OU Student Media has hired Will Pry, a veteran newsroom leader with a distinguished track record of fostering transformational change while helping launch media careers, as its second innovator-in-residence.
He will join the Daily in the spring semester with a mission to help further elevate the work of the independent, student-run OU Daily while expanding the mentorship provided by the department’s professional staff.
“I’ve long admired the way OU Student Media equips its students to make an immediate impact as journalists,” said Pry, who succeeds Mike Sherman in the role. “It’s a true working newsroom where they cover their campus and their community with real, professional rigor. These students aren’t just learning in a vacuum — they’re producing exceptional work that genuinely matters. I’m honored for the opportunity to work alongside them and their amazing advisers.”
Pry, who’ll commute weekly from North Texas, is an independent media consultant. He worked as director of content for Lifeblue, a digital marketing agency, from 2018-25. Before that, he worked at The Dallas Morning News for more than 20 years, rising from copy editor to roles including senior innovation manager and news vertical editor. At The News, he led the digital-first evolution of more than 60 reporters and editors to grow wider, deeper audiences. He also helped envision and launch products that became key traffic, engagement and revenue generators.
Additionally, he completed the yearlong Punch Sulzberger Executive Leadership Program, now known as the Media Transformation Challenge, and has been a visiting faculty member of The Poynter Institute, which strengthens democracy by improving the relevance, ethical practice and value of journalism.
At the Daily, he’ll provide a mix of in-person coaching and mentoring, online availability and a semester-long series of training workshops framed around the concept of “Building the Adaptable, Effective Next-Gen Journalist.”
“I’m so excited Will will be joining our newsroom this spring,” said Anusha Fathepure, the Daily’s editor-in-chief. “His passion for rethinking how student journalists can report, engage and innovate makes him an incredible addition to our newsroom. Our staff is lucky to learn from his experience.
“Mike was not only an amazing mentor but also a kind and compassionate guiding force. We couldn’t be more grateful for the passion and energy he poured into the newsroom this fall.”
The innovator-in-residence, a role in which hires typically serve one semester and no more than one consecutive fall-spring term, brings a working professional into Student Media’s Copeland Hall spaces to further ensure Daily students are building pro-ready careers grounded in the latest ideas from the front lines of the media industry.
“The Daily has long been one of the nation’s strongest college media organizations and this role is designed to further build upon those successes,” said Seth Prince, Student Media director. “We attracted a strong pool of candidates in our search and Will’s broad experience in and beyond newsrooms, familiarity with our operations and strategic alignment with needs of our students and evolving business model helped him stand apart. We are thrilled to have a hire of Will’s nationally known reputation joining us in this important position.”
Sherman, senior planning editor for Sports Business Journal, was Student Media’s inaugural innovator in the fall semester. He previously oversaw coverage of 17 Power Five conference athletic departments for USA Today’s Sports Network and worked in leadership roles for digital startup Sellout Crowd, investigative nonprofit Oklahoma Watch, and legacy newsrooms at the Tampa Bay Times, The Oklahoman and The Tennessean in addition to early career roles in Utica, New York, and West Chester, Pennsylvania.
In 2014-15, he served as the national president of the Associated Press Sports Editors, an organization in which he continues to be a prominent voice. He’s worked with groups such as Investigative Reporters & Editors and the Association for Women in Sports Media, taught at the University of Central Oklahoma and served on OU Student Media’s Publications Board as a representative of the Oklahoma Press Association.
“I’ve worked with professionals at all levels, but there’s something distinct about the OU Daily staff: the students who lean in and do the work form a culture that practices journalism with urgency, empathy and a growing sense of purpose — qualities that reflect the best of any newsroom I've worked in,” Sherman said.
“I hope these students, their families and the broader campus community recognize what an extraordinary learning experience the OU Daily’s professional staff provides. It’s more than a student paper — it’s a launchpad, a proving ground and a public service.
“Being part of that journey has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Most remarkable has been witnessing how the storytelling and learning happen in real time, often within the same conversation or edit.”
Student Media intends to run a search this spring for candidates to serve as innovators during the 2026-27 academic year. Candidates are required to be in Copeland Hall at least 8-10 hours a week for the duration of their 15-week appointment. The department may serve as a coworking space with prior approval from the candidate’s employer. To learn more about the innovator role, email us at studentmedia@ou.edu.
