Maria Peralta-Arellano is the newest Eric Von Fellow to join WUWM 89.7 FM.
Peralta-Arellano was born and raised in Milwaukee and is a graduate of the Milwaukee Public School system. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in 2024 in journalism with a minor in political science. She also earned a certificate in Latin American and Caribbean studies.
Peralta-Arellano’s professional accomplishments include writing for El Conquistador, a local bilingual print newspaper, and for Carvd N Stone, a positive news company.
“I’m just excited to not only see myself grow as a reporter, but to also learn how I can better connect with my community and fellow residents. I grew up here so being able to serve the city that raised me with dependable news it needs and wants is beyond special to me,” she said.
The Von Fellowship is a year-long position for recent college graduates. It is designed to give them the opportunity to work as a general assignment reporter in a professional news environment, preparing stories for broadcast and digital platforms. Stories and interviews air during local broadcasts of NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and on WUWM’s interview program, Lake Effect. The Fellowship culminates in a capstone project that showcases the Fellow’s accomplishments.
Fellows are mentored and trained by WUWM Race & Ethnicity Reporter Teran Powell, who was WUWM’s inaugural Von Fellow. News Director Ann-Elise Henzl supervises Von Fellows, including discussing and assigning stories and coordinating special projects. WUWM Editor/Project Leader Emily Files also works closely with the Von Fellow.
Previous recipients of the Eric Von Broadcast Fellowship include:
- 2023-2024 - Nadya Kelly
- 2022-2023 - Kobe Brown
- 2020-2021 - Simone Cazares
- 2019-2020 - Olivia Richardson
- 2018-2019 - Angelina Mosher Salazar
- 2017-2018 - Teran Powell
About Eric Von:
Eric Von was a well-respected Milwaukee journalist and commentator who passed away in 2016. His reporting and talk shows engaged newsmakers in discussions of important community issues. In addition to his work with WNOV-AM, Mr. Von spent his last years working with WUWM 89.7, 371 Productions and AIR's Finding America on the Precious Lives project, a 2-year, 100-part weekly radio series about gun violence and young people in the Milwaukee area.
