Documentarians, news reporter recognized for work
USF alumni Jessica and Brendan Walsh received a Midwest Emmy award for their work on the eco-documentary, “Making Waves: Battle for the Great Lakes.”
Emmy Award wins for several University of St. Francis (USF) alumni are highlighting the university’s Communication and Media Arts (CMMA) program. The 2017 Midwest Emmy Awards were recently awarded by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at the Swissotel in Chicago.
Jessica (Saraga) Walsh ’05 (Joliet) and Brendan Walsh ’05 (Joliet) were awarded in the category Outstanding Achievement for Documentary Programs-Topical for their eco-documentary, “Making Waves: Battle for the Great Lakes.” The two-hour film documents the aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes and the efforts under way to control and prevent them. The Walshes filmed, edited, wrote and produced the documentary, which was narrated by Chicago news-legend Bill Kurtis. “Making Waves” then aired on PBS stations in Chicago, Buffalo, Toronto and throughout Michigan and New York.
The Walshes are co-owners of Great Lakes Media, a video production company which specializes in corporate promotions, live events and documentary production.
“We are still in complete shock,” exclaimed Jessica Walsh. “This being our first documentary, we were truly honored just to be nominated. But then to actually win, I don’t think either of us thought it would ever happen! We are just so thrilled beyond words,” said Walsh.
University of St. Francis alumni WLS-TV/ABC 7 assignment editor Kristin Hoogenboom ’95 (Woodridge) and news photographer Pat Keating ’94 (Joliet) also won Emmys. The graduates were recognized in the category Outstanding Achievement for New Gathering-Spot News for their work as part of a team of reporters, anchors, meteorologists and other news professionals for their work on the Ottawa, Ill. tornado coverage.
After 20 years of experience in the TV news industry, Keating is surprised but happy to have won two back-to-back awards in the same category. In 2016, he received an Emmy in the same category for his contributions to the coverage of the suicide of Fox Lake Police Officer Joe Gliniewicz in 2015.
“It’s great to be recognized by my peers, but the real reward is in knowing I gave it my all,” comments Keating. “I was working hard before, but I guess now I’m just on a roll!”