Yesterday, University of Akron senior Tyeal Howell was honored with the Woman to Watch Award by the Women’s History Project (WHP) of Akron, which is a program of the Summit County Historical Society.

Howell is 21 years old and studying mass media communications in TV and radio. She was nominated by WZIP Manager Chris Keppler.

“Tyeal appears to be very driven and seems to accomplish goals that she sets as well as those that others set for her,” Keppler said. “If you begin to add it all up, Tyeal is someone who will undoubtedly continue to evolve as a leader and a mentor.”

“When I read Chris’s nomination essay for the award, I almost cried because it was so sweet and he spoke so kindly of me,” Howell said, adding that a week or two later the Summit County Historical Society emailed her a congratulatory note.

Howell serves as the promotions director at WZIP, handling the station’s social media and events. She also works as an on-air DJ on Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Ryan Staley, a childhood friend of Howell, said, “From the playground, to the confusing high school halls, to the transformational years of college, Tyeal has always stayed true to her faith, friends, and passion for learning.”

Howell is involved in many other things, including Black Students United, the Akron chapter of the American Marketing Association, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and is president of UA’s student ambassadors. Her current internship is with UA’s Communication and Marketing Department, where she writes press releases and helps with media relations and designing the University’s web pages.

After graduation, Howell hopes to work in the digital marketing industry, one day creating her own production company.

“It’s rare to find someone who knows their craft and works it well and that is what my friend does,” Tyese Kiper, a good friend of Howell’s, said. “Her creativity and abstract eye in her field keep her separate from the rest, but she remains humble through it all.”