88.1 the Park Distinguished Alumni Award – 2020
88.1 the Park honored two deserving alums when the station presents the Dr. Andrew Melin WSDP Distinguished Alumni Award on Wednesday August 12, at 7:00 p.m. at Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center in Plymouth.
The award was created in the Spring of 2017 in honor of former WSDP Station Manager, Andrew Melin. The purpose of the award is to recognize WSDP Alums that have used their experience at the station, and Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, to further the mission of WSDP by achieving success in their chosen career field; investing in the lives of young people; or supporting their local community. It is the hope of the station’s management that the honorees will serve as role models for future students at 88.1 and P-CEP. The first recipient was June Kirchgatter, Plymouth-Salem ’83. The 2018 honorees include Rob Milford, Plymouth ’73, and Glenn Bar, Plymouth-Canton ’82. The 2020 honorees were Mike Schulte, Plymouth-Salem ’78, Scott Herrold Plymouth-Salem ’98, and Jake Bugeja, Starkweather ’02.
The 2020 honorees were David Snyder, Plymouth-Salem ’82 and Patty Williamson, Plymouth Salem ’88.
David graduated from Plymouth-Salem in 1982 and eventually came back to serve as the station manager of WSDP from 1987 to 1991. After leaving the station he went back to school and began a career in television. He is the evening anchor for WCJB ABC 20 in Gainesville Florida. During his time as a reporter he covered Congress from the Capitol Building on September 11, 2001. He saw first hand how our nation rallied together at one of the most challenging times in our history. He also had the privilege of interviewing President Barack Obama for a one-on-one interview. He is proud to have a close association with North Central Florida’s active veterans’ community, he loves to read to school kids, enjoys running for various causes, and is a friend of the Dance Alive National Ballet and Gainesville’s burgeoning innovation community.
Patty is a former News Director at WSDP. She graduated in 1988 and after college went on to a career in radio, working at stations throughout Northern Michigan. After leaving radio, she went back to school and began a career as a professor of Broadcasting and Cinematic Arts at Central Michigan University in 1999. She is a film buff, a television binge-watcher, a reality television expert, and an animal welfare advocate. Her interest in film led her to produce a documentary film on the challenges faced by women in radio. The film is called “Breaking the Sound Barrier” and it looks at the history of women in this industry.
