Choosing a major can feel like a big decision—one you’re expected to have figured out before even setting foot on campus. For many students, that pressure is all too familiar. Grace Lamberto, now a junior majoring in Communication and Rhetoric with a minor in Film and Media Studies, knows that feeling well. Her journey to finding the right academic path has been one of exploration, discovery, and solid networking.
“I came into [Pitt] intending to major in Film and Media Studies,” Lamberto said. “After taking a few classes my freshman year, I kind of realized that I didn’t really love the filmmaking aspect of the major, and I knew I wanted a change.”
Having grown up loving sports and knowing that she wanted sports and sports media to be something she could pursue professionally, Lamberto made the switch to Communication.
“I had known my whole life that I wanted to work in sports in some capacity, so when I decided I wanted to change my major I found that switching to Communication would be the best fit,” Lamberto said. “That was something I never thought I would do because I felt like all I ever heard people say about Communication is that it is the ‘easy major,’ but is truly so well rounded and provides people with so many possibilities in so many different fields.”
Since making this initially daunting switch, Lamberto has found her place in the sports communications and media community, having the opportunity to work with the Pitt ACC network team, explore broadcast journalism at the weekly YouTube live broadcast Pitt to the Point, and intern for SportsNet Pittsburgh as well as the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Reflecting on her experience with the ACC network specifically, Lamberto has enjoyed being part of the team throughout her college journey.
“As soon as I got to school my freshman year, I emailed the broadcast video production team for the ACC network at Pitt asking about any opportunities they have,” Lamberto said. “I was able to start volunteering there throughout my freshman year and was then offered a position in their production internship program for my sophomore year.”
Lamberto still works with the ACC network to this day and has had the chance to take up higher level positions while still in school. She credits the experience with exposing her to many aspects of real-world communication environments.
“Working [with the ACC network] definitely taught me a lot more about the office aspect of games and sports media in general that you don't really think about,” Lamberto said.
Outside of her internship and work experiences, Lamberto has found that the communication departments core curriculum itself, specifically the course Mass Communication and Society (COMMRC 320), has been extremely eye opening as to what working in real life media environments entails.
“I’m taking Mass Comm and Society right now, and I have noticed when [my professor] is teaching, many of the concepts we are learning in class apply directly to the work I do outside of school,” Lamberto said. “We have been talking a lot about conglomerates that run different news stations, which is something I noticed applies to work I do for Pitt to the Point since we are a CBS owned station so we can’t use footage from other news networks. It’s really interesting that in class we talk about things I get to see play out in real life every day.”
Lamberto urges students wishing to gain real world communications work or internship experiences to do everything in their power to get their name out there.
“The most important thing that you can do for yourself is to take action, understand the value of networking, and really try and get your name out there,” Lamberto says. “I am always looking to see if any of my professors, advisors, or even other students have any connections at places I apply to because you never know how people may be able to connect you to others.”