When Krystin Collins applied to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, she knew she wanted to hit the ground running on her way to a career in the sports media.
For Collins, this meant studying at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications as a double major in broadcasting and sports media and communications. She also joined Unlimited Sports, an experienced laboratory program that allows students to continue their passions in the sports industry.
Collins, an elderly person, explained how he had been able to perfect her skills and build a community in the program.
Why did you apply for Nebraska and what has intrigued you about the College of Journalism and Mass Communications?
I applied to Nebraska because I wanted to have the opportunity to get a practical experience from the start. I had people from my high school who were at the college of journalism and spoke of the way he had opened different doors to them in their careers. I was told about Huskervision, the new studio built in college, as well as other internships outside campus. All these things seemed really intriguing because I wanted to hit the soil in progress as soon as I came to Unft.
How would you describe unlimited sports to someone who has not heard of it and may be interested?
Unlimited Sports is the best opportunity to dive your toes in the field of sports media and discover what interests you. This can range from podcasting, from the writing of stories to sports photography and more. Coming to university, people may know they want to work in this area but do not know where to go from there. This class helps people try new things and discover what works and does not work for them. It is also a great opportunity to help build students’ wallets to help jobs and internships on the road.
How did you get involved in unlimited sports? Why has this specific opportunity excited?
I worked in Sports Media when I was in high school, so when I got to one and I was told about the Lab experience, Unlimited Sports was as the obvious choice. I wanted to continue working in this area and gain more experience at a higher level. I signed up for the class and I really enjoyed. I have gone to many games this semester to take photos, then create photo stories. They helped build my wallet and work to get internships. Another really exciting part of Unlimited Sports for me was the availability of covering Husker Sports from the start. It is not a common experience in each college, especially not in other colleges in Nebraska, which helps you better prepare for a job with real experiences.
What is the value of the combination of knowledge of the classroom and the real world experience through unlimited sports? How did he extend your knowledge outside the class?
Unlimited Sports is an excellent bridge between class learning and obtaining real experiences. Take lessons, such as the sports writing course, helps learn to write a game story, to cover a press conference and more. Then, this laboratory allows students to use the skills they learn and go to a football game in high school to write a story and publish it, and this is just an example. Anything learned in class can be used immediately when you go out to cover the games. This helps to repeat and learn to refine these skills.
Unlimited Sports has expanded my knowledge that it is to work in this area. I understand how to act and what to do when you cover the games. There are places where you can and cannot go, expectations and some places to sit to get the best photos. These are all things we are talking about in the laboratory, but it is really understood after being at games and being a journalist yourself. My confidence in game coverage increased after being in unlimited sports because of all the things I learned and the opportunities that I had to go out and try to cover the games myself. Being an advance, I also acquired skills on the management of a team and how to work with other experienced laboratories. These are skills that I can use in several areas of my life outside the class.
What is your favorite part of unlimited sports and college?
My favorite part is an opportunity to go to games and start to cover sports right away. You learn very quickly if it is something you want to keep doing or not. I also like the different networking opportunities in experience and college laboratories. The professionals of the residence that the college collects are incredible people with whom a network and knowledge of experiences working in different fields. These professional relationships can also lead to mentorship and perhaps even internships for students along the way if people take advantage of working with these people.
How will your unlimited studies and sports are preparing for a career outside the college?
During my stay with unlimited sports, I was able to learn exactly in which areas interested me the most, but also to prepare for other areas of the sports media to at least know the bases. In this area, you must be able to do a little of everything. This does not mean that you have to be an expert, but you have to be ready to learn. The laboratory allowed me to try different things, such as printing, photos, social media and more. These experiences have given me fundamental knowledge that will help me in my career. I also now have portfolio articles to present my skills to future employers.
Is there someone in Nebraska who had an impact on your stay here?
Someone who had an impact on my stay at Nebraska is Bill Doleman (speaker at the college). I had several lessons with Bill and his knowledge in this area is incredible. He really takes the time to know each of his students to learn what interests them and how he can best help them with their career goals. I know that if I have questions about the industry or if I need someone to help me prepare an interview, it’s someone I can always go.
What would you hope to do after obtaining the diploma?
I am currently an intern with Huskervision and I produced games on B1G + and I produced large screen content for many different sports. I would love to continue to do so after graduation.
Do you have any advice to students seeking to gain practical experience or diving into campus implications?
Don’t be afraid to ask. The best way to get involved is to know people and see what they do or how they got the work or the goal you hope to achieve. Ask them where they started or ask a help teacher to find a way to get involved. There are so many opportunities there, you just have to be ready to ask for them and look for them.