Cassie Carlson (MEDIA ‘17) stands along the sidelines at Soldier Field on a biting fall day. As the players and fans are enrapt in the Chicago Bears game playing out before them, Carlson is preparing for this evening when she’ll report for Chicago’s FOX 32. As the roaring wind competes with the cheering crowd, she’s taking notes, memorizing stats, and writing down questions for her post-game interviews. Her time to shine begins when the game ends.

Carlson’s love of sports is rooted in her family. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago a skilled club soccer and club volleyball player, watching Sunday football games with her dad and following the Chicago Blackhawks who were dominating the National Hockey League at the time. Carlson was pulled in by Sarah Kustok, the ringside reporter for the Blackhawks. “She made me feel like I was closer to the team,” said Carlson. “All I could think was, how cool of a job is that?”

When it came time to make a career choice, journalism seemed to fit and the University of Illinois a fortuitous home. She will never forget one of her first interviews for class. “I forgot to mic up head volleyball coach Kevin Hambley and, mid interview, thought, ‘Oh my gosh I don’t have a microphone on him!’ But I couldn’t stop the interview. So, I had to just make it work,” she said.

Illinois gave the most practical experience because you are learning in an operating newsroom.

Cassie Carlson

Some may call that a mistake, but for Carlson it was energizing. “I fell in love with the process. It was creative, it was fun; it didn’t feel like work.” Her storytelling craft blossomed as she gained experience working for Big Ten Network Student U Productions and for Fighting Illini Productions.

Looking back, she credits Illinois with readying her for the field. “When you step into a newsroom—especially in a small market with all recent college grads—it is really evident how prepared you are for your first job,” she said. “Illinois gave the most practical experience because you are learning in an operating newsroom. It puts you above and beyond a lot of other people when you’re starting out.”

There have, however, been those who tried to sow doubt. Carlson recalls twice when colleagues told her she wouldn’t make it in sports, that she wouldn’t make it in a big market. But as she took professional roles across the country, she drew strength from her time as a competitive athlete.

At the stadium, as she waits for the camera to be set up, she can hear the raucous sounds from the locker room behind her. At the cameraperson’s signal, she’s ready to bring people off the couch and into the game with her. Carlson’s signature smile exudes a shared passion for her hometown team. She’s not just reporting. She’s giving voice to the legions of fans on the other side of the screen.