Alumni Spotlight

  • Rachel Caulfield

    Mar 28, 2016 3:00 pm by ennes2@illinois.edu
    1. Name (First and Last)


    Rachel Caulfield



    1. Twitter


    2. LinkedIn



    Employment Info




    1. Employer


             ESPN



    1. Title/Occupation


             Content Editor



    Academic Info




    1. Graduation Year (list as "Month Year")


    2. Major
Broadcast

             Journalism



    1. Minor and/or Certificates



    Other Stuff




    1. Hometown


    2. Hobbies



    Career Information & Advice


    1. What are your job responsibilities/duties?


             Editing video for ESPN's shows including SportsCenter, NFL Live, Mike and Mike, and others.



    1. What does a typical day look like?


           Working with our production team to edit video for each show of the day, usually 40 clips per show, 2-3 shows a day. Clips vary from game highlights - which require speed editing, to more longform work like montages and features. Lots of communication with production assistants and fellow editors.



    1. What do you most enjoy about your job?


         The people I work with, it's a family. It's a solid group of people that have a real passion for sports and media.



    1. What is the most difficult aspect of the job?


           Pressure to create a perfect product.



    1. What on-campus activities were you involved with? Where did you gain relevant experience?


           I worked for Illini Productions as a videographer for all U of I's major sporting events. That led me to the job I have now.



    1. How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your professional life? For this specific position?


         Illinois gave me a great moral compass as a journalist - I reject assumption and insinuation because of it. I use that compass as an editor every day.



    1. What advice do you have for students interested in this field?


         You have to really want it. You have to push yourself to be better. People in this field don't work for money, their work fulfills them.



    1. What is one thing that you know now that you wish you had known when you started in the field? When you graduated from the College?


       How adamant you have to be to make it into media. Determination and a willingness to learn is what you really need. That will serve you better then the bullet points on your resume.



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