, news and radio right away. These great opportunities help the students develop a solid foundation of skills before heading out into the industry. This is what sold me on UWO and took me from sunny California to these chilly Wisconsin winters.”
Hubbard, who teaches production-based courses, said she is taking what she learned working in the industry to prepare students for a career and to help them build their professional portfolios. Several advanced students are creating short films that will be screened at the local Time Community Theatre downtown May 15.
She said the UW Oshkosh RTF facilities have continuously been updated so students are being taught industry standards and can be well-prepared to obtain a job in the industry.
Hubbard is planning creation of a Foley art studio, where everyday sound effects are reproduced for use in the sound design phase of film-making.
Radig
Oshkosh native Andy Radig ’93, is working at UW Oshkosh after serving for 21 years as the media services coordinator for the City of Oshkosh.
Radig helped that department grow into a vibrant community resource with two TV stations and a radio station. During that time, he was connected closely to UW Oshkosh through an internship program for RTF students.
“The program allowed (students) to gain experience in professional TV and radio production while offering the convenience of being close to campus,” Radig said, adding that he enjoyed working with students and seeing them succeed in their careers.
Radig said the opportunity to return to UW Oshkosh as an academic staff member was “something that I didn’t want to pass up.”
At UW Oshkosh, Radig works with Director of Engineering Bill Kerkhof and Radio TV Film faculty to operate and upgrade the facilities of WRST-FM, Titan TV and equipment checkout operations. He assists students in the completion of production assignments and helps with technical questions.
“My position at UW Oshkosh allows me to ensure that students have all of the tools they need to learn about media production in our modern RTF facility,” he said. “I enjoy supporting them in their projects for Titan TV and WRST Radio, while I also enjoy being a ‘media coach’ from time to time, offering advice and suggestions. Since starting my position last year, my biggest project has been a complete facility upgrade for WRST, allowing new capabilities that had never before been possible. I’ve been working to learn all of the broadcast systems here in the Radio and TV facilities.”
Radig, who has experience working at television broadcast facilities in engineering and production roles and as a television production teacher at the high school level, said it has been unique returning to UW Oshkosh as a “Titan Times Two” — the name describing those who attended UW Oshkosh and who now work at the university.
Radig said he was closely involved in the RTF department while he was a student, being a former Titan TV station manager and student worker.
“It’s very meaningful to me to come back and work in the same department,” he said. “Most of the faces have changed, but the goal of providing students with a quality environment for media studies has stayed the same. I believe that the department has improved since my days as a student, and I’m working to continue to make progress on that improvement.”
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