Meet Evan Marinofsky, a senior Journalism major, who found that his experiences within the department prepared him for success in today's media market.
How would you describe your time as a Journalism major, and how has the Journalism Department helped prepare you for your future career?
My time as a Journalism major at UMass Amherst was awesome and filled with so many experiences that will be invaluable as I go off into the media world. The Journalism Department gave me my base of tools; whether it's interviewing subjects, covering an event the right way, or ethics, I gained the confidence to hit the ground running immediately.
Which classes, professors or experiences particularly stand out for you and why?
Ethics and Journalism & Law with Professor Karen List was seriously huge for me. I learned a lot in those two classes, and Karen is as good as it gets with teaching and knowledge. Professor Steve Fox is big with the sports students like me. He helped me a lot, and I imagine he'll continue to comment on my tweets (even the bad ones).
What are your points of pride, accomplishments or the skills you developed that you're proud of the most?
Covering an entire Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final in 2019 was such a big thing for me. I was only a 20-year-old sophomore getting thrown into one of the top media markets in America. At the time, I thought I was ready. In hindsight, I wasn't close to ready. The Journalism Department gave me the confidence to believe I was ready, and that's all that mattered. I grew and matured a lot during that time, and it has set the stage for my entire career. As I look back on my four years, that was a huge moment. Also, adapting to covering things remotely and via Zoom during a pandemic was pretty big, especially early on. Writing features on the Bruins in March, April and May 2020 wasn't easy either but, it was rewarding.
While a Journalism major, what is your favorite memory or inspiring moment?
My favorite was watching and covering the 2021 UMass Hockey team for the Daily Collegian and seeing all they had to go through due to Covid-19. To see them win a national championship during all of that and getting to cover it was pretty special.
Which student media organizations or university clubs were you a part of, and how have you been involved?
I joined The Massachusetts Daily Collegian my freshman year. I started as a beat writer and finished as an assistant sports editor. It was incredibly rewarding and so much fun, and the people were by far the best part.
What words of wisdom do you have for the next class of journalism students?
You should work every day to prove you're the best at whatever you choose to do and continue to build this program up.
What are your hopes and aspirations or post-graduation plans?
I'm starting a post-grad internship program with Turner Sports working for NCAA dot com. Now that Turner Sports has broadcasting rights to the NHL, I'm even more excited! I hope to eventually land a job covering the NHL or any National Hockey League team.
What is your dream job?
My dream is to become a national NHL reporter. That would be pretty fun. Maybe for a radio show or TV show down the line. That would also be fun. We'll see what happens. All I know is that I'm very excited about the ride.