Lunchtime Lecture Brings Former Reporter to Campus

10/17/2014
By Jill Gambon

When local broadcaster Susan Wornick appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s show for a makeover several years ago, she went along with the new outfit that was picked out for her, a get-up that looked like “a combination of Paul Revere and Sgt. Pepper” but she drew the line when it came to altering her signature long, blonde hair.

“I refused to cut my hair for Oprah,” said Wornick, who retired in March after 34 years as one of the most popular broadcast journalists at WCVB-TV Channel 5.

Standing her ground, being comfortable in her own skin and not taking herself too seriously, all hallmarks of Wornick’s broadcasting career, were on full display in her recent talk at the Inn & Conference Center, part of the Lunchtime Lecture Series. Before an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 170 alumni, faculty, students and community members, Wornick shared her experiences covering local and national news, talked about life after Channel 5 and answered questions from the audience, all with her characteristic self-deprecating humor and plain-spoken appeal.

“It’s been an amazing career,” said Wornick.

Amazing and improbable. Wornick didn’t set out to become one of the most recognizable faces in Boston television. After graduating from Natick High School she enrolled in Emerson College with a goal of becoming the first college graduate in her family.

With a degree in psychology in hand, Wornick moved to Manchester, N.H., where she took a job selling ads at a radio station. Before long she was asked to read the headlines, earning $5 per newscast.

“I started rewriting copy and realized I had a love for journalism,” she said.

She made the switch to television when she joined WCVB in the late '70s. Her assignments included investigative and consumer reporting and anchoring the news. She loved the work and the tight-knit environment at the station.

“For all those years, I worked for and with wonderful people. It was like a family,” she said.

She relished the role of fighting abuse as the station’s consumer affairs reporter and urged the audience to speak up when experiencing injustices.

“Be vocal. Not only do you have the right to speak up, you have the responsibility. If you don’t, who will?” she said.

To the students interested in journalism careers, Wornick suggested getting a broad education with exposure to different cultures.

“Become a voracious reader. Get as many connections as you can to other parts of the world. Learn a foreign language, learn two if you can. Open yourself up to new experiences,” she said. “Good journalism isn’t taught. It’s about your moral compass.”

Responding to a question from Westford Academy journalism student Ciara Barstow, Wornick offered her email address and told the high school freshman to get in touch when she was ready to pursue internships.

“There’s nothing I love more than helping an aspiring journalist,” Wornick said.

While she’s left the news business, Wornick still has a hand in television, doing some ads (including one for a divorce lawyer with her ex-husband, former Boston sportscaster Bob Lobel) and working for MeTV, a network that features classic programs.

After the talk, Wornick posed for photos with audience members, including Barstow and her Westford Academy classmates. Barstow was excited about making a connection with the television veteran.

“She was so impressive. I learned so much from her. This has been a great experience,” Barstow said.