BY SAM AKPAN – BCOMS ALUMNI
Completing my university degree last year was supposed to be the crowning moment after an arduous three years of studying. But it wasn’t.
I distinctly remember finishing my degree and feeling an ominous feeling. It was that lingering feeling of major uncertainty. Uncertainty about my future, my goals, my ambitions. While I knew I loved writing from my politics degree, enjoyed talking about football through my podcast, and loved sports through my amount of engagement with it, I wasn’t at all sure how I could mobilise any of that into my post-university level.
Looking desperately for advice, I remember messaging Mayowa Quadri, football journalist and presenter, asking him for advice in taking football content creation seriously, and he referred me to apply to the BCOMS programme. With nothing to lose, I thought why not, and when I was accepted onto the programme, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Fast forward a year now and the programme has taught me so much. Being privileged to listen and learn from great names in the industry like Felicia Pennant and Henry Winter helped show me how their amazing work and career paths were built off their dreams and ambitions. Having first-hand sports media experience with Arsenal, England, British Cycling and more offered me extraordinary moments and days I will never forget.
The programme has opened my eyes to so many ways of interacting and engaging with sports media. Emboldened with both the experience and the confidence I can break into this field long-term, I’m very excited to continue experimenting within commentary and journalism. The ominous uncertainty that once lingered is no longer, and I am thankful to all at BCOMS for giving me a chance to explore and entrusting me with opportunities to continue finding myself in an industry I knew nothing about before.
