Michael Valentini ’18 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology) was recently honored with a Virginia Association of Broadcasters (VAB) Award for Best Radio Commercial in a Large Market in 2024. He received the award for his production of the 30-second commercial “Terror Woods.”

Valentini is currently based in the Virginia Beach area, where he works in audio production and provides voice talent for the morning show at FM99 WNOR.

“Shenandoah’s MPRT program gave me an incredibly strong foundation of skills both in the studio and in attention to detail, both of which I bring to every project I work on,” said Valentini. “Even though radio is a somewhat ‘outside-the-norm’ career path, what I learned at SU helps me go above and beyond the standard of audio production in local radio.”

Virginia radio and television stations were recognized for excellence in broadcasting at the 88th Annual Virginia Association of Broadcasters (VAB) Awards Program, held Friday, June 20, at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel in Virginia Beach, Virginia. This year’s gala event included a VAB Wild West Saloon-themed reception and awards ceremony recognizing individuals’ achievements in broadcasting.

Awards were based on projects first aired between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, with the sole exception of the Outstanding Newscast Award. Commercial and non-commercial stations were judged separately, and the award categories were broken down by market size. The VAB gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association whose members judged the entries. Only VAB-member radio and television stations were eligible to participate.