Before joining Today’s News-Herald, Wickman was a journalism student at Arizona State University pursuing his bachelor’s degree. During his time at the university, he held several internships in the journalism industry, including as a breaking news reporter for The Arizona Republic, a photographer at Cronkite News, a marketing communications coordinator for ASU’s Educational Outreach and Student Services Department, and a content producer for Sport Endorse in Dublin, Ireland. He hopes to continue serving as a vessel for people to tell their stories through his role as an education reporter.
Beat: Education in rural Northwest Arizona
Lake Havasu City, Arizona, faces persistent challenges in educational attainment. The metro area is ranked as Arizona’s least educated. Only 13.5% of adults hold a bachelor’s degree, far below the state average of 30.2%. The recent closure of ASU Havasu has left students without an affordable, local pathway to four-year degrees, compounding issues in a region where financial and logistical barriers already hinder access to higher education. The education reporter investigates these and other critical issues, including funding disparities, the success of technical and career education programs, and the impact of local school board decisions. Through data-driven reporting and visual storytelling, this position shines a light on key metrics like graduation rates and workforce readiness, while providing practical guides and solutions-focused features.