Why Cronkite?
Well, the truth is, it’s the best journalism school in the country. Even outside of Cronkite, it’s still one of the top universities in the country. We all know ASU has a reputation of being the “party school.” Yes, we are a party school, but that doesn’t come at the expense of our academic programs.
I’ll be honest – I did not picture myself getting two degrees at Arizona State 10 years ago. It’s the best decision I ever made, for sure! But growing up in the Bay Area, I just didn’t hear people talking about ASU. And that’s largely due to the strong emphasis on going to Cal States and UC’s, along with Stanford and USC, if you’re from California.
Sure, ASU’s major sports have not been at the forefront of collegiate athletics in that time. I also didn’t care much about college sports growing up. When I did, it was UCLA ‘cause my dad went there.
However, as time for college research and applications rolled around, it quickly became my first choice because of the Cronkite School.
That’s similar to how it felt for Derek Rivera, a Sports Journalism Master’s student at Cronkite. The Albuquerque native started as a business major at the University of New Mexico before a late switch to strategic communications. A former three-sport athlete, Derek found a way to stay involved in the sports he loved by joining the boys’ basketball coaching staff at his alma mater, St. Pius X. In the meantime, he began doing TV play-by-play for local high schools in his final year at UNM.
He was almost all set to get his master’s at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. For perspective, that’s only about a half hour outside of ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol. But a late acceptance to ASU and the Cronkite’s state-of-the-art facilities changed his mind.
“I knew this was the exact place I wanted to be,” Rivera said.
Now, we both chose ASU largely because there’s so many opportunities here, both in and out of the classroom. What people always forget is Phoenix is a major market, just for sports alone. And Cronkite has a sports-specific journalism program, which not everyone has. Not only are you surrounded by two power conference teams’ athletic departments, you have literally every professional sport and then some!
We really mean it when we say have opportunities like no other. ASU football head coach Kenny Dillingham always preaches, “Have fun working harder than anyone in the country.”
Well, that describes Cronkite too.
Don’t forget about the weather. Yes, it’s hot over the summer and at the beginning of the school year. But from mid-October to the end of April is beautiful! Eventually, you learn how to get used to it enough. Plus, everywhere has AC.
T-shirt and shorts in December? Count me in! Seriously, who wants to be sitting in a freezing 7° in upstate New York?
Add on top of it, some of the most accomplished faculty in the business, learning from the best!
This is where Arizona State is better than the likes of other top journalism schools Indiana, Northwestern and Syracuse. You get the benefit of being in a big city and big school college experience, while also getting the small-school academic setting.
“That first semester flew by but I’m so happy I chose this place,” Rivera said. “Everything I’ve learned has been awesome and I’m just so happy to be here.”
