 "Photo: Photo provided")
By Ashley Henderson ashlhend@iusb.edu
Erin Logan has something to say, but this time she will not read it off of a teleprompter. She has a desk to get to, but for once it is not surrounded by news cameras. Logan, who has been an anchor/reporter for local NBC-affiliate WNDU for two years, is taking on a whole new ambition in her life: a communications instructor at IU South Bend.
Logan has only been working at WNDU for two years, but the accomplished broadcast journalist brings along years of television experience to the classroom to help students understand how hard work in the field pays off. Logan received her bachelor's degree in speech communications from Syracuse University. She received her master's in broadcast journalism from Boston University. Last semester, Logan taught C200, intro to Mass Communications. This semester, she teaches a business communications course. The fall semester course was Logan's first classroom experience at IU South Bend. However, it wasn't her first teaching experience ever. She said she taught Spanish at the high school level in Maine several years ago. She described the process of getting the job at IUSB to be a bit unordinary.
"I randomly sent a resume to the director of development who I had met on a story and said 'hey this is something I always wanted to do, do you think you could pass [my resume] along?'" she said.
Soon enough, Logan was contacted and got the OK to begin a new teaching career at IUSB.
As if leading a college level course is not difficult and time-consuming enough, Logan still puts in a full work week at WNDU. She explained her mornings are reserved for teaching, and in the afternoon she has to be back to the studio to prepare for the evening's newscast.
"There is not any time to think about being tired," she said "my days are planned down to the wire. Call me crazy call me nuts, but I've always been the type of person to live by the theory work hard, play hard."
Logan's classes are designed to benefit not only those aspiring to have a job like hers, but in fields such as public relations and advertising as well. She feels confident that although IUSB does not currently have a broadcast journalism program, students can still find success in the field no matter where their education came from.
"You can go to an ivy league school or a community college I don't think it matters. I think what matters determination and drive," she said "You really have to be confident and know that a person wants you on their team if you are driven and dedicated. You have to be willing to work."
Logan knows all about having the determination to succeed. Prior to WNDU, Logan has worked for several stations in the eastern part of the country. Many of her jobs were in populous cities, such as Boston and Orlando. Both Boston and Orlando are at the top of the list for the largest media markets. (Boston being the seventh largest, Orlando being the nineteenth largest.) However, the big city jobs had Logan reporting, when really she had a desire to be an anchor. Two years ago, she found out about an anchor/reporter position in South Bend, and she traded in her east coast reporting for a Midwest anchoring job.
"I didn't know much about South Bend, I only knew about Notre Dame," she said "My 82- year- old grandfather looked at me and said 'You better get that job, that is Notre Dame University. It's a nice area.' The opportunity was too good to pass up."
She feels the South Bend area has been very respectful of her and she enjoys hearing the stories of locals. Being under constant scrutiny can be a challenge, but Logan can only comment on one odd comment she hears frequently.
"I have had maybe 200 emails and phone calls asking why WNDU is trying to cover up the fact that I am related to the McFadden's," she said "They all think I am [Maureen McFadden's] sister."
Logan wanted to remind students that being successful in this field is not easy, but the right amount of determination can make it a fun and rewarding job. She said she credits a lot of her success to the encouraging words of her dad.
"I don't think I would have been able to do what I have done if it weren't for the help of my dad," she said "There were days I said 'I'm done, I miss home, my friends work nine to five.'I think he gave me the mindset of 'shoot for the stars and you'll get it.' The confidence he had in me has really helped me."
Logan says her future "is in God's hands." She said she always pictured her career in broadcast journalism to be a journey. So for now, she can't say what will be next. However there is one thing she knows for certain.
"If [IUSB] approaches me again to teach, then sure!" she said.
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