Debreasha Powe . Communication: Broadcast and Digital Journalism

My name is Debreasha Powe. I am twenty years old; I am currently a senior at Mississippi State University; however, I am a junior when it comes to being a collegiate athlete. I play for the women’s basketball team here at State and have played here since my freshman year. My major is Digital communication and Sports Broadcasting/Journalism.

The reason I chose this major is because I truly do enjoy sports. Being an athlete my whole entire life, sports has been something that I have always known. So, when it came to looking into what I wanted my career to be I knew that with broadcasting I could still be around all sports once I was done playing. Also, I want to be a sports analyst as well as a sports reporter, so with that comes journalism which is pretty interesting to me.

The one thing I really love about my concentration is being able to be put in uncomfortable situations and see myself grow and get better. When I first started my reporting voice was terrible as well as I struggled with B-roll and my writing would be very plain. However, with each assignment I continue to grow and just continue to work on perfecting my craft each and every day. As well as that I truly love being able to go out and work with other people, going to different events, and being able to just share the stories of others.

Lately, another thing I have grown to love is being in front of the camera as a reporter. When I started, I was okay with being behind the camera because I was so used to being the person that was being interviewed, so when the roles were reversed, I struggled really hard. I would stutter and my pronunciation was all over the place. However, as each assignment went by, I learned to really just take my time when speaking. Also, preparation is key; I have to start early and re read over things so that I know what to say and how I need to say it.

One project I did for class that I loved was when I did my first second feature story. It was on Victoria Vivians, who is currently on our coach staff. She was a star player here at Mississippi State and lead her team to the final four back-to-back years in 2017-18 and 2018-19. This project really challenged my creative side and pushed me to really think outside of the box with how I could tell her story within two minutes. Although it was a challenge, I was able to really put together something special and it ended up coming out really good.

One of the lessons that I learned from doing that project is to be willing to ask for help. I needed to know how to incorporate some of her old film clips into premier pro without messing up all of my clips. To do this, I went and asked one of our camera workers who knows how to use premier pro, and he showed me the ends and outs of how to go on YouTube and download the clip and then added and adjusted the video to my clips I already had. Overall, it was a process, but I am glad I did not try to rush through the editing part.

My favorite out of writing, video, and photography, would be either video or writing. I enjoy taking pictures but it’s not really one I would prefer. I love to write, although I do struggle with getting started. Once I get started, it's hard for me to stop. Videoing is pretty cool too. I must truly make time and fit it into my schedule because basketball does take so much time. Also, with video, I’m starting to get better by showing different angles and making sure include the different shots of wide and close up shots.

Honestly with this class I am just interested in learning and expanding my knowledge in every way I can. I know that this class involves coding, which I learned to really like due to digital com. So, I feel like this experience will be interesting and I know that at times it will be challenging but I am looking forward to it.

My career plans are something that is very important to me. Like I stated earlier, I really want to be a sports analyst, and a sports reporter. However, I do aspire to play professional basketball in the WNBA. That has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. I also want to get into modeling for brands. Fashion does excite me and just learning what is my style and what has been fun to do.

These are just a few facts about me. I think that for this semester my goal is to be discipline, stay consistent, and continue to grow in any and every way I can. I love broadcasting and I am willing to expand because I know that every detail matters to put together that perfect production for our viewers to see.

Email me at dp1670@msstate.edu with any questions