Dan “Vallie” Hill, practitioner-in-residence in the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University and WASU-FM manager, was awarded the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters (NCAB) 2017 Wade H. Hargrove Community Leadership Award in June at the annual awards luncheon in Durham. The award is given to North Carolina broadcasters who have demonstrated a commitment to public service in their communities.

The award was presented by NCAB board member Dick Harlow, vice president and market manager of DBC, Inc.’s WKZL and WKRR stations in the Greensboro / Winston Salem area. Harlow noted Hill’s outstanding work in connecting industry leaders with young professionals through the Kellar Radio Talent Institute. The institute, which Hill founded, is a farm system for students interested in pursuing a career in radio.

Hill, who also goes by the name Dan Vallie, said he was surprised and excited to be this year’s award recipient. In his opinion, receiving the award demonstrates how the broadcast industry in North Carolina has embraced and welcomed the institute as a talent incubator for the industry and the talent farm system for radio.

“What is happening with the institute in North Carolina is now happening across America, as we are discovering and coaching young talent who can be hired today to be the industry leaders of tomorrow,” he noted. “Appalachian and the Department of Communication have a long history of helping develop talent for the broadcast industry, and the Kellar Radio Talent Institute has become a signature program for the university.”

After spending the majority of his career as a radio programming executive in a variety of markets and founding Vallie-Richards-Donovan Consulting, he came to Appalachian in 2005. His affiliation with the Department of Communication and WASU, the student-run radio station, prompted the creation of the Kellar Radio Talent Institute. The institute has led to the National Radio Talent System, the umbrella company for seven institutes across the country, including programs at the University of Georgia, University of Tennessee and Central Washington State.

About the Department of Communication

One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University focuses on preparing students to succeed in the varied fields within the communication industry. The department offers five majors – advertising, communication studies, electronic media/broadcasting, journalism and public relations – and a minor in communication studies. Graduates work in a wide range of positions in media, corporate, agency, government and nonprofit organizations.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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