BA in Business Administration and History
Years ago, in the throes of writing a 30-page thesis paper on the influence of cricket in the British Isles, I had aspirations of becoming a history professor. What I didn’t realize then was that there was a more realistic career path that would allow me to write about sports: Journalism, the fundamentals of which I learned through Geneseo’s history major.
This is not to say that academia is an unworthy pursuit. My history professors at Geneseo improved my editing and researching skills immensely, helping me become a better critical thinker and a more confident writer. Without them and the tenets of the history major, I would not be in the position I am today as editor of TENNIS Magazine and Tennis.com.
What I most enjoyed about Geneseo’s history coursework is the same thing I most enjoy about my profession today: That there are no boundaries, and that any idea can be explored. When I’m not focusing on tennis, I’m researching another international sport, luge. Little has been written about this Winter Olympic event, and my desire to chronicle its history is the reason Team USA allowed me to travel with its athletes during competition.
“History” is a deceptive word. At first glance, it calls to mind happenings of centuries past. But history is also what happened last year, yesterday—even a moment ago. When you think of it that way, you’ll see that everyone talks about history all the time. But not everyone talks about it well; any comment page on the internet will prove that.
There remains a need for strong editors and writers, especially those who concentrate on sports—a diversion and profession that continues to generate remarkable sums of money and interest around the world. Though it took me a while to realize it, a history major can fill that need.
No comments:
Post a Comment