Student Spotlight: Turning a Passion for Sports into a Career

For many students, college is a time to discover passions and explore career paths. For Valenti journalism student Maanav Gupta, that journey started with a love for sports and a bold vision for turning that passion into a profession.

"I really like watching sports, and I like the profession of seeing people just be able to talk about sports for a living. I thought that maybe I can make that my career," he said.

His path from fan to aspiring journalist wasn’t a traditional one.

"From a fan to try to make my career out of it," he said.

Gupta’s journey began in high school, where he created a YouTube channel dedicated to sports content. But what really set him apart was his fearless approach to networking.

"In my senior year of high school, the first person who responded to me was Rich Eisen... and that ended up being a big success for me in terms of growing my Twitter and my YouTube," he said.

His strategy? Direct messages.

"I DM’d them on Twitter and told them my story. Sometimes they wouldn't respond, but other times they would," Gupta said.

When it came time to choose a university, the decision to stay in Houston and attend UH was influenced by a legendary broadcaster.

"One of the biggest reasons I was interested in UH was because I saw that Jim Nantz went to UH, he was someone I’ve always really looked up to," Gupta said.

Once at UH, he found a supportive and enriching environment at the Valenti School..

"The intro to sports broadcasting class with Jerry Cipriano was really beneficial, even for students not in sports," he said.

Gupta’s enthusiasm for learning continues, as he plans to take an advanced sports broadcasting class next semester.

Through persistence and passion, he’s interviewed some of the biggest names in sports.

 "My favorite interview was with Jose Altuve at Minute Maid Park. He was so welcoming, polite, and down-to-earth. That helped me gain confidence," he said.

Other standout moments include interviews with prominent members of the sports community.

"I interviewed Ernie Johnson. He gave me great advice and shared a lot of great stories," he said. "Then it was J.J. Watt, I reached out on Twitter, and he gave me a few minutes to chat when he was with the Cardinals."

These experiences have shaped his approach to sports journalism.

"In sports, you have to make your own impression. You have to be willing to go out there and do it yourself because they're not gonna follow up with you," Gupta said.

Looking ahead, he’s excited about the future.

"I’d love to stay in Houston because I love the sports market here and have a lot of connections, but I’m open to any opportunities in sports, even with teams he said"

Through determination, creativity and a love for sports, Gupta is well on his way to making his dream career a reality.