2024 Bender of Twigs

Kevin Hager is an outstanding faculty member in multimedia video production. He is an excellent teacher who has a passion to mentor students. While his students always mention that he is knowledgeable, experienced, and knows what he is talking about, they also always mention that he is supportive, helpful, and approachable. He encourages students to be creative and provides insightful critiques and constructive feedback. His commitment to students is evident in their success and their willingness to return as guest speakers in his classes. Kevin’s classes regularly feature former students who never fail to mention the profound impact Kevin had on their careers.

Outside of the classroom, Kevin continues to remain active in the field. He regularly works as the director or technical director for WSU Sports Productions for broadcasts carried on ESPN+ and engages in a wide variety of creative activity. Kevin’s work has won many awards, including multiple Best of Competition honors from the Broadcast Education Association and first-place awards from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for hard news reporting, feature reporting, public affairs program, TV news, and in-depth news reporting in a series, among others.

Kevin had a nearly twenty-year career in broadcast journalism prior to starting full-time at WSU. He worked for KBSH in Hays before moving to KWCH in Wichita. He worked in numerous roles at KWCH including promotion producer, news photographer, news producer, special projects producer and executive producer. He was a two-time producer of the Best Newscast awarded by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters.

Wichita State University and the Elliott School of Communication has been fortunate to have Kevin on our faculty. He is an outstanding teacher with an exceptional record of professional achievement. Our students have benefitted tremendously from his commitment to their success.