Hannah Wold & Kylin McKean

BY: MADDY REDDAY

Two University of Sioux Falls alums, Hannah Wold and Kylin McKean, share an experience that many media studies students aim for after graduation. They both work for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Wold, who got her bachelor’s degree in media studies, started working at SDPB long before McKean. Wold works as the creative design manager for SDPB and her day-to-day tasks consist of overseeing phases of development of art from concept to completion, implementing policies following specific brand strategies, and making sure everything is cohesive and easy to interpret. Wold says that her favorite part of the job isn’t just the fun environment but rather its closeness to home. She states, “I’ve lived here since I was 6 years old, so I see how much we really truly focus on our most valuable resources and the great people we have living in South Dakota.”

McKean, who studied media studies with a concentration in social media marketing, is the Public Relations Manager for SDPB. McKean heard about the job opening from Wold and applied soon after graduating from USF. Her main tasks are focused on the magazine. She also sends out newsletters. When asked what her favorite part of the job is, she says, “Just the community. Being in the office multiple times a week and having this amazing community with people that I can hang out with outside of work.” Outside of the community aspect, she also enjoys the work she is doing. She says she also enjoys, “Editing the magazine or writing our feature article.” McKean most notably wrote about student-athlete Ashtyn Hadlewick for the November, 2022 issue, about her rehabilitation after recovering from an illness.

Both Wold and McKean shared advice for anyone who is interested in working for SDPB or simply entering the workforce. Wold says that it is important to, “start as early as you can,” Wold was able to land an internship early on which she believes still helps her to this day. McKean says that building connections are what paved the way for her. She says, “it really is just taking advantage of any connections you have,” she continues, “never dismiss a connection because you never know how it will benefit you in the future.”