Summer Times 2007

BY JESSICA STALLONE

Dr. John W. Wright II, the interim dean of the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida, has had an unfaltering love of journalism ever since he was young.

“The quest for information, the enjoyment of information and just telling the story, is really what I love, ” he said.

As he talks about the good old days working in the field, he immediately becomes eager when asked about his most outrageous experience. Wright dives into a tumultuous story about covering a the release of the verdict of a murder trial and how when the information was ready to be released, there was a mad rush of reporters and different people were knocked down during the chaos.

“Luckily I got out of the way in time,” he chuckled.

After graduating Cum Laude from the University of Central Florida in 1971, he went on to receive his masters degree and finally his doctorate in 1977. During this time, Wright worked at various television stations, including WEDU, and as everything from a staff announcer to a production manager on five different radio stations.

Though he worked in both fields, radio, he said, was his preference.

“I liked every single part of it; working alone on things, being able to go out, find the story and produce the story. Plus I have much more experience in radio journalism,” he said as grin spread across his face.