College of Communication and Information Student Marissa Rouse won an Emmy Award for her work with WLWT News 5 Hearst Media on July 19, 2025. As WLWT’s Summer 2024 Creative Services Intern, Rouse assisted with the production, design, organization, and filming of the award-winning project, WLWT Weather 13 Years Most Accurate.

“Winning this award is a huge recognition of both the team and I’s work, and something that still blows my mind,” said Rouse, Information, Communication, and Technology, and Digital Media Production double major.

During her internship, Rouse helped the WLWT team on a variety of projects that encouraged her to be creative and ultimately changed her perspective on the media industry.

Rouse shared that the ‘WLWT Weather 13 Years Most Accurate’ project was especially imaginative. The team capitalized on the idea of “Who needs luck when you have accuracy?” and worked with the WLWT meteorologists to execute numerous bad luck superstitions, including opening umbrellas indoors, breaking mirrors, spilling salt, and featuring a black cat.

This promotion highlighted WLWT as Cincinnati’s most accurate weather station for 13 years running and ultimately led this team to their 2025 Emmy. Rouse’s role in the promotion involved designing the salt sequence, creating the WLWT logo, filming various parts of the video, and even offering her uncle’s crowbar for the shoot.

“The team was super supportive of me getting involved and throwing in my ideas. We worked together, but more importantly, had a ton of fun,” Rouse said.

Looking forward, Rouse aims to use her newfound confidence in her work to continue creating meaningful, impactful, and lasting creative works, inspiring others along the way.

Rouse shared, “Oftentimes, people get a sense of imposter syndrome or may feel like it’s impossible to fulfill their creative dreams. To me, this award is a symbol that you are talented, and to not put yourself down.”