College students face the unique battle of trying to expand their professional lives while also savoring the fleeting moments of a college social life.
It is almost too easy to get involved at Samford University, which has been ranked number one in student engagement by The Wall Street Journal.
Aly Durban, a senior at Samford, is not only heavily involved with the growth of her professional career, but her collegiate volleyball career as well.
Dr. Nia Johnson is Durban’s professor and advisor who works closely with Durban in her academic planning.
“She’s like a second mom to me,” Durban said.
When Durban came to Samford as a committed athlete, she had to quickly decide if she wanted to focus more time on her professional agenda or her athletic one. During her freshman year, Durban got involved with sports broadcasting.
Volleyball took the backseat in her college experience. She stopped playing her sophomore and junior, but she recently rejoined the team.
Through working with sports broadcasting her freshman year, Durban learned the ropes of working a camera and audio equipment. She was entrusted with working in the control room, which included changing graphics and directing SNN.
Although professionally things seemed to be clicking for Durban, she recalls that especially her sophomore year she felt a hint of loneliness.
“I didn’t feel like I was supposed to be here, but the JMC program was better here than anywhere else,” Durban said.
In Durban’s junior year she got a strategy internship with Knight Eady.
“It started clicking for me,” she said.
Johnson, having had Durban for most of her classes, saw how passionate she was for this industry.
“She will take this industry by storm,” Johnson said.
This set the scene for Durban’s academic and professional aspirations in college to flourish. She got involved in March Madness and started reporting on the sidelines of women’s basketball and volleyball.
Durban also worked with the Samford Sports Industry club where she invested herself in leadership.
Johnson knew that Durban would take advantage of any opportunity she could find.
As the vice president, she helped rebrand the club and create opportunities for those seeking a career in sports media.
Sports media holds a special place in Durban’s heart as she’s always been an athlete.
“I always know what they want,” Durban said.
As Durban steps into her last semester at Samford, she is playing her last season on the volleyball team while taking opportunities where she can find them to help further her sports media skills.
Staff Writer
