Feature Friday: Maryland Memories - Homecoming 2019
11/1/2019 7:00:00 AM | Football
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- One of the top journalism schools in the country, the Philip Merrill College of Journalism and the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism have a prideful alumni base working in sports media all throughout the country. Never forgetting their Terrapin roots, a handful of Merrill graduates shared their favorite memories of their time in College Park for a homecoming edition of Feature Friday.
My best memory connected to the Philip Merrill College of Journalism didn't happen in Knight Hall or even in College Park. Instead, I spent a week in Houston as a senior in February 2017 covering the Super Bowl for the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism and Capital News Service.
Before traveling to Houston, I worked with Povich Center director George Solomon to pitch and develop profile and enterprise stories to pursue. It was a unique challenge to prepare for a national event while aiming to tell stories that would appeal to University of Maryland and local audiences. I also worked with the staff at Capital News Service to plan ways to engage my followers on digital and social media platforms.
But the week in Houston — every media availability, press conference, event and, of course, the game — epitomized why my experience at Merrill College was so vital in preparing me for a career in sports journalism.
I rode on the charter buses with journalists to the New England Patriots' and Atlanta Falcons' hotels for player interviews each day. I filled my days with in-person reporting and other phone interviews for more in-depth and diverse sourcing via players' family members and NFL experts. I sat in the stadium among rows of media members and wrote a game story on deadline for the first Super Bowl to reach overtime. And in my free time, I interacted with writers from The New York Times, ESPN, USA Today and The Washington Post — many of whom I revered and studied to improve my work throughout college — for advice and perspective.
The experience showed me how to operate and complete my work in what's likely the most media-saturated sporting event each year. I learned how to maneuver through packs of people hoping to ask Patriots quarterback Tom Brady a question. I learned how to navigate the Opening Night media spectacle, looking for players who weren't wearing name tags or numbers among hundreds of people in the space. And I learned how to balance my time collecting anecdotes and feedback for my writing with time for posting and promoting my work on various digital platforms.
Now working as a sports journalist at The Dallas Morning News, I've found myself often reflecting on my experience covering the Super Bowl. I'm confident that I can distinguish myself and my work in large media crowds and that I can pursue unique storylines catered to my specific audience. My three years as a Merrill College student helped me develop a well-rounded understanding of the ethics, business and art of journalism, and covering the Super Bowl week in Houston provided a real-world outlet to apply my education.
Before traveling to Houston, I worked with Povich Center director George Solomon to pitch and develop profile and enterprise stories to pursue. It was a unique challenge to prepare for a national event while aiming to tell stories that would appeal to University of Maryland and local audiences. I also worked with the staff at Capital News Service to plan ways to engage my followers on digital and social media platforms.
But the week in Houston — every media availability, press conference, event and, of course, the game — epitomized why my experience at Merrill College was so vital in preparing me for a career in sports journalism.
I rode on the charter buses with journalists to the New England Patriots' and Atlanta Falcons' hotels for player interviews each day. I filled my days with in-person reporting and other phone interviews for more in-depth and diverse sourcing via players' family members and NFL experts. I sat in the stadium among rows of media members and wrote a game story on deadline for the first Super Bowl to reach overtime. And in my free time, I interacted with writers from The New York Times, ESPN, USA Today and The Washington Post — many of whom I revered and studied to improve my work throughout college — for advice and perspective.
The experience showed me how to operate and complete my work in what's likely the most media-saturated sporting event each year. I learned how to maneuver through packs of people hoping to ask Patriots quarterback Tom Brady a question. I learned how to navigate the Opening Night media spectacle, looking for players who weren't wearing name tags or numbers among hundreds of people in the space. And I learned how to balance my time collecting anecdotes and feedback for my writing with time for posting and promoting my work on various digital platforms.
Now working as a sports journalist at The Dallas Morning News, I've found myself often reflecting on my experience covering the Super Bowl. I'm confident that I can distinguish myself and my work in large media crowds and that I can pursue unique storylines catered to my specific audience. My three years as a Merrill College student helped me develop a well-rounded understanding of the ethics, business and art of journalism, and covering the Super Bowl week in Houston provided a real-world outlet to apply my education.
From the day I arrived in College Park, the University of Maryland felt like home. As an 18-year-old kid I was terrified to leave my big family, but little did I know these would become the most memorable years of my life.
Attending Maryland and the Philip Merrill College of Journalism was not only the best decision I ever made but it helped me establish friendships, connections and experiences I could never have imagined. From working as a rookie reporter for WMUC Sports as a freshman to covering the NCAA basketball tournament and everything in between, my memories as a Terp are truly endless.
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from an outstanding faculty of journalists both in the classroom and in the field. They stressed that we budding journalists should not just sit and study journalism but also should go out and make an impact in the world. Whether working with Big Ten Network or at various internships, Merrill encouraged me to push boundaries, get my hands dirty and tell the stories that needed to be told. The experiences offered by the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism helped me to establish a working network with sports journalists throughout the country. All of this has been paramount to my growth and development as a journalist.
I'll never forget my senior year standing on the sideline of FedEx Field for the Redskins' NFC Wild Card game against the Packers. As a kid, this was something I always dreamed of, and it would not have been possible without the foundation that Merrill helped me develop.
In addition to the countless opportunities I encountered during my time as a Terp, the people I have met along the way are what I will truly cherish forever. The lifelong friendships forged in the classroom and in the press box have impacted my life in so many ways.
As I reflect on my years both at Maryland and in my current position with Major League Baseball, I can't help but thank all those who have pushed me to dream big and to always be fearless! I'm so proud to be Merrill Made!
Attending Maryland and the Philip Merrill College of Journalism was not only the best decision I ever made but it helped me establish friendships, connections and experiences I could never have imagined. From working as a rookie reporter for WMUC Sports as a freshman to covering the NCAA basketball tournament and everything in between, my memories as a Terp are truly endless.
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from an outstanding faculty of journalists both in the classroom and in the field. They stressed that we budding journalists should not just sit and study journalism but also should go out and make an impact in the world. Whether working with Big Ten Network or at various internships, Merrill encouraged me to push boundaries, get my hands dirty and tell the stories that needed to be told. The experiences offered by the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism helped me to establish a working network with sports journalists throughout the country. All of this has been paramount to my growth and development as a journalist.
I'll never forget my senior year standing on the sideline of FedEx Field for the Redskins' NFC Wild Card game against the Packers. As a kid, this was something I always dreamed of, and it would not have been possible without the foundation that Merrill helped me develop.
In addition to the countless opportunities I encountered during my time as a Terp, the people I have met along the way are what I will truly cherish forever. The lifelong friendships forged in the classroom and in the press box have impacted my life in so many ways.
As I reflect on my years both at Maryland and in my current position with Major League Baseball, I can't help but thank all those who have pushed me to dream big and to always be fearless! I'm so proud to be Merrill Made!
There is no single path to your dream job in broadcasting. Starting out, that road is unknown. It radiates in so many directions. For me, that path has taken me from Atlantic City, N.J., to Washington, Pa. From Orlando, Fla., to San Antonio, Texas. And now to College Station, Texas.
The road has taken me from baseball's Southern League to the Southeastern Conference. The road has taken me throughout the NBA, MLB, the old IHL, AHL, WNBA and NBA G League, as well as to high school gyms, college arenas, stadiums and studios. I've traveled that road many times by bus. I didn't always know where that road would end.
What I do know is that the road began at the formerly-unnamed College of Journalism, now the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, at the University of Maryland.
Preparation. Repetition. Confidence. Fortunately for me, I was taught all those qualities at Merrill. And all of those qualities were reinforced during my time with the San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic, CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports, NBC Sports Network (then known as Versus) and Comcast.
They still apply today as Voice of the Texas A&M Aggies.
I am thankful for the opportunity to work at WMUC and later The Diamondback. That hands-on experience, putting into practice all I had learned and was still learning at Merrill, proved to be beneficial. And what a thrill to be on the air and to see my name in print! Working at WMUC gave me the opportunity to do what I love, play-by-play. I'm still doing football and basketball, though I've swapped lacrosse (at Maryland) for baseball (here at A&M). WMUC also allowed me to write and deliver sportscasts, host a sports talk show and be a board op, all jobs I ended up doing later in my career.
I was fortunate to be sports editor at The Diamondback (the stipend certainly helped this college student immensely). The weekly news program we assembled and delivered in the cable television studio up the road in Hollywood off Route 1 also provided invaluable experience.
Looking back, what a benefit to have professors serve as mentors. They prepared us not just for a single class during a fall or spring semester. They prepared us for what lay ahead.
Finally, what a pleasure to work with so many talented students. What a joy to watch them, to listen to them, to read them and, mostly, to know them. They are some of the very best in the business. I am proud of where they are now. I am certainly proud where I am now. It's been quite the thrilling journey.
And the road began at the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism.
The road has taken me from baseball's Southern League to the Southeastern Conference. The road has taken me throughout the NBA, MLB, the old IHL, AHL, WNBA and NBA G League, as well as to high school gyms, college arenas, stadiums and studios. I've traveled that road many times by bus. I didn't always know where that road would end.
What I do know is that the road began at the formerly-unnamed College of Journalism, now the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, at the University of Maryland.
Preparation. Repetition. Confidence. Fortunately for me, I was taught all those qualities at Merrill. And all of those qualities were reinforced during my time with the San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic, CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports, NBC Sports Network (then known as Versus) and Comcast.
They still apply today as Voice of the Texas A&M Aggies.
I am thankful for the opportunity to work at WMUC and later The Diamondback. That hands-on experience, putting into practice all I had learned and was still learning at Merrill, proved to be beneficial. And what a thrill to be on the air and to see my name in print! Working at WMUC gave me the opportunity to do what I love, play-by-play. I'm still doing football and basketball, though I've swapped lacrosse (at Maryland) for baseball (here at A&M). WMUC also allowed me to write and deliver sportscasts, host a sports talk show and be a board op, all jobs I ended up doing later in my career.
I was fortunate to be sports editor at The Diamondback (the stipend certainly helped this college student immensely). The weekly news program we assembled and delivered in the cable television studio up the road in Hollywood off Route 1 also provided invaluable experience.
Looking back, what a benefit to have professors serve as mentors. They prepared us not just for a single class during a fall or spring semester. They prepared us for what lay ahead.
Finally, what a pleasure to work with so many talented students. What a joy to watch them, to listen to them, to read them and, mostly, to know them. They are some of the very best in the business. I am proud of where they are now. I am certainly proud where I am now. It's been quite the thrilling journey.
And the road began at the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism.
When people ask me whether I liked going to the University of Maryland, I respond, "No, I LOVED going to the University of Maryland." A big reason for that was because of my experience at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. I was surrounded by bright, ambitious and hard-working young people. The classes were tough and the days were long, but our experience at Merrill prepared us for and gave us the skills to enter and thrive in a difficult and ever-evolving job market.
My former classmates work at news outlets across the country, and some of them even live and work as journalists abroad. It has been a little over four years now since I graduated from the University of Maryland and here's where you can find the Terps I went to school with: The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, ESPN, CBS, ABC, NBC, SiriusXM, San Francisco Chronicle, Reuters, WTOP, Vox Media, Cox Media Group, Washington Examiner, Dallas Morning News, Omaha World-Herald, New York Post and U.S. News and World Report. And that's just a sampling! There are also scores of us at local TV and radio stations around the country, many in the nation's biggest media markets.
The professors at the Merrill College are working journalists. That's one of the coolest things about the journalism school. They know what the job requires because they are living it every single day. Our professors also took an interest in us. They weren't just there to teach. Two of my professors helped me land two great internships and another helped me get a part-time job. I still keep in touch with many of my professors from the journalism school, as do many of my fellow alums.
For those interested in sports journalism, nothing compares to the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism. Director George Solomon, the long-time sports editor at The Washington Post, created the Povich Center with the Povich family, and it continues to provide invaluable skills, experience and networking for aspiring sports journalists at the Merrill College. Students can meet, hear from and talk to big-name journalists in an intimate setting. From the staff to the panels and symposium to the camp to the professional network, there is simply nothing like it.
Investors flock to Warren Buffett in Omaha, Nebraska, to glean wisdom about the markets. Well, George is the Warren Buffett of College Park. The biggest sports journalists working today come to the Merrill College to speak with us and that's all thanks to George.
When the Jerry Sandusky story broke, Sara Ganim, the 23-year-old reporter who broke the story, came to College Park to talk with us. Every news outlet in the country wanted her time, and she traveled from Harrisburg, Pa., to College Park to talk to us for a couple of hours, and it was an experience I'll never forget.
There are so many people at the Merrill who helped me get to where I am today, and I know my fellow alums feel the same way. It's a special place that continues to produce some of the best young journalists in the country.
My former classmates work at news outlets across the country, and some of them even live and work as journalists abroad. It has been a little over four years now since I graduated from the University of Maryland and here's where you can find the Terps I went to school with: The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, ESPN, CBS, ABC, NBC, SiriusXM, San Francisco Chronicle, Reuters, WTOP, Vox Media, Cox Media Group, Washington Examiner, Dallas Morning News, Omaha World-Herald, New York Post and U.S. News and World Report. And that's just a sampling! There are also scores of us at local TV and radio stations around the country, many in the nation's biggest media markets.
The professors at the Merrill College are working journalists. That's one of the coolest things about the journalism school. They know what the job requires because they are living it every single day. Our professors also took an interest in us. They weren't just there to teach. Two of my professors helped me land two great internships and another helped me get a part-time job. I still keep in touch with many of my professors from the journalism school, as do many of my fellow alums.
For those interested in sports journalism, nothing compares to the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism. Director George Solomon, the long-time sports editor at The Washington Post, created the Povich Center with the Povich family, and it continues to provide invaluable skills, experience and networking for aspiring sports journalists at the Merrill College. Students can meet, hear from and talk to big-name journalists in an intimate setting. From the staff to the panels and symposium to the camp to the professional network, there is simply nothing like it.
Investors flock to Warren Buffett in Omaha, Nebraska, to glean wisdom about the markets. Well, George is the Warren Buffett of College Park. The biggest sports journalists working today come to the Merrill College to speak with us and that's all thanks to George.
When the Jerry Sandusky story broke, Sara Ganim, the 23-year-old reporter who broke the story, came to College Park to talk with us. Every news outlet in the country wanted her time, and she traveled from Harrisburg, Pa., to College Park to talk to us for a couple of hours, and it was an experience I'll never forget.
There are so many people at the Merrill who helped me get to where I am today, and I know my fellow alums feel the same way. It's a special place that continues to produce some of the best young journalists in the country.
I'll be the first to admit it: Maryland wasn't my first choice. Or my second. Or third. It was the last of many college visits and I had no intention of staying local and attending the flagship university. But looking back, coming to Maryland was the best decision I could have made.
I wasn't even a journalism major entering college, but I knew I wanted to become a student in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. I took my first journalism course in the fall semester of sophomore year and never looked back. From that point on, I looked to get as involved as possible and gain experience. I became a recruiting writer For The Left Bench, a student-run website, and worked my way up to covering Maryland football as a senior.
During my time at Merrill, I made great connections with faculty and staff who supported me and instilled confidence that I could be successful in this industry. I'll always cherish being able to drop in to see Adrianne Flynn or Sandy Banisky to update them about an internship opportunity I received or just to see how they were doing. I was able to network even more with the help of George Solomon and the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism. It would be impossible to count all of the journalists he brought to Merrill that I connected with. (When George Solomon calls, you pick up the phone.)
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention my most rewarding experience at Merrill, which was working as president of the Maryland Association of Black Journalists. It can be daunting operating as a minority and working in a space where you don't see many who resemble you, and that's where MABJ came into play. I was able to surround myself with peers who understood how I felt, as well as work to expand opportunities in their young careers. The work we put in during my senior year didn't go unnoticed, as we were awarded the Pre-Professional Organization of the Year by the Nyumburu Cultural Center.
Just a couple weeks into my first job as a Ravens reporter for The Baltimore Sun, I can't help but think about all the experiences I had at Maryland and how each moment played a role in where I am now. None of it would have happened if I didn't go to college in my own backyard.
I wasn't even a journalism major entering college, but I knew I wanted to become a student in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. I took my first journalism course in the fall semester of sophomore year and never looked back. From that point on, I looked to get as involved as possible and gain experience. I became a recruiting writer For The Left Bench, a student-run website, and worked my way up to covering Maryland football as a senior.
During my time at Merrill, I made great connections with faculty and staff who supported me and instilled confidence that I could be successful in this industry. I'll always cherish being able to drop in to see Adrianne Flynn or Sandy Banisky to update them about an internship opportunity I received or just to see how they were doing. I was able to network even more with the help of George Solomon and the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism. It would be impossible to count all of the journalists he brought to Merrill that I connected with. (When George Solomon calls, you pick up the phone.)
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention my most rewarding experience at Merrill, which was working as president of the Maryland Association of Black Journalists. It can be daunting operating as a minority and working in a space where you don't see many who resemble you, and that's where MABJ came into play. I was able to surround myself with peers who understood how I felt, as well as work to expand opportunities in their young careers. The work we put in during my senior year didn't go unnoticed, as we were awarded the Pre-Professional Organization of the Year by the Nyumburu Cultural Center.
Just a couple weeks into my first job as a Ravens reporter for The Baltimore Sun, I can't help but think about all the experiences I had at Maryland and how each moment played a role in where I am now. None of it would have happened if I didn't go to college in my own backyard.
#MDmyMD
I use this hashtag often on social media. For me, Maryland is where my heart is and always will be. I can still hear the chimes of the chapel (where my alumni parents got married), usually reminding me I'm late for class. I'd run across the mall past McKeldin Library and up the steps to the old journalism building (sometimes stopping to rub Testudo's nose for good luck).
Inside that building, I had so many big dreams. I was extremely ambitious. Professors there like the late Dr. Lee Thornton gave me a foundation – the ability to think big while also preparing me for the realities what it would take to pursue those ambitions. I'm forever grateful for the lessons I learned at the University of Maryland and the professors who taught them to me.
I remember going to basketball and football games, tailgating with my Tri-Delta sorority sisters, wondering if I'd ever make it in sports broadcasting. My goal was to be lucky enough to cover the Terps one day. That dream became a reality working in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore sports markets and now, 19 years later, I'm blessed enough to be working on national networks, like Fox and NFL Network.
I feel so proud to represent the University of Maryland and the DMV area. I consider it an honor, because it's who I am and where I came from. I'll be forever grateful to be a Terp and will always love Maryland! Go Terps!
I use this hashtag often on social media. For me, Maryland is where my heart is and always will be. I can still hear the chimes of the chapel (where my alumni parents got married), usually reminding me I'm late for class. I'd run across the mall past McKeldin Library and up the steps to the old journalism building (sometimes stopping to rub Testudo's nose for good luck).
Inside that building, I had so many big dreams. I was extremely ambitious. Professors there like the late Dr. Lee Thornton gave me a foundation – the ability to think big while also preparing me for the realities what it would take to pursue those ambitions. I'm forever grateful for the lessons I learned at the University of Maryland and the professors who taught them to me.
I remember going to basketball and football games, tailgating with my Tri-Delta sorority sisters, wondering if I'd ever make it in sports broadcasting. My goal was to be lucky enough to cover the Terps one day. That dream became a reality working in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore sports markets and now, 19 years later, I'm blessed enough to be working on national networks, like Fox and NFL Network.
I feel so proud to represent the University of Maryland and the DMV area. I consider it an honor, because it's who I am and where I came from. I'll be forever grateful to be a Terp and will always love Maryland! Go Terps!
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