An alumna of Southeastern’s Communication and Media Studies Department recently won the Student Broadcaster of the Year Award for 2021. 

Raychelle Riley, a 2020 graduate, was announced as the winner on March 18. She is the sixth Southeastern student to receive the award.

Riley was a news anchor and reporter for the Southeastern Channel’s student newscast “Northshore News,” which gave her the opportunity to grow and develop her craft as a broadcaster.

In recalling her time working for the newscast, Riley said she learned a lot and still uses many of the skills she obtained there today.

Riley also noted her appreciation for many of her instructors and professors, emphasizing their skills and knowledge to mold her into the broadcaster she is today. 

“I always felt like I was being supported, and they were always there to support me through it all,” Riley said

When discussing her feelings on winning, Riley said she thanks God as an inspiration to continually improve in her work. 

She also said winning an award like this lets her know that her efforts are not in vain; she thanked the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters for seeing her potential as a broadcaster.

Another one of Riley’s accomplishments, along with winning the award, is her time working with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. She interned with Roberts for three months and shared that she learned a lot. 

“She acts just like she does on TV,” Riley said. “She’s extremely sweet and has a great heart. She made sure I was taken care of, and allowed me to shadow her and learn how to improve my own skills,” Riley said.

Following this milestone in her career, Riley said she hopes to continue to strive to make changes in her community. She wants to make a difference, touching people’s lives and grabbing their attention in a good way. Ultimately, she said she will go wherever God guides her.

For any future broadcasters in the field who want to follow down a similar career path as Riley, she said: “It is easy to try and become someone you’re not. Stay true to who you are. I think that is so important. Don’t lose who you are and always shine bright.”

To see more of Riley in her career of broadcasting, tune into Fox 44/NBC Local 33, the station where she currently works.