Destination Success | Thomas Hart | Watch HPU

Chapters & Transcript

0:00

Hi, I'm Thomas Hart. I graduated in 2022 from High Point University with a degree in sports media and I currently work as an associate director of live events at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut.

Working at ESPN has been a phenomenal experience. I mean, these are all shows that I watched growing up as a kid wanting to be involved with and it's, you know, truly amazing that, you know, 2 and a half years out of college, that's where I am. It's been kind of a dream come true, working uh on shows that I've always wanted to be a part of.

0:42

Ultimately what uh led me to High Point University with it came down to my parents had gone to a big state school with a big football program and it was between something I grew up going to every single week or something that I knew would be super beneficial to me over my four years.

Knew that I would have much smaller classes. I knew I would be really close with my professors throughout the four years and those people I still talk to today.

1:07

High Point mentorship to me was super accessible within the school of communication. I had multiple mentors, but one specifically being Joe Michaels, our broadcaster and residents at High Point.

What's great about him is not only does he have a wealth of knowledge, but also he directed the Today Show for 20 years.

So, he's got so much uh information about how this industry works. And a lot of things I learned from him over my four years here, I applied to my job today.

1:33

Those key experiences outside the classroom for me was uh Sports Link, our club on campus that broadcast every single ESPN plus game with hundreds of broadcasts a year.

That made me stand out when I was applying for jobs that I not only had experience of broadcasting on ESPN Plus, but I had worked with other freelancers, other students, and kind of knew how to run a broadcast.

1:51

The Qubein Arena has a control room that broadcast to all the sports facilities around campus. So, you have this incredible opportunity to broadcast at the highest quality games all over campus, but specifically, you know, concerts and basketball games inside the facility.

Even though High Point's not a big state school, you still have students that are very passionate about basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, and still very invested in rooting on their Panthers.

2:20

I think the biggest thing to take advantage of while you're here and once you leave is the alumni network. There's so many of us that are willing to help and willing to talk to anybody.

And it's always great to have a student reach out and say, "Hey, I just want advice on this or I just want to hear about your job."

Uh because at the end of the day, that was something I did. I wanted to reach out. I wanted to find other people to know, is this really the career I want to get into.

2:44

High Point quickly felt like home to me. Getting to know professors was a great thing, but also getting to know all the other students in class.

It's something you don't get at big schools with huge classrooms. It's really nice to always see kind of the same face, a smiling face, and someone that also knows your name.

3:04

High Point instilled the idea of professionalism from the start. How you conduct yourself in the studio or how you send an email properly.

Uh and that was what was so valuable to me that these are things that I learned my first day of freshman year that has carried me on throughout High Point University's call to action.

3:22

Choose to be extraordinary.

To me, that means putting yourself out there, getting to know other people and not really being within your shell.

Uh, one of the biggest things for me is really just trying to meet other people, say, "Hey, this is who I am and I want to learn from you."

Thomas Hart, who graduated from High Point University in 2022 with a degree in Sports Media, is now an Associate Director of Live Events at ESPN. He credits his success to HPU's small classes, dedicated faculty mentorship, and hands-on broadcasting experiences. Hart highlights the university's modern facilities, strong alumni network, and inclusive community as key differentiators from larger state schools. The HPU education instilled in him both professionalism and the principle of 'Choose to be Extraordinary.'

Destination Success | Thomas Hart

Destination Success | Thomas Hart

How does High Point University ensure career success?

Why choose High Point University over a state school?

What is faculty mentorship like at HPU?

What hands-on broadcasting experience does HPU offer?

What broadcast facilities are available at HPU?

How do students benefit from the HPU alumni network?

What is the campus community like at HPU?

How does HPU teach professionalism and life skills?

What does it mean to choose to be extraordinary at HPU?