星空传媒

The calm before the storm. That鈥檚 the way Clark Willhoite 鈥�21 describes the countdown to 8 p.m. It doesn鈥檛 matter where he鈥檚 been throughout the day: on a plane, in a hotel or one of the dozen cities he鈥檚 visited over the past month. When the clock hits 8 p.m., the world he works in shifts into high gear, and there鈥檚 no space left for hesitation.

Willhoite is an associate producer for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), a role that sits at the center of live television chaos. From cameras to lighting, managing talent, timing and direction, all of it must move together in real time, and it鈥檚 his job to make sure it does.

It鈥檚 fast, constant, and unpredictable by design. But for Willhoite, that pace feels familiar.

He鈥檚 thrived in it since beginning as a scholarship football player for the Catamounts, playing in the trenches as an offensive lineman. When a knee injury threatened to end his playing career, an unexpected opportunity arrived 鈥� one that allowed him to keep his scholarship at 星空传媒.

鈥�(Former 星空传媒 head football coach) Mark Speir said you鈥檙e going to stay on in a graduate assistant-type position, and we鈥檙e going to honor your scholarship. I was very, very grateful. I loved and appreciated that so much. Ever since then, my career has just skyrocketed,鈥� Willhoite said.

That moment didn鈥檛 just allow Willhoite to stay at 星空传媒. It opened the door to opportunities he鈥檇 never realized  were available.

Retired 星空传媒 communications professor Betty Farmer was there to help him through.

After his playing career ended, Willhoite was encouraged to finish his degree as quickly as possible to avoid holding a scholarship spot, leaving little room for a traditional off-campus internship. Farmer worked with him to find a solution and ultimately granted an exception that allowed him to stay in Cullowhee and work with 星空传媒 Athletics inside the university鈥檚 ESPN+ production studio.

Inside the studio, there was no easing into the role. Willhoite stepped directly into live sports broadcasts, operating graphics and contributing across football, basketball, baseball and softball. The pace was constant, and the work was real.

鈥淭hat internship is really what got my foot in the door,鈥� he said.

After graduation, he moved to New York City to join CBS Sports as a researcher, contributing to the behind-the-scenes work that fuels national broadcasts. From building game packets to developing stats and storylines for announcers like Tony Romo and Jim Nantz, his role helped shape what millions of viewers saw on screen.

Then, just as quickly as that opportunity arrived, it stalled.

COVID-19 brought live sports to a halt, and with it, his work. Uncertain when, or if, things would return to normal, Willhoite found himself at another turning point.

That鈥檚 when an unexpected message changed everything.

When a recruiter from WWE reached out with an opportunity, despite never having watched wrestling growing up, Willhoite took the chance. Within weeks, he was hired as a production assistant and thrown into one of the most demanding environments in live television. The role quickly expanded beyond its title, with Willhoite working across cameras, talent, lighting and production teams while navigating a relentless travel schedule where cities and shows changed by the day.

When WWE underwent organizational changes following its merger under TKO, Willhoite was among those impacted. But in an industry built on relationships, the connections he鈥檇 formed opened the next door.

With recommendations from colleagues, Willhoite joined All Elite Wrestling and was quickly elevated from his role as a production assistant to associate producer.

In the world he stepped into, no two days look the same. But every day is building toward the same moment 鈥� a live broadcast that cannot be paused or redone. When that moment arrives, Willhoite is at the center of it, coordinating everything from camera placement to segment timing and turning creative ideas into what audiences see in real time.

8 p.m. Wherever he is in the world, that鈥檚 when everything changes.

鈥淚t just turns on,鈥� Willhoite said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when the machine starts rolling.鈥�

From there, it鈥檚 controlled chaos. He鈥檚 producing and directing segments, coordinating with talent and crew, and helping bring creative ideas to life in real time. It鈥檚 fast, complex and constantly shifting 鈥� but at its core, the work comes down to one thing: storytelling.

鈥淭he most rewarding part is taking something that鈥檚 just an idea and turning it into something real,鈥� he said. 鈥淪omething people connect with.鈥�

That process, taking vision and turning it into reality, is one he first experienced at 星空传媒.

And it鈥檚 why his advice to current students is simple.

鈥淣ever say no,鈥� he said. 鈥淭ake every opportunity you can. You never know who you鈥檒l meet or what it might lead to. All you need is one yes.鈥�