A member of the Umoⁿhoⁿ tribe of Nebraska, Kacyn Harlan grew up around sports. Now a double major in sports media and communication and advertising and public relations, she is diving into hands-on opportunities to build skills in the industry she loves.
The University Communication and Marketing team reached out to Harlan to find out how she's making the most of the experiences that come with earning a degree.
What drew you to your major and/or what excites you about it?
I grew up around/within sports. Sports have always been a part of my life, so I always knew that it was something I wanted to be part of. At first, I was interested in being an athletic trainer and then I wanted to be a surgeon who works with athletic-related injuries. In high school, I attended some journalism workshops and took some journalism classes, so that's what drew me to the media side of things. Sports are exciting and unpredictable — that's why I love them so much. I always remember watching and playing sports with my family while growing up so it's something that's emotionally tied to me.
Talk about working in UNLimited Sports. What is it like to get that kind of hands-on experience outside of a traditional classroom setting?
It's amazing and I'm grateful for it. This is my first semester in UNLimited Sports; last semester I was in Buoy. I think it's amazing that we're able to get this experience so early in college because I know other sports media programs don't allow you to do much until your junior year or so. It also allows us to have creative freedom because we can write, take photos/videos, podcasts, broadcast games, or create graphics for social media.
Since it is still my first semester, I'm still learning the ropes but I'm excited for the rest of the semester, especially as basketball season is approaching. As for Buoy, it was exciting to work with clients in Lincoln and be able to create different types of media for their website or to help promote their services. It also shows you what it's like to be a part of a team in an ad agency.
Can you talk more about being a writer for the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska?
Yes, I interned at the public information office in my hometown (Macy, Nebraska) during the summer. I have always enjoyed writing. I'm thankful that I got to write and report about events in my hometown. It was a fun experience. I liked being able to have some creativity and freedom with everything. I also got to help format/redo our newsletter. It was a challenge at first with getting different stories and media but towards the end we were able to get a couple out. My favorite part was working events at our annual Hedi'wachi Harvest Celebration (powwow). I got to take pictures and write up some articles.
Is there anything you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?
Sometime during my lifetime, I would like to cover the Olympics. I think it would be so fun and exciting to cover some of the best athletes in the world and travel to another country or city since the next will be in the United States. I also want to work within the NBA because I grew up watching it, so it would be a full-circle moment for me.
What or who inspires you?
My grandfather inspires me. He introduced me to sports growing up. He's always been my number one supporter and motivator in everything I do. My grandmother and him helped shape me into the person I am today. I admire his selflessness, work ethic and putting his family's needs before his.
What is your advice to others looking to make an impact on campus or in the community?
My advice is just to get out of your comfort zone. You have to learn how to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. It might seem scary at first but when you look back on it, you'll be glad that you did it. That was hard for me because I come from a small town/school and didn't have a lot of opportunities that many other people in my classes did. I'm still learning myself but once you take the first step, don't look back.
