Joyce Kulhawik, mother of senior Annelise Cohen, and former arts and entertainment anchor for WBZ-TV came to talk to WHS students on Thursday.
Kulhawik was exposed to arts at a very young age. As a child, Kulhawik played piano, sang, and played organ in her parish church.
However, Kulhawik was unsure what career she would pursue in school.
“I didn’t know what to do with all my interests so I majored in English because I liked story telling, drama and theatre,” said Kulhawik.
Kulhawik received her bachelor of arts degree in English and Secondary Education from Simmons College, and a masters degree in English and Education from the University of Vermont.
Kulhawik’s first job was teaching at Brookline High School. However, she found that she lacked the passion she observed in her colleagues.
After two years of teaching, Kulhawik quit. “I taught with people who did love [teaching], I could see a difference between me and them.”
After she stopped teaching, her mother told her “if you don’t like that job, just go out and find anything else that you want to do.” This lead Kulhawik to television.
In 1978, Kulhawik joined WBZ-TV as an associate producer and tipster for Evening Magazine, a weeknight magazine series.
Later that year, Kulhawik was offered a position as a consumer reporter. She shocked those around her when she turned down the offer. She knew what she was holding out for. Kulhawik wanted to report on the arts.
In 1981, she became the station’s arts and entertainment anchor. This was the first time any news station covered Arts and Entertainment on a full time basis.
“It is always traditionally, News, Sports, and Weather. But in Boston for at least 30 years, it was News, Sports, Weather, and Arts and Entertainment,” said Kulhawik.
During her 30-year career at WBZ-TV, Kulhawik covered local and national events such as the Oscars, Grammys and Emmys, and has met and interviewed many famous people, including George Clooney, Ben Afflack, Steven Tyler, Ryan Gosling, and Julia Roberts. She even knew Matt Damon as a fourteen year old when his movie career was “just an idea.”
Kulhawik was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2007 because of her various works at WBZ.
Kulhawik is a three-time cancer survivor and spoke in front of Congress on the twentieth anniversary of The National Cancer Act in 1991. Kulhawik has also served as a honorary chairperson for the American Cancer Society.
Although Kulhawik is no longer an anchor for WBZ-TV, she is a judge and co-host on WBZ-TV’s “Community Auditions,” an Emmy-winning music talent showcase. Kulhawik also performs as a guest narrator, and has performed with the Boston Pops, the New England Philharmonic, Boston Musica Viva, the Boston Civic Symphony, and the Concord Orchestra.
Kulhawik is also currently a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics, and serves on the committee for the Boston Theater Awards.
