It’s been a little while since I’ve published a piece of writing under my name. By a little while I mean about six months, but those six months have been a welcome reprieve.
That’s because for three and a half of the last four years, I was immersed in the hectic but rewarding world of sports journalism.
I arrived at the University of Texas as a wide-eyed freshman with goals of becoming the next hot-shot, up-and-coming sports journalist, with my path set towards a career writing and talking about sports for a living.
My background in journalism
Attending UT was practically a no-brainer for someone like me who grew up in Texas and wanted to pursue sports journalism.
The J-School in the Moody College of Communication is the best in the state and one of the best in the nation, and Texas boasts one of the most prominent, iconic and successful athletic programs in the country. It was the perfect place to make a name for myself.
Over the next three and a half years, I was blessed to accomplish just about everything that a wide-eyed freshman might set out to do.
I have 150 or so bylines to my name, became an expert (or as close to one as a student journalist can get) on Texas sports and enjoyed a dream internship with Sports Illustrated. I got to cover a fantastically fun volleyball team, experienced the Red River Showdown in all its splendor and placed second in a national writing competition at the 2022 NCAA Men’s Final Four in New Orleans.
I truly had the time of my life.
But over time, I began to realize the cost of such an exciting career – I was incredibly burnt out. Sports journalism is a tiring profession that does not lend itself to a strong work-life balance, at least for a morning person like myself.
That’s why I decided to shift focus my senior year before graduating.
My transition into PR
I wanted to find a place where I could apply the skills I developed as a writer and journalist, learn about new industries and develop new skills. This led me to PR and communications, and I’ve loved each step of my journey so far. I took classes in PR my senior year and got my foot in the door with an Austin PR and communications firm that represents clean energy and technology companies.
I’ve always loved storytelling, and I love how I can continue to do that in PR while developing knowledge and expertise across many industries too.
While I have not closed the door on journalism and sports forever, I am so glad to have found a path that I really enjoy and is more sustainable for me as I begin my professional career.
How I ended up at Ketner Group
As my graduation this May quickly approached, I searched for an opportunity in PR that would not only allow me to continue my professional growth but also put a premium on work environment. I was instantly drawn to how Ketner Group advertised itself as a fun, energetic and joyful place to work.
Over the course of my interviews with members of the Ketner team, I really picked up on how that’s not just lip service here. Ketner Group sounded like just the place I wanted to work and grow as a PR professional (it has some recent recognition to back that up, too). That’s why I was ecstatic when I received an offer to intern with the Austin office, and I couldn’t be happier to be here.
It’s only been a week, but I’ve already felt how committed everyone at Ketner is to each other, their work, and their strong company culture. I can’t wait to continue learning from the incredibly talented and awesome team at Ketner.
Here’s to a great summer!
Austin
