Alumna Nominated for Prestigious Emmy Award

Lauren Van Lul-Vanderpool ’17 is an up-and-coming news producer who has already made big waves in the television industry. She’s an accomplished newscaster who has worked for KLAS-TV 8 in Las Vegas since 2019 and is an alumna of the University of La Verne’s communications department.

This May, she received her first Emmy Award nomination in the morning/daytime newscast category for larger markets by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences category from the Pacific Southwest Chapter. Her outstanding work with her news team has garnered recognition, cementing her as a rising star in her field.

A native of Upland, California, she chose to come to the university under the recommendation of a friend who loved her experience at the university. While enrolled in her program, she loved her individualized educational experience. She honed her production skills and developed a passion for storytelling. After graduating in 2017, she earned a producer position in Salinas, California. Two years later, she moved to Las Vegas.

Known for her exceptional talent and unwavering dedication in her classes, her accolade comes as no surprise to Professor of Communications Scott Essman, who helped foster growth in her career. He predicted she would rise to new heights after graduation.

“I knew she had a bright future ahead of her,” Essman said. He’s continued to stay a mentor and colleague to Van Lul-Vanderpool and has utilized her as an assistant in different work capacities over the years. “She’s on task all the time.”

The nomination recognizes Lauren’s support for the in-depth local news coverage on a Las Vegas police officer-involved fatal shooting after responding to a domestic disturbance call. Van Lul-Vanderpool and her team followed the incident, covered the press conference, and covered a small vigil of officers at the hospital. Van Lul-Vanderpool served as the breaking news producer while her coworkers handled the live events. The hour-long special segment showcased the officer’s life honorably and gave detailed updates on the events that unfolded during at the scene, which led to their nomination.

In reflection, Van Lul-Vanderpool expressed gratitude for the six years of work that ultimately led up to this moment. The story put her life into perspective.

“It was the culmination of a lot of hard work and really validated my skills as a news producer and university graduate,” Van Lul-Vanderpool said.

She added that, though she and her team did not win the Emmy during the Palm Springs event on June 18, it was exciting to attend with other named producers in southwest regional news. She said it was “enormously validating” for her to be recognized for that story, due to the autonomy she and her team had for the segment.

“It was an incredible culmination of flexibility, skill, and teamwork,” Van Lul-Vanderpool said.

She thanked her professors at the University of La Verne for providing her with a strong foundation that helped nurture her creative talents. She credited their unwavering support for shaping her into the professional she is today.

“They all believed in my potential and pushed me to be the best student and employee I can be. They’re always cheering me on from the sidelines even now and they make me proud to be a working broadcast professional,” Van Lul-Vanderpool said. “That closeness is why I chose the University of La Verne. I knew I’d be a student rather than a number in a classroom.”