Following her broadcasting dreams, WCU alumna Ariel Rymer is settled in her career as an on-air personality for STAR 104.3 in Asheville and an assistant program director for iHeart Radio. She is now co-hosting Josh and Ariel In The Morning, with another WCU alum Josh Michael. Josh graduated in 2004 with a degree in Communications, Broadcasting and History. Josh started at the radio station in 1998!
Rymer graduated from Western Carolina University as a Communication major in 2012 and has worked hard building her career in the competitive broadcasting field ever since.
As a radio show host, Rymer’s day begins well before her show time at 5:30 a.m. Rymer and her cohost play music, read through daily news and entertainment updates and run the switcher board. Throughout the day, Rymer has to constantly check on other stations so she can adjust or change weather and traffic updates or change music around. When her show is done, preparation for the next day’s show begins, doing voice work and editing logs so that everything running for the rest of the day is up to date and ready to go.
Rymer knew upon graduation that she wanted to work in radio, and she credits the help of her undergraduate internship at the station for ultimately helping her get the job. However, her path to success was not an easy one; she spent several years working in insurance all the while applying to broadcasting positions and receiving many rejections. Nevertheless, Rymer continued to pushing and working to fulfill her dreams and passion. Even though she did not get her dream job right out of college, Rymer was able to learn and develop sales skills and interpersonal skills that helped her be better prepared for a career in radio broadcasting.
While at WCU, Rymer had her own show on the student-run radio station, Power 90.5, and worked as a technical director and board operator for the campus campus television station TV 62. While Rymer also enjoyed reporting and anchoring for TV 62, radio was what she enjoyed the most. WCU’s Theater Department was also beneficial to Rymer’s college preparation for the broadcasting industry. She explained that while she was involved in communication extracurricular projects and events, her double major in theater pushed her to branch out even more and really become a performer. Rymer fondly remembered being taught by Dr. Katarina Spasovska and Professor Don Connelly while pursuing her degree. Rymer knew after taking the Radio I course that radio was what she wanted to do.
With iHeart radio in Asheville, the her work at community engagement is the most rewarding part of Rymer’s career. “I love that about my job and didn’t know it would be such a big part of it,” said Rymer about her ability to be a part of initiatives in her community. For example, in her position as a radio show host, Rymer has worked with community partners such as Eblen Charities and Ingles for toy drives and food drives for children and families in need. Rymer has also worked with natural disaster relief efforts and, most recently COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts, like handing out gas cards from Ingles to many in the community.
Rymer is an advocate for the importance of communication in the world and how vital it is especially in events like a pandemic. Rymer urges communication students to understand their work is vital for the country to receive news and important information for public health and safety. Communication, Rymer explained, “can give you the experiences of a lifetime and take you to amazing places and events and can make dreams come true.”