Inside the Insider: An Interview with Joel Wauters

Alyssa Muheljic and Jay Esmael • January 16, 2026

About the Podcast: Come get a behind the scenes look at your favorite online publication, the Wahawk Insider.

About the Episode:Joel Wauters, the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at the University of Northern Iowa, sat down to talk about covering teams and opportunities for students.

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Your donation will support the student journalists of Waterloo West High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the Contributors

Alyssa Muheljic, Feature and Multimedia Editor, Yearbook Design Editor

Alyssa Muheljic is a senior at West High and this is her second year on staff for both Wahawk Insider and Wahawk Yearbook. This year, she is the Online Feature and Multimedia Editor for Wahawk Insider and the Design Editor and Social Media Coordinator for Yearbook. Outside of West, you can find her spending time with her little cousin (Aylan) or with a camera in hand.

Jay Esmael, Yearbook Co-Editor-in-Chief, Reporter

Jay Esmael is a senior at West High, he serves as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Wahawk Yearbook. This is his first year on the Wahawk Insider staff, and outside of Yearbook and Insider you can find Jay working at Hyvee, swimming at UNI for club swim and at different restaurants as he likes trying new foods.

Ali Parkhurst, News and Sports Editor; Yearbook Editor-In-Chief

(she/her) Ali Parkhurst is a senior at West High. This is her second year as a Wahawk Insider staff member, Parkhurst is also the Editor-In-Chief for the Wahawk Yearbook. Outside of school, Parkhurst is a varsity cheerleader and a server at Doughy Joeys. Parkhurst enjoys photography, running, and spending time with her friends.