Nicole Zaremba graduated from the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University with a focus on audio and video production, and today, she’s an Emmy-winning producer and director at WKAR Public Media. With a career that has spanned high-energy reality shows to impactful documentaries, Nicole’s work demonstrates how storytelling can engage audiences in ways that matter.

When I started at Michigan State University, I was passionate about audio production. I imagined myself producing music, creating emotional connections through sound. MSU gave me the tools to pursue that dream — and then completely transformed it. My time at the Impact, MSU’s college radio station, deepened my love for creating shared experiences. But it wasn’t until I took a video production class with Lisa Whiting Dobson that I began to understand how visuals could evoke emotions just as powerfully as music.

 

That realization hit me while creating a student film reflecting on Sept. 11th. My sister, who lived in New York City at the time, shared footage and memorial images that I wove into the project. It was a turning point: storytelling could transcend mediums, and I wanted to explore them all.

After graduating, I packed my bags for New York City with big dreams and no money. I landed an internship at an audio production house, assisting on voiceover sessions for film and TV. One day, I found myself in a session where Ken Burns, the iconic documentary filmmaker, was directing actor Jeffrey Wright as he recorded narration for one of Burns’ films. That chance encounter opened a door: I was offered an internship with Ken Burns’ company, where I gained invaluable insight into the art of documentary storytelling.

While juggling both internships, I got my first paid gig from an unexpected source: a home makeover show host recording voiceovers at the audio house. The host asked if I’d work as a production assistant the next day, and I jumped at the chance. That single opportunity turned into a career in TV production, spanning everything from TLC’s “Extreme Couponing” to Food Network competitions where pastry chefs competed to recreate iconic skyscrapers entirely out of sugar — and win big money in the process.

Freelancing in TV taught me resilience and the value of hard work. Every job was a stepping stone, and each success built trust with colleagues, opening doors to the next opportunity. Yet, amid the quirky chaos of reality TV, I realized I craved something more meaningful — stories that could spark change.

Years later, I returned to Michigan to raise my daughter in a place where she could run barefoot through the grass — something far from the concrete and chaos of New York City. As I researched opportunities back home, one place stood out: WKAR, the PBS station on MSU’s campus. Reaching out to Gary Reid, my former audio production professor and WKAR general manager at the time, brought my career full circle, back to the Communication Arts and Sciences building — not as a student, but as a producer and director.

At WKAR, I’ve found my purpose. I get to tell stories that matter, whether it’s “Support Line: America and the Track to Ukraine,” a documentary highlighting U.S. support for Ukraine, or “Twice As Likely: Black Infant Mortality,” a powerful exploration of racial disparities in healthcare. I’ve also worked on “Serving Up Science,” a nationally distributed series blending food and science. Each project carries the same lesson MSU taught me: storytelling has the power to connect, inspire, and drive change.

My Spartan journey has come full circle. MSU instilled in me the critical thinking, communication skills, and tenacity needed to navigate a winding career path. Now, I use those same skills to create programs that reflect the complexity and beauty of our world.

If I could share one piece of advice with students, it would be this: your path won’t always look like you expect, but that’s where the magic happens. Stay curious, embrace the detours, and remember — every unexpected turn is an opportunity to discover what truly matters and where you’re meant to make an impact.

From Spartan beginnings to Emmy-winning productions, I’ll always be grateful for the foundation MSU provided and the opportunities it continues to inspire.