Major: Journalism

Years at IU: 2001 – 2005

What he did at IU: I was an IDS lifer. I covered men’s basketball, the Little 500 and men’s golf. I was also the sports editor and summer EIC.

What he does now: I’ve been covering the Arizona Cardinals for ESPN since 2013. A large part of my job is to write – whether it’s reporting news, penning a column or going in-depth on a feature or profile – for ESPN.com but I also contribute to our TV shows (i.e. SportsCenter, NFL Live) and ESPN Radio.

What advice he has for sports media students: Read. Read. Read. Write. Write. Write. Read everything – sports and non-sports alike. Read your favorite writers and anything that seems interesting. The more you read, not only the more you learn, but the more you’ll develop as a writer and reporter. And write – a lot. The more you write, the more you’ll find your voice and your style – what works and what doesn’t. Another thing is don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions. We’re not in this business for people to like us. If someone gets mad at you, just know you’re doing your job. And what’s the worst someone will say or do? Not answer your question – and sometimes that’s just as valuable as an answer. Also, learn how to report and work a beat. Regardless of the platform you’ll be working on, the basic principles of journalism, reporting and storytelling will always apply. You’ll just be presenting them differently. Get the details. Get names. Set the scene. Be a reporter.