Alumnus proud of university's commitment to excellence

By Breann Schossow

Sometimes, inspiration hits when it’s most unexpected. That was the case for Blugold alumnus Greg Leaf, who started his collegiate career at UW-Stevens Point with a major in chemistry.

But midway through a calculus course at Stevens Point, he realized that journalism was a better choice for his future. Leaf said he picked UW-Eau Claire as the university to study journalism because of the smaller class sizes, and the requirement that all professors have working experience.

“I thought … that I would get a better and a real world education working with professors who did what they were teaching,” he said.

While experience in the field is no longer a requirement for journalism professors at Eau Claire, Lead doesn’t think that the way journalism is taught has changed.

“I think the care and emphasis on ‘This is how it’s done in the profession’ still certainly is there,” he said.

While at Eau Claire, Leaf worked as an intern at the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram for three years. However, during his senior year, Leaf began to consider other professions within the CJ department – public relations and advertising.

Leaf said he thinks it’s easier for CJ students to switch disciplines than when he did.

“The lines between the disciplines aren’t there as much,” he said. “That’s evidenced by the new laboratory (CJC).”

Leaf currently serves as the principal of an advertising and public relations agency, Group Leaf LLC. Group Leaf LLC was founded in 2003.

Since graduating, Leaf has served on the Communication/Journalism department’s advisory board since its inception because of his history at Eau Claire. Leaf also stays involved by returning as a guest lecturer and speaking to CJ organizations such as the Public Relations Student Society of America.

As an alumnus, Leaf said his favorite part of UW-Eau Claire is its goal for excellence.

“In economic times like we are now, it’s harder and harder to maybe get some of the cap and the resources to do what the university would like to do, the department would like to do,” he said. “But I think that personal commitment is still there and I think it really shows. I’m very proud to tell people that I’m an (alumnus) of UW-Eau Claire.”

Schossow is a junior print journalism major, managing editor of The Spectator and editor of The CJ Bridge.