When tasked with writing this article to summarize my year as a Rhoden Fellow, I stared at a blank page for almost a week straight.
Most would call this “writer’s block,” but I don’t think that encapsulates the real issue. The reason it took me so long to finally put words to paper is because I was wondering: How could I capture one of the best decisions in my life in up to 1,000 words?
Unlike most of the amazing young ladies I have been working alongside for about 365 days, I am the first representative from my university to participate in the fellowship.
Although Southern University and A&M College offers a major in mass communications with a concentration in broadcast journalism, according to Yolanda Campbell, interim chair of Southern’s Department of Mass Communications, only a small percentage of those graduates end up using their degree in the real world. This can be due to a lack of resources in finding beneficial internships and opportunities that can stack a résumé or financial burdens that require students to prioritize making money instead of gaining work experiences. However, I was able to make my mark.
Although I was a 26-hour drive from my hometown of Houston, from the moment I stepped foot inside of ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, I knew all the paths I set up for my future were aligning. Whether it was networking with every person who would listen to my elevator pitch, staying late to learn the ins and outs of the control room, or making friends with the other interns and the people who made my food in the cafe, my actions every day were intentional.
Scott Lipscomb
I also learned how to appreciate being present in the moment. Whether that meant staying up all night helping Rhoden Fellow Nilea Cosley with her hair, exploring all that Connecticut has to offer or taking frequent trips to New York City, the universe made sure to remind me to enjoy the journey and the laughs throughout life.
This notion continued to resonate when the Fellows went back to school and started working remotely. Although it felt bittersweet because I wasn’t alongside my five sisters in the fellowship, I truly found love in telling stories once again. In working with such an immersive company, Andscape treated me as one of its own. Fellowship founder Bill Rhoden, fellowship coordinator Kimberly “KJ” Jarvis and senior HBCU editor Tasha Stewart allowed me creative freedom to tell the stories I wanted and entrusted me to do so.
Kimberly Jarvis / Andscape
Due to said trust, I was able to touch many lives through Southern safeties coach Sean Wallace’s story of facing Stage IV pancreatic cancer and leave his family with a gift they can cherish forever. I also had a chance to cover a few events, including activities during Super Bowl LIX week, and got to work at the Big East tournament. However, it wasn’t the tangible opportunities nor the work I produced that made my time with Andscape a life-changing moment – it was the intention behind all those who poured into me.
I would not be the multimedia journalist I am today without the guidance and mentorship of all those I met from the Andscape team, as well as ESPN colleagues Kevin Fallon, Kareem White and Demetrius Harris – the list goes on and on. They not only believed in my vision for the future, they actively provided me with the tools and resources needed to achieve the next step in my journey. They saw and continue to see me for who I am, and there’s no amount of thank yous I can give them that will compensate for it all.
So, to the young aspiring journalists reading this essay trying to figure out if this fellowship is worth it, take it from me: If you truly want to become one of the greats, you will give it your all to solidify your spot in a future cohort. The Rhoden Fellowship takes aspiring journalists and makes them established journalists, and no other program will serve you the way this one does.