Alumni Spotlight
Lacretia Wimbley
by: Spencer Smith, PR student intern
Lacretia Wimbley received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Journalism in 2016 from Mississippi State University.
Wimbley grew up in Jackson, Miss., and she now resides in Denver, Colo., where she is a Justice Reporter at Colorado Public Radio.
Responsibilities for Wimbley include producing stories for radio and digital about cops, crime, courts, social justices and injustices. Her day-to-day activites on the job range from following up with sources, engaging in interviews, putting in open records requests for research purposes to getting inside one of CPR's studios to record and edit sound bites of interviews for the radio version of stories she produces.
Wimbley shares that when preparing for the job search, students should attempt to gain as much hands-on experience as possible.
“What you do during your college career is preparation for what's next, so having some first-hand experience in your field not only shows potential employers how passionate you are, but it also shows you have initiative to do the work. When seeking jobs, don't be too discouraged if employers don't bite right away --- stay persistent in your search and keep believing in yourself.”
An important piece of advice Wimbley has for students during their job search is to know that there is room for growth in every company.
“You likely hold something within you that is the answer to a need within an organization. I learned all I needed to do was be myself and trust in my intellect, my ability and capability that had been garnered during my college career and beyond. One of the most important questions to ask potential employers during interviews is, ‘In what ways are you looking to improve your organization, and how can I help?’"
Favorite memory as a communication student?
My favorite memories as a communication student at MSU include working at the student newspaper, The Reflector, and working with our advisor at the time, Frances McDavid. I also thoroughly enjoyed attending Dr. Philip Poe's feature writing class. To be more specific, one of my favorite memories while at The Reflector was while I was editor-in-chief of the paper in 2016. It was nearing the end of the spring semester and myself and a few members of my staff were set to graduate soon. There was a longstanding tradition at The Reflector where outgoing editor-in-chiefs read Dr. Seuss's "Oh the places you'll go" to the team of staff editors. My team of editors gathered around me as I sat on one of the desks in the Reflector office at the Henry F. Meyer student media center. I read the book to them, and it was such a bittersweet moment. We had endured so much that year -- we'd managed to keep our student-led paper open after dwindling finances threatened to end us that year; we'd overcome tough situations including covering an active shooter scare on campus; our reporters and editors had done such excellent work and had won so many awards despite it all, including winning No. 1 in the general excellence category of the MPA Better Newspaper Contest. This is one of my favorite memories because I loved my team so much, and after all we had endured, I knew our time together in this capacity was coming to an end. Reading Dr. Seuss together is a moment that will be with me forever, as were going our separate ways on our separate journeys. Dr. Seuss said it best in "Oh the places you'll go": "You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."
Favorite communication class you took and why?
I can't say I had a favorite communication class. I really enjoyed learning to creatively write feature stories in Dr. Philip Poe's class, with his witty humor. I learned so much in Frances McDavid's advanced newswriting, which gave me the fundamental basics of producing a news story. There were so many other teachers whose classes left a unique impression on me!
Most valuable lesson learned from the communication department?
The art of effective communication is not lost --- but we must apply ourselves and learn to listen first in order to master it.
Any funny stories from your time in McComas?
Nothing specific, but I remember often being lost trying to find my way around the piano-shaped building until I got accustomed to it. LOL.
Favorite communication professor and why?
My favorite communication professor is Frances McDavid, although she is retired now. She also served as a student advisor to The Reflector during my time at MSU. Mrs. McDavid is my favorite because she was always so cool, calm and collected no matter the circumstance. She challenged me to think critically in ways that definitely frustrated me, but in the end, my journalistic ability greatly benefited. I'm thankful for her wisdom, knowledge and insight, as it helped me to become the writer and reporter that I am today.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about authentic storytelling, no matter the format. I am intrigued by the lives and experiences of other people. Being in a position to help tell those stories accurately and with precision, and to uncover and report the truth, is an honor and a privilege that I do not take for granted.