Adam Wilmoth
Now: Business Writer | The Oklahoman
Then: Editor | The Oklahoma Daily | 1999

Going to The Oklahoman wasn’t much of a leap for Adam Wilmoth, who had been straddling the divide between student and professional journalism for four years.

He interned at The Oklahoman his last two summers at OU and was a sports stringer his senior year.

From the press box to press conferences, Adam rubbed elbows with veterans of professional journalism who would later be his colleagues.

“My experience at The Daily prepared me for The Oklahoman and professional jobs in so many ways: interview skills, how to cover press conferences and how to write.”

Adam said he made some memorable mistakes as a Daily reporter, the most notable of which was at a press conference with head football coach Bob Stoops in his first year at OU.

Trying to impress “the guys” from The Oklahoman, Adam mustered the courage to ask Stoops a question.

“Stoops looked at me and said, ‘That’s a dumb question. Next,’” Adam said. “Berry Tramel [sports reporter for The Oklahoman] pulled me aside and said, ‘He does that to all of us.’”

Adam said he could have had that same experience as a rookie in the professional world, but he received a little more grace doing so as a student.

Adam covered OU sports in a good year: a football national championship and women’s basketball in the Final Four in 1999.

He said he enjoyed sports but soon leaned toward business journalism.

“I’m dealing with people’s paychecks, people’s lives, how customers and employees are treated and how much money it will cost them to fill up their gas tanks,” Adam said.