"Please hold." Those two words normally guarantee a mind-numbing wait for anyone dialing a number at a large institution.

But thanks to Frenche Brewer, waiting on the telephone at Carolina can be an educational experience. Every week, Brewer, broadcast coordinator for the Office of Media Relations, writes and records announcements for On Hold, a continuous audio loop of news and happenings around the University that fills the otherwise dead air of waiting on the telephone.

"It's a place where we can talk about what's happening at the University while people wait on hold. Nobody likes to be on hold, but if you have to, you might as well hear something that's pleasing and informative," Brewer said.

Brewer, a radio and TV broadcast veteran, has been producing On Hold for a little more than a year. Writing and voicing the weekly offering of academic news is a throwback to her early career as an education reporter for a TV station after graduating from Carolina in 1979.

"I always knew that I wanted to work in academia at some point, and (my career has) kind of come full circle, from covering education to being involved with it on a daily basis," she said.

Besides On Hold, Brewer writes and produces Carolina Minutes, one-minute stories about University faculty and programs that air every day on S.C. ETV radio. She also manages publicity for the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, does media training for faculty and staff, and, during football and basketball season, writes and produces half-time spots that air on ESPN.

"It's a real blast," she said.

She might be one of the most well informed people when it comes to knowing what's happening around campus, but Brewer welcomes ideas and suggestions for On Hold. Contact her at brewer4@mailbox.sc.edu.

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