EVAN HALPOP

Major: Broadcast/Print/Web Journalism
Minor: Electronic Media

A graduate of Madison College with an Associate of Arts Degree in Photography, Evan specializes in sports photography and has extensive experience photographing professional, collegiate, high school, and club athletics in southern Wisconsin.  During the school year, Evan works for the UW-Whitewater Warhawk Athletics Department covering games and taking headshots of athletics staff and players. He loves his work, saying “I was born to do this!” This fall Evan will be working as a photojournalism intern for the Milwaukee Admirals.

Evan was diagnosed with a form of autism when he was eight-years-old. He states that his autism has its “good days and bad days." "It’s about whether you are willing to get back up and try again after having a bad day that defines me,” says Evan. 

Some days he is burned out from overstimulation of his senses, but he credits the UW-Whitewater Communication Department with helping him succeed. “There have been countless educators in COMM that made me into who I am today. I know all of them are proud of how far I’ve come since they had me in their classroom,” he says. 

Evan’s goal is to open up is his own media company with a focus on hiring individuals with disabilities alongside non-disabled individuals to create a truly diverse media company. “There needs to be more representation from the autism community in journalism," says Evan. "I believe people with autism shouldn’t have to be restricted to their label's limits. Push yourself outside your comfort zone every once in a while and you can find yourself on a path similar to mine. You will never believe how far you’ve come after taking that leap of faith, to believe you can make it in the world of journalism!”​

Recently, Evan served on a live panel discussion with The National Press Photographers Association and National  Center on Disability and Journalism. Journalists with disabilities from around the country were able to come together and discuss their own personal stories, perspectives and opinions on the journalism industry and its treatment disabled journalists for a national audience. Read more on his appearance in the article written by the Royal Purple.

Learn more about Broadcast/Print/Web Journalism