Oct 22 | General
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers student-athletes Shawn Brady and Makenna Coleman have spent plenty of time around sports, but their experience at a Rutgers football game in September gave them a chance to see what happens once the game reaches the television screen.
Brady, a men's track and field student-athlete and accounting major, and Coleman, a senior softball student-athlete and communications major, participated in the CBS Sports x Big Ten College Football Immersion Program during the Scarlet Knights' matchup against USC. The opportunity gave them hands-on experience with live football production while introducing them to the many career opportunities available across sports media and entertainment.
Even though Brady and Coleman arrived with different academic backgrounds and career interests, both left with a greater understanding of how their passions could translate into a career in sports.
The program helped Brady see how he could use his accounting degree while still pursuing a career in sports.
"I would like to work in sports, and I wasn't sure how I could combine the two," Brady said. "This immersion program really helped me open some doors that could lead to a career in sports."
Brady quickly realized just how many different paths there are within the sports industry. He got a behind-the-scenes look at the people who help make a major sporting event happen, including those working in production, technology, and other areas.
"There's a million different jobs in sports," Brady said. "I was an accounting student who was kind of questioning whether I wanted to do this or not. I think I can finish it comfortably and find something I would like to do."
The opportunity also gave Brady a chance to interact with CBS Sports talent, including sports analyst Charles Davis, who took the time to learn about Brady's track and field career. Davis even returned the following day having looked up Brady's statistics.
"That was really cool," Brady said.
As a senior communications major, Coleman already knew she wanted to work in sports media or broadcasting, but she was still figuring out exactly what she wanted to do. The CBS Immersion Program gave her a chance to explore different areas of the sports industry.
"I want to work in media or broadcasting, something in sports," Coleman said. "I don't really know exactly the area, but this program allowed me to experience different areas of the industry."
Coleman spent the first day learning about the different groups responsible for a live broadcast, including operations, production, engineering and camera crews. On game day, she shadowed sideline reporter, Jenny Dell, watching her prepare for live interviews and following her onto the field at the conclusion of the game as she interviewed coaches and players.
"It was really cool because it was like I got to run on the field at the end of the game and be right next to her as she's broadcasting and asking the coach questions," Coleman said. "It was just a really cool experience overall."
While the Immersion Program gave Brady and Coleman an inside look at the sports industry, the experience also showcased how the Scarlet Knights For Life office helps student-athletes prepare for the future, giving them a chance to explore career opportunities and make connections outside of their sports.
For Brady, the connection began with a survey from Scarlet Knights For Life at the start of the academic year. When asked about his dream job, he wrote that even though he was an accounting major, he hoped to find a way to combine his degree with his interest in sports. That response ultimately helped connect him with the CBS Sports opportunity.
"A couple days prior to the event, I asked Elyse [Washington], 'Why'd you pick me for this?'" Brady said. "She was like, 'Because of your dream job'. Just stuff like that, little things that you don't expect to have an impact on your future, really do."
The CBS experience is one of several ways Scarlet Knights For Life has helped Brady explore potential career paths. He has received tailored information about sports-related internships, attended networking events, and recently became a representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Coleman has also used Scarlet Knights For Life as a resource throughout her career development. After building a relationship with the advisors in the office, she received help with her resume and was introduced to opportunities, including her current marketing internship with Rutgers Athletics.
For both student-athletes, the experience showed that there is not just one path to a career in sports and that there are plenty of different ways to stay involved in the industry after college.
Whether it's accounting, communications, broadcasting, marketing or something else entirely, Brady and Coleman now know there's more than one way to build a career in sports.
Brady, a men's track and field student-athlete and accounting major, and Coleman, a senior softball student-athlete and communications major, participated in the CBS Sports x Big Ten College Football Immersion Program during the Scarlet Knights' matchup against USC. The opportunity gave them hands-on experience with live football production while introducing them to the many career opportunities available across sports media and entertainment.
Even though Brady and Coleman arrived with different academic backgrounds and career interests, both left with a greater understanding of how their passions could translate into a career in sports.
The program helped Brady see how he could use his accounting degree while still pursuing a career in sports."I would like to work in sports, and I wasn't sure how I could combine the two," Brady said. "This immersion program really helped me open some doors that could lead to a career in sports."
Brady quickly realized just how many different paths there are within the sports industry. He got a behind-the-scenes look at the people who help make a major sporting event happen, including those working in production, technology, and other areas.
"There's a million different jobs in sports," Brady said. "I was an accounting student who was kind of questioning whether I wanted to do this or not. I think I can finish it comfortably and find something I would like to do."
The opportunity also gave Brady a chance to interact with CBS Sports talent, including sports analyst Charles Davis, who took the time to learn about Brady's track and field career. Davis even returned the following day having looked up Brady's statistics.
"That was really cool," Brady said.
As a senior communications major, Coleman already knew she wanted to work in sports media or broadcasting, but she was still figuring out exactly what she wanted to do. The CBS Immersion Program gave her a chance to explore different areas of the sports industry.
"I want to work in media or broadcasting, something in sports," Coleman said. "I don't really know exactly the area, but this program allowed me to experience different areas of the industry."
Coleman spent the first day learning about the different groups responsible for a live broadcast, including operations, production, engineering and camera crews. On game day, she shadowed sideline reporter, Jenny Dell, watching her prepare for live interviews and following her onto the field at the conclusion of the game as she interviewed coaches and players.
"It was really cool because it was like I got to run on the field at the end of the game and be right next to her as she's broadcasting and asking the coach questions," Coleman said. "It was just a really cool experience overall."
While the Immersion Program gave Brady and Coleman an inside look at the sports industry, the experience also showcased how the Scarlet Knights For Life office helps student-athletes prepare for the future, giving them a chance to explore career opportunities and make connections outside of their sports.For Brady, the connection began with a survey from Scarlet Knights For Life at the start of the academic year. When asked about his dream job, he wrote that even though he was an accounting major, he hoped to find a way to combine his degree with his interest in sports. That response ultimately helped connect him with the CBS Sports opportunity.
"A couple days prior to the event, I asked Elyse [Washington], 'Why'd you pick me for this?'" Brady said. "She was like, 'Because of your dream job'. Just stuff like that, little things that you don't expect to have an impact on your future, really do."
The CBS experience is one of several ways Scarlet Knights For Life has helped Brady explore potential career paths. He has received tailored information about sports-related internships, attended networking events, and recently became a representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Coleman has also used Scarlet Knights For Life as a resource throughout her career development. After building a relationship with the advisors in the office, she received help with her resume and was introduced to opportunities, including her current marketing internship with Rutgers Athletics.
For both student-athletes, the experience showed that there is not just one path to a career in sports and that there are plenty of different ways to stay involved in the industry after college.
Whether it's accounting, communications, broadcasting, marketing or something else entirely, Brady and Coleman now know there's more than one way to build a career in sports.
Tuesday, October 20
Tuesday, October 20
Tuesday, October 20
Monday, October 19
