Richard Reed
At the University of West Georgia, students interested in media do not have to wait until after graduation to begin building real-world experience. Through WOLF Radio and WOLF Sports Network, students are gaining hands-on opportunities in broadcasting, digital media, sports coverage, podcasting, live production and content creation.
For students like Richard Reed and Jackson Volz, both senior mass communications majors with a concentration in digital media and entertainment, these opportunities helped shape not only their university experience, but also their decision to attend UWG.
Reed was first introduced to WOLF Sports Network during a campus tour. The opportunity stood out to him because UWG offered access to hands-on learning as early as freshman year. While many universities may reserve similar opportunities for upperclassmen, Reed saw that he could get involved from the beginning.
That early access eventually helped Reed grow into a leadership role within the organization.
“In fall of 2023, his second full year, Richard was a member of a three-student team that helped break the news on UWG moving to Division I athletics,” said Shawn Isaacs, WOLF Radio general manager. “He worked alongside this team conducting interviews with then-President Brendan Kelly to write about UWG athletes would benefit from the move. This catapulted him into leadership, and he was awarded the lead position of program director for WOLF Sports Network in fall 2024.”
For Reed, WOLF Sports Network became more than a student organization. It became a place to learn how to lead, collaborate, and create content that connects with UWG students.
“The key to Richard’s success is the 20 students he leads,” Isaacs said. “He is a cog in cultivating a strong, loyal and creative team that is creating fresh, entertaining sports content for UWG college students.”
Volz had a similar introduction to WOLF Sports Network. He first learned about the organization during orientation, and the opportunity to get involved early became one of the main reasons he wanted to attend UWG.
“I’ve been a part of WOLF Sports Network since my freshman year,” Volz said. “I was first introduced to the student organization during my orientation, and it was the main reason I wanted to attend the University of West Georgia.”
For Volz, that early involvement opened the door to meaningful experience in digital media and content creation. Through WOLF Sports Network, he has helped build a strong online presence and contributed to multimedia storytelling that reaches students, alumni and the broader UWG community.
“Jackson Volz is the epitome of content creation,” Isaacs said. “Content creation under him was extremely robust. WOLF Sports Network’s social media platforms had hundreds of thousands of impressions in 2025.”
Volz and the team also helped organize and schedule multiple UWG and professional interviews, including an interview with former UWG Baseball player turned Banana Baller Brian Dansereau.
“Jackson eats, sleeps and breathes content creation, and it will be exciting to watch his rise in the digital media world upon graduation,” Isaacs said.
WOLF Radio and WOLF Sports Network are two 24/7 college radio stations housed in UWG’s School of Communication, Film and Media. Through both stations, students support faculty, staff, alumni and community initiatives while producing live shows, podcasts and play-by-play announcing. Their work also extends beyond traditional radio into platforms such as Instagram, Twitch and YouTube, giving students a deeper understanding of digital media creation.
These opportunities help students build skills that are valuable in the media field, including communication, teamwork, leadership, interviewing, production, storytelling and professionalism. For students pursuing careers in digital media and entertainment, WOLF Radio and WOLF Sports Network provide a space to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it in real time.
For Reed and Volz, the experience has been career-shaping. What started as an introduction during a tour or orientation became a hands-on learning opportunity that helped them grow as student leaders and future media professionals.
Through WOLF Radio and WOLF Sports Network, UWG students are not only learning about media – they are actively creating it. They are stepping behind the mic, behind the camera, and behind the scenes, gaining the kind of experience that prepares them for what comes next.
