Daniel Sechtin graduated from Wake Forest in 2016, majoring in Politics and International Affairs with a double minor in Journalism and Philosophy. During his time at Wake Forest, Sechtin says he took advantage of any and every opportunity he could find to get hands-on experience in broadcast journalism.
He spent his summers as an intern for CNN, Voice of America, and as an NBC affiliate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Sechtin also spent a semester working for WGHP news in High Point, North Carolina.
While taking journalism classes at Wake Forest, Sechtin stated that he learned the importance of clear and concise writing. In his career, on-air presentation is especially important. “She [Professor Zerwick] taught me that the real power of a journalist lies in his or her ability to clearly and concisely tell people why they should care about something,” says Sechtin. “It’s all in the words.”
Sechtin currently works as an anchor and reporter for WBIR-TV, an NBC affiliate in Knoxville, Tennessee. In just the first two years of his career, he has covered a wide range of stories from wildfires to a prison jailbreak. Sechtin was once sent to cover a kitten stuck in a sewage drain.
His advice to students looking for a career in journalism is “be ready to do anything and everything.” Sechtin’s current shift is from four a.m. to one p.m. Friday to Tuesday. “Being willing to take the harder shifts and work hard is the only way to show people your value is higher than your age,” says Sechtin.
Sechtin believes the print journalism background he gained at Wake Forest allowed him to put words first in a field where they can sometimes fall second to outward presentation and delivery. “I think it is that lesson I learned from Professor Zerwick that led to my winning an Emmy for News Writing Excellence,” he stated.
View his winning reporting composite here.
If anyone is interested in seeking a career in broadcast journalism, Daniel can be reached at dsechtin@gmail.com.