Scholarship, internship and mentorship are the three pillars Marquette University alum Michael Huang believes are necessary for aspiring sports journalists.
Huang graduated from the College of Communication in 1993 and after 30 years in the journalism industry, has since worked his way to becoming the managing sports editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
He spoke at the yearly Pete and Bonnie Axthelm Memorial Lecture following the Sept. 25 Student Sports Summit, an event that brought students, faculty and industry professionals together for career and networking opportunities.
The lecture provided students with advice as they continue their college careers. Alongside the three pillars outlined by Huang, the main topic of his lecture was a guide to breaking into the sports media industry.
Huang encourages multimedia journalism
A huge part of that “has to do with what you’re willing to do,” Huang said after opening remarks. He stressed the importance of multimedia work and developing a comprehensive toolkit of skills.
In his keynote, Huang said that journalists who can produce stories across different mediums, like written, video, audio and social media, are those who succeed and thrive in the ever-changing sports industry.
“You have to have passion for sports and have fun doing it,” Huang said. “Sports are for everybody and mean something different for each person.”
Sports can be a source of meaning
Huang provided examples of how he’s seen what sports can do for others, sharing stories of people around him.
“I’ve seen it bond a sisterhood of nuns at the Big East Tournament. I’ve seen it be the only thing a divorced dad is allowed to do with his son,” Huang said. “And I’ve seen it help a young couple struggling with the death of their daughter. That was me.”
When Huang lost his daughter in 2003 he was working as the manager of publications and creative services in the Chicago Cubs front office. He said his team supported him through his grieving process, and helped him move forward.
Huang used this anecdote to say that stories are meant to resonate with emotion, and when written with passion and love, they can help people through difficult times.
Scholarship, internship, mentorship are main pillars
As for the three pillars, Huang provided advice for each stage, which mirrors the path from undergraduate to post-graduate.
Scholarship is founded in education and experience, Huang said; no one can control whether or not they get a job, but asking questions in class, hustling for opportunities and being empathetic are all things that can be controlled. These are the qualities that go a long way in the sports industry, he said.
Huang defined internship as a deeper process of exploration. He said saying yes to every offered opportunity builds a valuable repertoire, and professional experience builds on itself. Huang repeatedly emphasized the importance of building a network and finding people who are invested in your success.
“At each stop, find a champion. Find someone who believes in you,” Huang said when talking about the internship pillar.
His last pillar, mentorship, further stressed the value of having a professional network and finding people who can serve as a guidepost in the industry.
He left the aspiring group of journalists with a message about confidence.
“Act like you’ve been there before,” he said. “That’s where your reputation starts.”
This story was written by Lilly Peacock. She can be reached at [email protected].
