Timothy J. Vetscher, Comm '98
Young Alumnus of the Year AwardJ. William and Mary Diederich
College of Communication
Young Alumnus of the Year Award
Timothy J. Vetscher, Comm '98
As a general assignment reporter for ABC Phoenix affiliate KNXV-TV, Tim Vetscher covers a wide variety of stories of widely varying degrees of seriousness — NBA All-Star games and Super Bowls on one hand, Hurricane Katrina and a lonely man dying of cancer on the other.
Whatever the story, Tim covers it like it's the most important story he has ever done. Because to someone sitting at home, glued to the set, it is.
"I live to tell stories that impact people in a positive way," he says. "Stories like that are the reason I'm a reporter."
Tim's story on the cancer patient prompted donations from viewers that enabled the man's wife and daughter to travel to Arizona from Japan and say their goodbyes.
His impact on the community extends well beyond reporting, though.
Tim is active in charities from Big Brothers Big Sisters to St. Mary's Food Bank to the Salvation Army. He's a frequent speaker at school and civic functions. He's helping to educate the next generation of journalists as an adjunct professor at Arizona State University. And he's an active member of the Marquette Club of Phoenix.
Tim is thankful to Marquette for honing his writing skills and instilling the core values of fairness, compassion, and dedication to seeking and telling the truth "that guide me as a journalist to this day," he says. But something he brought with him to Marquette is equally responsible for his success.
"I'm not the most talented reporter in the world, nor am I the best looking in the industry," Tim says. "However, I do consider myself one of the hardest workers. I credit hard work with getting me to where I am today."
Fun facts about Tim
Favorite quote: “If the waitress has dirty ankles, the chili should be good.” — Al McGuire
