As a junior communication major, I spent nearly three full years attending class, studying and hanging out with friends a majority of the time - with an extra focus on the latter. My years in Buffalo were dwindling and I had no idea what to expect with the rest of my life.
One thing was for sure, though; I knew I wanted a career in sports. Take what you want from this, but athletics has been one of the only things I have truly cared for throughout my life. For as long as I can remember, I grew up imagining myself as the guy on SportsCenter breaking the latest trade or free agency signing. That's why I initially pursued a communication degree. In my down time, I'm either out on the golf course or at the local basketball park. Aside from family and friends, sports really do dominate my life.
But I realized early in college that television wasn't necessarily for me. So I fell into a bit of a rut, with no direction toward what to do with my communication degree. Then I realized the guys on SportsCenter reporting the news weren't all communication and broadcast students; they were journalists.
If expressing my desire and passion for sports (namely basketball) couldn't be reached via broadcasting, it could hopefully be reached behind a computer screen. ESPN's Chris Broussard and Marc Stein (NBA Insiders) were journalists before making it to the mecca of the sports world. And I wanted to reach that mecca. That's when I found The Spectrum.
After a year and a half of hard work and a lot help from some very knowledgeable people at the paper, I'll be entering my fifth year at Buffalo as the senior sports editor while I finish my communication degree and complete the journalism certificate program at UB.
My life has undoubtedly changed for the better since joining The Spectrum.I've consistently reported on the Division 1 players and coaches at UB, shared a press conference room with ESPN's Sal Paoloantonio during New York Jets training camp, have my own blog about the NBA and have appeared on national podcasts to discuss the NBA. This fall, I will have the opportunity to cover a UB football game on the legendary Ohio State campus.
While I would have never expected to accomplish these things a year and a half ago, now I can only strive to build upon them and continue to improve myself as a writer, and in doing so, improve The Spectrum as well. It's time to pay back what this paper has given me. It's hard to believe my fifthyear at UB will be the one I am looking forward to the most.
