I will be able to learn from the best in the business and take that knowledge and experience wherever I go. As time passed, Plunkett began exploring several job opportunities in Nashville. She says she sent off her application and says she put it out of her mind. I was fortunate to have had a lot of good experience in broadcasting at Lipscomb and that was definitely helpful in listing my experience.” I put a lot of effort into the application and cover letter. “Of course working at ESPN would be a dream job for me. “I saw a message about the ESPN Next program and a call for applications,” she says. Plunkett, who is set to graduate with her Bachelor of Science degree on Saturday, recalls a day earlier this semester when she was thinking about career possibilities when a post on Twitter caught her attention. Plunkett’s work in Lipscomb's athletics department and with Lumination provided “a tremendous amount of journalism experience.” “By majoring in engineering I knew I would have a good foundation for a future job or if I pursued a career in journalism I had a speciality area,” she continues. In addition, she assisted with broadcast and video production for Lipscomb Academy football games for several years. She also served as editor of Lipscomb’s student news service, Lumination Network, her sophomore and junior years. While fully engaged in her mechanical engineering studies, Plunkett also honed her sports broadcasting skills by working for Lipscomb Athletics in various roles for its ESPN+ productions, including student video producer, broadcast booth replay, directing audio, producing graphics and sideline reporter. “I love the engineering faculty and the people in my class,” says Plunkett.Īlthough pursuing a degree in engineering, Plunkett’s passion for sharing sports with others never waned. In becoming part of the Bison Herd, she followed in the footsteps of her father and grandfather, aunts and cousins. She enjoyed it and decided to pursue a mechanical engineering degree at Lipscomb. When it came time to consider where to go to college, Plunkett came to Lipscomb’s Summer Scholars Program and took an Introduction to Engineering class. She even had an opportunity to help with social media when the men’s basketball team went to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history in March 2018. Plunkett would present her father a college football recap “show” to catch him up when he returned home from work.Īs a senior at Lipscomb Academy, Plunkett could often be found in the Lipscomb University athletic office shadowing the communications staff and volunteering to do various tasks. She also had a special notebook where she kept copious notes about college basketball and other important details to keep handy. When he had to work on Saturdays and missed watching a day's games, Plunkett grabbed a whiteboard and drew up what had happened during the day. As a young girl, Erika Plunkett and her father spent hours watching college sports together on nights and weekends.

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