Amidst unprecedented times, UNO senior Ben Helwig displays leadership as he guides MavRadio.FM through success and achievements beyond the classroom.
(OMAHA, Neb)- The year 2020 is destined to make U.S. history books alongside events such as the Dust Bowl, World War II and 9/11. Most of all, it’s certain to be a year seniors will remember for what they “could not” do — walk the red carpet, accept their hard-earned degrees from Chancellor Jeffery Gold and CFAM Dean Michael Hilt and pose for the obligatory photographs that come as a package deal with this rite-of-passage.
While the words “could not” ring all-too-loudly for our population, senior Ben Helwig realized a silver lining in the Pandemic of 2020. He saw the opportunities available in this new era of Zoom, remote presentations and cell-phone storytelling. Under his guidance, MavRadio.FM continued its programming after March to give listeners a break from hard news. As always, radio is the constant, reliable communicator, and Ben made sure our programs could be an escape from quarantine, face masks and rising death tolls. Instead, he and co-general manager Matt Kirkle put together “Snacketology,” a 64-team bracket of the best foods for binge-watching season three of “Ozarks” or “The Tiger King.” Beyond Oreos capping off the competitors, the two men served as Earth Day 2020 hosts. It was the seventh year of the live broadcast where content is provided by upper-level radio students. Radio now becomes television. Television becomes digital. Digital is the new normal. If people weren’t on board circa 2019, they certainly are now.
Beyond this unique semester, Ben proved do be a constant. He traveled to Tulsa, alone, to broadcast Maverick baseball as he and the team ousted their rivals to earn the title Summit League Champion and a bid to UCLA.
The senior sports broadcaster, along his cohorts, went on to decimate the college reporter ceiling at the CWS. The radio team was so solid, we heard local commercial television stations were following the MavRadio’s Twitter feed for updates!
This was followed by many more hours in the studio producing radio and television stories, anchoring The Omaha News and Maverick Digital Network, interviewing local broadcasters and community leaders on World College Radio Day and hosting a multitude of shows and podcasts.
Behind the control board, Ben fiercely guided incoming radio and television students to find the journalist inside them all. He is and was the consummate professional.
“He joined our staff and was kind of thrown in the fire, in terms of all the different stuff he did, and became our programming director shortly after because we could all see how he flourished right away,” said Matt.
As faculty advisor for MavRadio.FM and executive producer for The Omaha News and Maverick Digital Network, I can say that an attitude like Ben’s isn’t one we see often. He combined kindness with determination. Broadcasting at UNO is elevated to another level because of his leadership in the classroom and out of it.
We’ll all miss our friend in CPACS 104; we know our time together was special. Moreover, his time in the world of journalism is just beginning.
Matt says sums up his colleague’s influence over the last two years remarkably. “I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone who is more respectful and generous. As a journalist, his ability to work hard and his love for sports will take him as far as he wants it to.”
