Director's Cut: Emma Holtz's Senior Column

1,349 days - that’s approximately how long a Penn State student will spend in Happy Valley from the first day of freshman year to graduation day.

1,349 chances to cultivate friendships, pursue opportunities in and out of the classroom and make your mark on this campus. My journey in the blue and white has been anything but traditional, but its unpredictability only strengthened my confidence.

In a year defined by “Mask Up or Pack Up,” dining hall takeout and quarantine dorms, I embarked on my adventure in CommRadio via Zoom for my first sports meeting in spring 2021. In the midst of members exchanging quips with the Sports Directors and overall chatter, I knew I found my outlet where I could express myself and my passion for sports.

That passion has allowed me to broadcast sporting events live on air, something I never thought I would have been able to do if you asked young Emma. Bringing listeners and viewers into the thrill of a game enthralled me, especially with Women’s and Men’s Volleyball as a former player myself.

From there, I found my niche with color commentary and had the opportunity to transition into streaming at Big Ten Plus and ESPN+. Thank you Jim Nachtman, Brian Tripp and everyone at Big Ten Network for the opportunity to grow as a color commentator and learn how broadcast production operates. You never know who’s listening!

Donning the headset also meant sharing the studio with so many talented individuals. Who wouldn’t want to jump on a talk show each week to debrief the latest football drama, discuss Pittsburgh sports, or hype up the next Formula One Grand Prix? To my lovely past and present co-hosts on Gridiron Girls, Steel Bridges and Box Box, I am forever grateful for all the slow claps, friendly rants and bursts of laughter (or tears) shared together

But above all, my love for writing is the very pulse of this adventure. In the beginning, back at the Innovation Park studio, I would write any NFL/College Football articles I could get my hands on. Top 10 draft prospects this, coaching carousel that…my right hand was raised before anyone announced the article headline.

That attachment to football and the written word evolved into a fulfilling career as a Football Insider, Sports Director, and On-Site Analyst for Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix, Arizona and the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, Michigan.

The NFL Draft Live Show was my first taste of broadcasting at CommRadio, and the fact that my final time broadcasting on CommRadio airwaves was at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, Michigan brings it all full circle.

The magnitude of these once-in-a-lifetime encounters does not evade me. Rather, I channel my memories and feelings from them into empowering others to realize that their dreams are possible and oh SO worth it.

I am beyond proud of CommRadio’s evolution since I joined. The number of members, specifically women in sports, has grown exponentially and CommRadio has made me and my work feel valued.

Reflecting on my time as a Nittany Lion would not be complete without thanking The Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) and Penn State Athletics Marketing & Fan Experience for developing me as a young professional. The support systems that I have been lucky enough to gain from both organizations enabled me to unlock more confidence in myself and my skills.

To my Mom and Dad: I blossomed into the woman I am today because of you! From freezing in Pittsburgh winter during a Steelers playoff game to eagerly reading my short stories written in pencil on spare printer paper, your guidance and support of my dream to work in sports is invaluable and words cannot express how thankful I am for it.

It’s fitting that I write this to you from the Pattee Paterno Library, soaking in the silence of academia. The countless hours I spent here paint a vivid picture of tireless dedication and commitment to excellence that Bellisario College of Communications students not only understand but embody.

I may be hanging up my headset, but the friendships, memories and experiences that CommRadio and Penn State have given me in these 1,349 days will never truly fade out.

Emma Holtz is a fourth-year majoring in public relations. To contact her, email emma.holtz01@gmail.com