Even if you have not met Holly Hodge, you likely know her work.

As �鶹��Ƶ’s director of interior design in the Department of Planning, Design & Construction Management, Hodge helps to create spaces where campus life unfolds, from classrooms and offices to gathering spaces and student-centered environments. She oversees the interior design process on facility additions or renovations, from furniture and budgeting to construction coordination, installation and project completion.

In celebration of both professional excellence and meaningful leadership within the interior design community, Hodge was honored this fall by the Association of University Interior Designers with its inaugural PlaceMaker Award.

Through shared resources, collaboration and professional development opportunities, the AUID helps its 183 members advance the practice of interior design on college and university campuses while inspiring innovation and strengthening the profession.

“Throughout her career, our PlaceMaker has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to creating thoughtful, innovative and inspiring environments that support learning, foster community and enhance the student experience,” said Melissa Marriott, past president for AUID, in presenting the award in Atlanta at the conference held at Georgia Institute of Technology. “From transformative student-centered projects to award-winning learning and academic spaces, Holly has consistently created environments that balance functionality, innovation, institutional identity and a strong sense of place.”

Hodge said that interior design has a lasting influence on how people learn, work, connect and experience a place. “AUID is special because it gives higher education designers a community where we can learn from one another, celebrate successes, navigate challenges and continue advancing the profession together,” she said.

Brad Moore, �鶹��Ƶ’s associate vice president for facilities and chief facilities officer, described Hodge as one who collaborates with community partners to promote the university’s mission to create exciting and sustainable spaces.

“What distinguishes Holly’s leadership is her ability to connect the day-to-day work of facilities with the larger mission of the university,” he said. “She understands that our work is about much more than delivering projects; it is about creating spaces that allow our community to learn, live, and thrive.”

Hodge said that AUID is a powerful community she feels fortunate to contribute to, learn from and call so many of its members her friends. “This award is truly meaningful to me because it reflects not only my work,” she added, “but also the relationships and community that make this profession so rewarding.”

With Rotary’s support, Ecker is currently earning her Master of Science in Food Security from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland so she can fulfill her mission of strengthening local and global food systems through sustainable, ecological practices.

Ecker is the eighth �鶹��Ƶ student in six consecutive years to receive District 7690’s Rotary Club’s Global Grant; the only recipients since 2021 have been �鶹��Ƶ students and alumni. She follows Faith Leslie ‘21, Allison Potter ’22, Kiara Hunter ’23, Megan Curling ’23, Ava de Bruin ’23, Nazaneen Shokri ’24, and Holly Miranda ‘20. All recipients since 2022 have had at least one major in public health, a testament to the Department of Public Health’s ability to successfully prepare leaders who address the most pressing public health concerns of the 21st century.

This opportunity is not limited to public health majors, though, and all interested �鶹��Ƶ students and alumni should contact the National and International Fellowships Office for more information about the application process. Applications will be due in mid-December, and the office will start supporting applicants in early November.

An undergraduate experience ‘rooted in collaboration’

Ecker arrived at �鶹��Ƶ as a Teaching Fellow prepared to major in elementary education, but everything changed for her after taking one course: Introduction to Public Health. She started to observe the intersections between education and public health and realized that a career in the field would allow her to meaningfully combine her interests. Soon after, she declared a double major in public health and international & global studies with a minor in French and joined the Global Partnership Scholars Program (formerly the Periclean Scholars Program) to put her newfound passion into practice.

As a Global Partnership Scholar, an experience she calls “an honor and one of the most meaningful parts of [her] �鶹��Ƶ experience,” Ecker spent three years learning about building ethical partnerships locally and abroad. She traveled to Jamkhed, India twice to work on the Comprehensive Rural Health Project, and served as a peer mentor to a younger cohort of scholars traveling to Sri Lanka. These experiences, paired with Ecker’s semester abroad in Denmark, helped shape her into an ethical, global citizen.

In addition to her international experiences, Ecker also knew she wanted to complete undergraduate research to make a long-term impact locally. Under the mentorship of Scott Morrison, professor of education, Ecker worked extensively with the , a grassroots organization in a historically Black Burlington neighborhood. Founded in 2017 by Lydia Jones and Joyce Moore, MCG’s mission is “to educate, empower and encourage individuals through acts of service and giving.”

Ecker’s project included two years of Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR), an approach that makes community members equal partners in the research process. She spent months attending community meetings, volunteering at the garden, and surveying residents to understand their needs. Ecker then worked in partnership with Morrison and Ashlie Thomas—a gardener, author, and nutrition scientist—to create “Rooted Together,” a free eight-week program for children in Morrowtown that combined gardening, literacy, math and nutrition lessons. She also worked to co-create service-learning opportunities so more �鶹��Ƶ students can get involved with the garden in the future.

“Bringing more professors and students to the table to support Morrowtown and its garden reflects the importance of putting the ‘co’ in collaboration,” she said.

In addition to these impressive achievements, Ecker also served as the co-president for the French Honors Society and an �鶹��Ƶ 1010 Peer Educator. She credits her successes to her wide range of �鶹��Ƶ mentors.

“I am fortunate to have mentors across public health, education, engineering, environmental science, French, and the International & Global Studies Program,” she said. “My primary mentor, Dr. Morrison in the School of Education, profoundly influenced my �鶹��Ƶ experience. My interest in food systems began with our research project, and his mentorship is part of the reason I am pursuing a master’s in food security. Equally as important, Molly Green, Amanda Tapler, Scott Wolter, Jacob Rutz, Sophie Adamson, Olivia Choplin, Mussa Idris, Waseem Kasim and Andrea Sinn also shaped my undergraduate experience through a deeply interdisciplinary lens. They continuously supported and challenged me to reach my full potential, and I would not be where I am today without their mentorship.”

An alignment of values

With these rich experiences under her belt, it only made sense that Ecker would continue to pursue advanced education in the field of public health, which is how she discovered the Master of Science in Food Security at The University of Edinburg, a program that combines foundational training alongside valuable international fieldwork placements. Ecker knew this was the next best step for her but needed support to make it a reality.

By working with the National and International Fellowships Office, Ecker learned about the Rotary Global Grant and the natural ways it aligned with the work she’d already done.

“I was motivated to apply because Rotary’s values and goals align closely with my own values and academic aims,” she explained. “I found a scholarship and a community that truly values serving others, which is what I have tried to do through my work with the Morrowtown community and my on-campus leadership. I chose Rotary because it supports selfless future leaders and global citizens who will make an impact.”

This alignment was also clear to the Piedmont District 7690 Rotary Club, and after a rigorous application and interview process, Ecker heard the news she’d been hoping for: she was the next recipient of the $30,000 grant. Now, Ecker is in the second month of her graduate studies at Edinburgh.

“I am thoroughly enjoying my modules. I am taking two core modules, Frameworks to Food Systems and Sustainability in Food Production, along with an elective called Sustainable Entrepreneurship. It has been amazing to finally study the theories, history, and vulnerability assessments of food security in depth, while also learning about the entrepreneurial and business side of the food system,” she said.

Looking ahead, she is eager to complete her dissertation project and an international field trip with her master’s cohort in April. While her dissertation ideas are still in development, Ecker hopes to focus on topics like sustainable business models in food systems or entrepreneurship and resilience in food-insecure communities. The international field trip will take place in Morocco, where she will learn about a new food system and visit international and local food security organizations.

Outside of the classroom, Ecker has loved exploring Edinburgh with her flatmates and members of the Rotary Club of Braids. One of the hallmarks of the Rotary Global Grant is the connections that are forged with local chapters so recipients feel welcomed and supported during their transition abroad.

“My Rotarian international hosts, Duncan, Paul, and Anne, have been a supportive community,” she said. “Duncan even picked my parents and I up from the airport when we arrived! My family was also invited to attend a Rotary luncheon to meet the Braids chapter. I could not think of a more wholesome welcome to a new country!”

While Ecker is still deciding what comes after the Master of Science program, she might go straight to work within international food security, or perhaps continue on to earn her PhD—her commitment to improving the lives of others is steadfast and clear. She is already well on her way to becoming precisely the kind of “selfless leader and global citizen” that Rotary International seeks to amplify.

“One time I took my parents, and they took a picture of me, and I said, ‘I will work here one day,’” Achey recalled.

She was right.

On Sept. 24, Achey joined Professional Writing and Rhetoric (PWR) students and faculty via Zoom in Alamance 318 to discuss her career in international publishing and offer advice to students hoping to enter the industry.

After graduating from �鶹��Ƶ, Achey struggled to find her first publishing job. Through �鶹��Ƶ’s Bridges program, she spent a summer in New York City networking with alumni and industry professionals. A connection she made over coffee eventually led to a position at book distributor Baker & Taylor, where she managed sales in Asia. Another professional relationship helped her land a job at Simon & Schuster in 2017.

Today, Achey manages international customers and helps bring English-language books to readers around the world. Her work takes her to major industry events, including the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany and the London Book Fair.

“When I was at �鶹��Ƶ, I absolutely loved my study abroad experience, so I really wanted to couple my love for reading with travel,” she said. “That’s what led me to international sales.”

Achey also introduced students to the changing landscape of publishing. She described how BookTok and other social media communities can generate sudden surges in book sales, recalling one title that sold roughly 1,500 copies overnight after gaining attention on TikTok. She also discussed the industry’s cautious approach to artificial intelligence, particularly AI-generated writing and artwork, while acknowledging the value of AI literacy for emerging professionals.

Throughout the conversation, Achey emphasized that publishing offers careers well beyond writing and editing, including sales, marketing, publicity, production and design. She credited her PWR education with helping her develop communication skills that remain essential to her work, particularly adapting her tone and approach for different audiences.

For students interested in publishing, Achey recommended following industry newsletters such as *Shelf Awareness* and *Publishers Lunch*, pursuing internships and attending readings and events at local bookstores. She encouraged students to connect with professionals on LinkedIn, maintain relationships with alumni and recognize the value of transferable skills gained outside the publishing industry.

Her own career, she explained, demonstrates why networking matters: both of her major career opportunities emerged from relationships she had cultivated.

“Keep immersed in the thing that you love,” Achey told students. “Whatever’s drawing you to the publishing industry, try to keep a part of that.”

She also urged students to take advantage of resources closer to home, including �鶹��Ƶ’s libraries, book clubs, Writing Center and PWR events. Her own Writing Center experience helped her develop the collaborative communication and problem-solving skills she continues to use professionally.

Nearly 12 years after graduating, Achey said her enthusiasm for books remains unchanged.

“I still love going in bookstores and seeing our books,” she said.

Connecting students with employers

Career fairs have been a major part of the Center’s fall programming, bringing students and employers together in one place.

The Fall 2026 Nursing Career Day, held on Sept. 1, welcomed 79 attendees and allowed nursing students to engage with organizations and professionals in their field. Just two days later, the Fall 2026 Student Employment Fair drew over 300 attendees, giving students opportunities to explore and connect with potential employers.

Over 400 students attended the Fall 2026 Job & Internship Fair on Sept. 17. There were numerous opportunities to learn about jobs and internships, which encouraged students to take an active role in exploring their professional interests and building connections that can extend beyond the classroom.

Exploring career possibilities

Career development doesn’t always happen at a career fair. Throughout September, the Student Professional Development Center hosted virtual sessions and employer tabling events, giving students additional ways to learn about different industries and organizations.

Students had the opportunity to participate in virtual sessions with Google on Sept. 15 and Wayfair on Sept. 23. Employer tabling events also brought in representatives from Spot Logistics and AlphaSights to campus on Sept. 16 and were followed by UDC Law on September 22nd.

These smaller-scale opportunities can be a great way for students to ask questions, learn about career paths and discover organizations that they may not have previously considered.

If these virtual events interest you, make sure you register for the event if it is required so you do not miss any important information! 

Building skills for the future 

Career preparation is about more than finding a job. It is also about developing confidence, knowledge and professional skills that students can carry with them throughout their careers.

On Sept. 24, the Love School of Business held its Sophomore Success event with the SPDC. This event brought in over 80 sophomores in the business field to interact with some of our professional advisors, as well as some parents of �鶹��Ƶ Students.

September concluded with a Fidelity Investments networking event on Sept. 29, where over 20 students had the opportunity to engage in a more personal networking environment on campus.

At the Honda Mobility Day on Oct. 1, over 90 students attended and had the opportunity to meet professionals representing areas such as engineering, supply chain and procurement, sustainability and environmental work. They were also able to explore Honda technology and equipment up close, talk with associates about the real-world projects they work on and learn about career paths across the organization.

The next opportunity could be the one that matters

With so many different events taking place throughout the semester, there is an opportunity for everyone, whether you are actively searching for an internship, exploring potential careers, looking for employment or simply trying to figure out what comes next.

You don’t have to wait until you are a senior to start building your professional network. You don’t need to have your career path completely figured out before attending a career event. Sometimes, a conversation with an employer or one question asked at a virtual event can help you discover an opportunity you had not considered.

Don’t hesitate to come into the Student Professional Development Center, located in Moseley 140, and ask for help to prepare for a fair, networking event or virtual session. Get started by booking an appointment through the �鶹��Ƶ Job Network for anything you may need related to your professional development, even if it is just a conversation between you and one of our career advisors.

Keep an eye out for upcoming events, go outside of your comfort zone and take advantage of the opportunities available to you! One of the best ways to stay up to date is by following us on one of our social media accounts:

Instagram: @eloncareers
X: @�鶹��Ƶ_Careers 
TikTok: @elon_careers 
LinkedIn: @eloncareerservices 

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out at careerservices@elon.edu. OR use the live chat box located on the SPDC website.

Since 2008, Study USA has enabled students to live, learn, and gain professional experience in dynamic cities nationwide. Its internship pathway, which helps students build career skills, explore professional interests and develop valuable networks, will remain a central part of the program.

The new pathway will allow students to pursue faculty-mentored research while experiencing life in a new city. Beginning this summer, students conducting research in New York City, Washington, D.C., or Los Angeles may apply through Study USA. Accepted students will complete the undergraduate research approval process and work with a faculty mentor during the spring semester to develop a research plan.

“The Undergraduate Research Program is thrilled to pursue this new collaboration with Study USA,” said Justin Clar, director of the Undergraduate Research Program. “The opportunity for students to engage in a high-impact practice in the real world can be transformative.”

This preparation will help students connect with professionals, organizations and resources in their host city. By combining Study USA’s immersive, place-based learning with faculty-mentored research, students can deepen their academic work while expanding their professional and personal networks.

“Study USA’s new undergraduate research pathway reflects �鶹��Ƶ’s commitment to diverse experiential learning opportunities,” said Nick Gozik, dean of global education. “By combining place-based learning with faculty-mentored research, students can make the most of what �鶹��Ƶ offers while engaging more deeply with their academic and professional interests.”

Organized by the Porter Family Professional Development Center, the Student Professional Development Center and the Office of Parent Engagement, the event gave students the opportunity to develop career-readiness skills, receive individualized feedback and begin building professional relationships.

For the first half of the event, students had the opportunity to rotate through five different professional development stations: resume review, LinkedIn audits, professional headshots, elevator pitch practice and internship course information.

At each station, a career advisor and an industry professional from the �鶹��Ƶ Parents Council were there to offer students guidance and provide valuable feedback.

The event was held before Family Weekend, which Nathalie Perez, assistant director of career services for the Porter Center, said was an intentional decision.

According to Perez, members of the �鶹��Ƶ Parents Council have been looking for opportunities to get more involved with students, and this was the perfect opportunity.

“It was wonderful to see students connect with �鶹��Ƶ parents and learn from their experiences.” Perez said. “The strong sense of community at �鶹��Ƶ is one of our greatest qualities, and Sophomore Success was a great example of how our community comes together to support students and their career development.”

With a wide range of majors represented from the Love School of Business, students were eager to engage with parents and faculty to improve their skills, and lines of students looking for feedback formed at several of the stations.

Leo Landau is a sophomore majoring in finance and entrepreneurship. He decided to attend the event for the professional networking opportunities it provided.

“It was valuable to talk with professionals in wealth management and real estate sectors to learn how they network at a professional level and gain trust with clients,” Landau said.

The second portion of the event opened to students from all class years for an hour of networking with �鶹��Ƶ parents and faculty members.

According to Amanda Traugutt, director of career services for the Porter Center, sophomore year is sometimes overlooked by students, when in reality, it is an important time in their career journey.

For students majoring in finance and accounting, recruiting for internships in the summer after their junior year typically begins in the fall of sophomore year.

“Internships are a critical part of every student’s professional development, and recruiting starts earlier than many students expect,” Traugutt said. “We created Sophomore Success to make sure our students have the resources, support, and connections they need as early as possible. Whether they’re already in the recruiting process or just getting started, the network they build now will support them for years to come.”

The event also featured a mock Superday track for finance and accounting majors.

A Superday usually occurs in the final stages of the hiring process and consists of multiple interviews with employees in various positions across a company. The process can be taxing, so this track was aimed at helping students in finance and accounting practice and prepare for the experience.

The event helped students of all years and majors plan for their future career journeys, and fostered connections between students, staff, faculty and parents at �鶹��Ƶ.

Related Articles

• Princeton Review ranks �鶹��Ƶ among nation’s best in 15 categories, including ‘Best Classroom Experience’
• �鶹��Ƶ earns place among Top 100 national universities, again ranked No. 1 for undergraduate teaching
• �鶹��Ƶ MBA named among Princeton Review’s Best Business Schools for 2027
• �鶹��Ƶ featured in The Princeton Review ‘Guide to Green Colleges’

The Princeton Review has named �鶹��Ƶ one of the nation’s best-value colleges in an annual publication for students and families seeking colleges where career preparation is a focus and relative affordability a consideration.

The Princeton Review chose 209 schools for its list. The selections were based on data from the company’s surveys of administrators at more than 650 colleges in 2025–26, its surveys of students attending the schools, and data from the   on school alumni career and salary statistics.

, students were quoted in a summary of feedback derived from survey responses:

“�鶹��Ƶ is all about providing ‘meaningful access to professors, research opportunities, internships, and leadership roles early…which allows [students] to explore their interests in practical, hands-on ways.’ The community—’everyone from the most esteemed professors to our incredible dining hall workers, to the student life staff, to our groundskeepers’—is described as ‘the most incredible support system’ and said to ‘want the best for all the students.'”

In all, The Princeton Review crunched more than 40 data points to tally ROI (Return on Investment) ratings of the colleges which informed the selection of the schools and the project’s seven categories of ranking lists. The Princeton Review gave �鶹��Ƶ an ROI rating score of 88/99.

“We congratulate �鶹��Ƶ and all the exceptional institutions that made our ‘Best Value Colleges for 2027’ lists” said , editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “In our opinion, they are truly the most exceptional in the nation at delivering outstanding academics, affordable cost, and great career foundations. We recommend them highly to college applicants and we salute them for all they do to help students with need afford to attend them via comparatively low sticker prices and/or extraordinarily generous financial aid—all while providing an amazing college experience that’s worth every penny.”

The Princeton Review does not rank the Best Value Colleges on a hierarchical list, from 1 to 209. However, the project reports seven categories of ranking lists for distinctions from financial aid to career placement, each one ranking the top public colleges and top private colleges in the category.

The full list of Best Colleges for 2027, information on the project methodology, criteria for the ROI rating, and bases for the ranking lists is posted at .

�鶹��Ƶ The Princeton Review

 is a leading tutoring, test prep, and college admissions services company. Every year, it helps millions of college- and graduate school–bound students as well as working professionals achieve their education and career goals through its many education services and products. These include online and in-person courses delivered by a network of more than 4,000 teachers and tutors; online resources; a of more than 150 print and digital books published by Penguin Random House; and dozens of categories of school rankings. Founded in 1981, the company is now in its 45th year. The company’s brand, now in its 25th year, is one of the largest online tutoring services in the U.S. It comprises a community of thousands of tutors who have delivered more than 29 million tutoring sessions. The Princeton Review, headquartered in New York, NY, is not affiliated with Princeton University.

Gov. Josh Stein appointed Vickery to the Superior Court in Judicial District 31B, which serves part of Forsyth County, on Monday, Sept. 21. She fills the seat previously held by the Hon. David Hall, who retired from the Superior Court in July. She is also the county’s first female Superior Court judge.

Vickery has served as a District Court judge in Forsyth County since 2017, after voters first elected her in November 2016.

“I have loved my 10 years on the District Court bench and am excited to take that experience on to the Superior Court bench with me,” Vickery said. “As a member of �鶹��Ƶ Law’s charter class, I’m especially proud of how far my legal journey has taken me, from being part of �鶹��Ƶ’s very first class of law students to a decade of service on the District Court bench, and now to serving as the first female resident Superior Court Judge in Forsyth County.”

Before joining the bench, Vickery practiced family law for more than six years with Holton Law Firm in Winston-Salem. She is a North Carolina State Bar-certified specialist in family law and has taught as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University School of Law.

Vickery earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Western Carolina University before graduating from �鶹��Ƶ Law in 2009. Her 2016 election made her the first �鶹��Ƶ Law graduate elected to a judgeship.

Superior Court judges rotate among judicial districts, presiding over court sessions across North Carolina.

“I’m particularly excited to see fellow �鶹��Ƶ alums as I travel around the State to hold court,” Vickery said. “I am looking forward to this challenge and the opportunity to continue serving the people of North Carolina.”

Throughout the afternoon, students had the opportunity to meet directly with employers, learn more about different organizations and career fields, ask questions and make professional connections. The fair welcomed students from a wide range of majors and class years, giving them a chance to explore opportunities related to their current interests and fields they may not have considered previously.

Career fairs can be a valuable way for students to gain experience communicating with employers and practicing professional networking. For students who are actively searching for an internship or job, the event also provided an opportunity to learn about available positions and make connections that could continue beyond the fair.

The Fall Student Job and Internship Fair is one of the opportunities provided by the SPDC to help �鶹��Ƶ students prepare for their futures. Through events like this, the SPDC connects students with employers while helping them develop the skills and confidence needed to navigate the job and internship search.

Questions? Contact careerservices@elon.edu

can vividly remember the exhilaration of running onto the field this past weekend with the University of Pittsburgh football team, gimbal in hand, as more than 40,000 fans roared around him.

What happened next is a little hazier.

“I essentially blacked out on adrenaline for the first 10 minutes of game action,” Henneman laughed.

It was Henneman’s first game day working on the sidelines for Pitt football – and a surreal introduction to his new role as the program’s assistant director of creative content.

The �鶹��Ƶ alumnus was there to capture an up-close look at Pitt’s season-opening 59-14 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 5. Once the final whistle sounded, his responsibilities only grew. Henneman took the lead editing “” Pitt’s long-running video series that tells the story of a victory through behind-the-scenes content.

For Henneman, the assignment represented another milestone in a professional journey that has moved quickly.

His path to Pitt began shortly after his May 2025 graduation from �鶹��Ƶ, where he majored in journalism and built a portfolio that stretched well beyond traditional reporting.

As a student, Henneman worked with Rising Phoenix and �鶹��Ƶ Athletics video production. He also spent nearly two years interning with The Burlington School, chronicling its high-level prep basketball program. Following graduation, he continued sharpening his skills as a videographer with the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Those experiences ultimately led him to Pittsburgh.

In January, Henneman initially joined Pitt Athletics as an assistant director of video production, creating content across the university’s athletics programs. After six months, he accepted a position supporting Pitt football. But Henneman wasn’t quite ready to give up basketball.

He negotiated a hybrid role that allows him to remain the secondary video contact for Pitt men’s basketball.

“I couldn’t get myself to leave my basketball roots behind,” Henneman said.

Being a major content contributor for both programs, he said, is a “dream come true.” It has also brought considerably more responsibility.

While the football staff was away during July, Henneman filmed basketball summer workouts, helped lead the rollout of new NIL initiatives for Pitt Athletics, and traveled to New York City to cover volleyball standout Olivia Babcock at the Collegiate Women Sports Awards.

Then came football season.

When fall camp opened in August, Henneman’s days regularly stretched from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. He produced short-form content from daily practices and longer-form mic’d-up features while documenting the weeks leading into the season.

“Practically living in the facility gave me an eye-opening perspective of the upper echelon of college athletics.”

– Cap Henneman ’25

Amid that demanding schedule came one of his biggest opportunities.

At the end of fall camp, Henneman spent a week shooting and editing the “” his first true “passion project” since arriving at Pitt. The finished video was shown at the program’s kickoff luncheon and student bonfire pep rally, played on the stadium scoreboard before the season opener, and released on social media.

Creating a longer, storytelling-driven piece reminded Henneman of the projects he pursued at �鶹��Ƶ.

“It was refreshing to create a storytelling-centric piece that I could be proud of,” Henneman said.

That same approach carried into his first football Saturday.

After documenting Pitt’s season-opening victory, Henneman shifted almost immediately from capturing the story to assembling it. For “” he storyboarded the video and constructed its game-action sequences, working alongside colleagues who handled the introduction, graphics, color grading and sound effects.

There was also a tighter turnaround. The popular series, previously released on Wednesdays, was now due Monday.

“Despite the lack of social life and free time that football season brings, I can confidently say I am doing something that I truly love,” Henneman said. “I feel like I have found my footing within the creative team, and look to keep improving as the season moves forward.”