By Rhea Riley
Host Faithe Colas welcomed previous fellow of the Eric Von Broadcast Fellowship Teran Powell, along with other friends and colleagues, to honor her late husband Eric Von on There’s Always Something Good to Talk about.
The fellowship introduces recent postgraduates to an opportunity to work within the news and broadcast industry. The fellowship provides an individual with an immersive experience to develop their journalism skills, while also producing content for radio and digital medias.
“So many young people graduate and that is the experience that they have when they are going in to apply for jobs,” said Colas on postgraduates’ failure to find work and experience opportunities after college. “So now this fellowship gives a graduate that opportunity to gain the experience.”
The fellowship was established by WUWM 89.7 Milwaukee Public Radio as a tribute to Von who died in 2016. Von—who was referred to as the “Voice of the Black community in Milwaukee”—left behind an extensive legacy spanning 25 years within the radio industry.
“To know that that person got their start right here in Milwaukee through the Eric Von Broadcast fellowship, to me is phenomenal,” said Colas.
The fellowship, which began last year, awarded Marquette graduate Teran Powell as its first fellow.
“There was that little pressure stepping into that legacy, and also being the first fellow, but I wouldn’t change anything that I’ve gone through, any experiences that I’ve had, or events that I’ve gone to,” said Powell on her experience in the fellowship. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
Throughout the fellowship, Powell was able to network with many people within Milwaukee’s broadcast community and shared memorable experiences while reporting, which included the March for Our Lives rally earlier this year. Powell has since accepted a position as the new race and ethnicity reporter for WUWM radio.
“I turned that one-year opportunity into a full-time job,” said Powell. “I am eternally grateful.”
Colas was later joined again by Don Rosette a friend for 16 years to Von, and a new guest Mike “the Party killer..” Both men co-hosted the community fundraiser, held on Saturday which raised funds to support the fellowship. Rosette reminisced on memories shared with Von while living and working in Milwaukee.
“Eric was a guy I loved to listen to,” said Rosette. “It is a labor of love for me and as long as we are doing this I’m going to be a part of it, as long as there is a breath in my body.”
All of the proceeds from the weekend fundraiser went to the fellowship. The event had 300 dinners to sell with a goal of reaching $5,000.
Two years ago, Colas and Von shared their last weekend together. To honor and remember his legacy, Colas shared snippets of Von’s radio show on WNOV, the Eric Von Show. She later closed her show with “One Friend” by Keb’ Mo’, a song which was dedicated to Colas and used as the closing song to Von’s shows.
“Eric just had this unique way of…supporting his commentary with research, with facts and I think that is something we are missing just in general for broadcast radio,” said Colas on Von’s broadcast presence. “He had a way of drawing you in and gained respect because of that.”
To learn more about the fellowship and how to can donate visit WNOV860.com
