By Maria Nairn - Gaylord College Media Practicum
Melanie Wilderman’s journey in journalism began long before she stepped into a professional newsroom or a college classroom. Her love for writing started in her childhood and was supported by her family.
That passion for writing evolved into a commitment to journalism during high school at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., where she was involved in the yearbook and newspaper staffs. It was there that she first encountered Oklahoma Scholastic Media, formerly known as the Oklahoma Interscholastic Press Association.
Through media competitions and workshops held by OSM at Gaylord College, Wilderman’s experiences played a crucial role in shaping her future. Winning journalism awards in high school pushed her to seek out an education in journalism.
“I still have them to this day,” said Wilderman. “They were a huge part of what I was proud of as a teenager.”
After becoming familiar with Gaylord College and the University of Oklahoma, she knew where she was going after high school.
While a student at OU, she worked at a local newspaper in Midwest City, covering news and features. To supplement her income, she took on a teaching role at OU, leading introduction journalism courses.
“I just love teaching journalism as much as I love doing journalism,” said Wilderman.
This realization led Wilderman to a full-time teaching position at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where she advised the student newspaper and taught journalism courses from 2005 to 2013. However, her deep connection to OSM brought her back to OU in 2013, when she was offered the opportunity to direct the organization. Her enthusiasm and personal history with OSM aligned with the role, and she took on the challenge of revitalizing membership and engagement.
“I think when I was interviewing, they could just tell how much OSM meant to me,” said Wilderman.
As the director of OSM, Wilderman’s responsibilities include organizing two major media conferences each year—fall and spring media days—which provide hands-on learning experiences for students across Oklahoma. Attendance at these events has grown under her leadership, with the fall conference hosting almost 800 students. OSM also runs monthly contests where students submit their work in categories ranging from yearbook and newspaper reporting to podcasts and short documentaries. The contests culminate in awards that celebrate excellence in scholastic media.
One of Wilderman’s most exciting recent initiatives is the expansion of OSM’s reach through high-profile partnerships. This year, the spring media conference took place at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, hosted in collaboration with the OKC Thunder. This marks the first time OSM has taken its conference off-campus, offering students an immersive experience in sports media. Wilderman credits the partnership to connections between Gaylord College graduates and the Thunder’s media team.
“We’ve been doing it the same way for a long time,” she explained. “And I think everybody enjoys a change. I'm definitely open to innovation. I love the sports media connection, right? [I love] anything we can do to get more students interested in journalism, interested in media, interested in college.”
Looking ahead, Wilderman is committed to expanding OSM’s membership, particularly in schools that face financial barriers to participation. In the past, she has secured funding to subsidize memberships for schools in need and continues to seek opportunities to make scholastic journalism accessible to as many students as possible.
“If there's a financial concern, I don't want that to ever stop a school from joining or kids from being able to benefit from our services,” she said.
Wilderman is committed to both OSM and Gaylord College, balancing leadership with teaching to mentor future media professionals. Through competitions, workshops and conferences, she works to inspire students and equip them for success in a changing industry.
“I don't see myself doing anything else except teaching journalism for a good long while. I love what I do… If I am writing or if I am teaching writing, I am happy,” Wilderman said.
