Darian is the President of Women in Sports Media
What is your major and what made you decide to pursue it?
I am majoring in Journalism and English. I decided to study Journalism, because I have always loved speaking and being in front of the camera. I've learned that I am passionate about news of all sorts, and I love to hear stories from those who have one to share. I decided to also study English, because I love to read and learn about different types of literature.
What has been your favorite part of your experience at the Hubbard School?
My favorite part of my experience has been learning from media professionals about their careers and their goals. Almost all of my professors have worked/are still working at a media organization, and they have so much valuable knowledge to share with us, which helps us students understand what's going on in the field right now. I've also heard from some great guest speakers in my classes who also have experience in the journalism world to share with us.
What journalism class or professor has had the biggest impact on you?
Long ago during my first semester here in fall of 2017, I took JOUR 1001 with Scott Libin. In that class, we explored all the different areas of journalism, which at the time was really overwhelming to me. I knew I wanted to study journalism, but I wasn't sure where exactly I wanted to go. It wasn't until we got to our lesson on broadcasting when I discovered my true passion for broadcast journalism. Scott Libin has a lot of knowledge and experience surrounding broadcast, so it was really great to hear from someone so passionate and successful. It made me realize that if I worked hard, I could be successful in this field, too.
What minors, internships, or activities are you pursuing outside of your major? How do you think these enhance your studies and/or your future career plans?
I currently work at Gopher Digital Productions as a production assistant. Through this job, I’ve learned about the process of filming a professional, live sports broadcast. I have thought about becoming a sideline reporter in the future, and GDP has given me a lot of experience in this field. I am also the president of Women in Sports Media which is a group for those who want to advocate and support women in sports media. This group has helped me meet so many successful women professionals in sports media in Minneapolis who inspire me to keep working to advance in this field. It’s also helped me meet many other motivated and supportive women on campus who have helped build a community within the group. I know that in the future, I will always have the group as a support system.
What Journalism course would you recommend for other students in your major?
I would recommend Multimedia Production and Storytelling with Regina McCombs. If you want to learn about all the different types of media such as photography, audio, video, photoshop, and video editing, I would definitely take this course. Regina McCombs lets her students personalize each of their projects, so you get to be really creative with your work. It made my work something that I was excited to create and share.
What is your dream job?
My dream job is to be a sideline reporter for a team in the NBA, preferably somewhere where it’s warm. I think it would be amazing work in such a fast-paced and exciting environment!
What advice do you have for future Hubbard School students?
My advice is to go after every opportunity that comes your way, even if it may be scary or unfamiliar. All of my great experiences have come from taking a risk, and while it may not have seemed possible at the time or it really scared me, I’m so happy that I went after what I wanted. We are surrounded by people at the J school who want to help us succeed, so now is the time to take advantage of it.
What is one aspect of your major that surprised you?
Something that surprised me about my major was that many of my professors here are not just professors. Many of them have jobs at media organizations such as the Star Tribune or MPR. They are also doing lots of extensive research and serve on different boards. This makes me feel grateful that they spend their already-busy schedules teaching us.
What do you wish you had known about your career path before now?
I wish I had known that before you get to be in front of the camera, you have to know how things work behind the camera. These days, if you want to go into video, you need to know the whole process of how to shoot a video, edit it, and more. Thankfully, the Hubbard School emphasizes learning the whole process in its courses.
