Iona University Alumna Mary Omatiga ’19MA Living Out the Iona Mission as Writer at NBC Sports Group
Mary Omatiga ’19MA found her passion in bridging the gap between fans and their favorite sports teams and athletes through content creation and storytelling.
She is a writer at NBC Sports Group and has been for almost five years. Some of her responsibilities include writing stories about topics of significance to NBC Sports and diving deeper into more human-interest approaches to content for existing sports blogs.
Prior to her role at NBC, the Ossining native worked as a digital content student associate at MSG Network Inc. and worked in event presentation and production for the New York Knicks and Rangers at Madison Square Garden. She graduated from Iona College in 2019 with a master's degree in Sports Communication and Media.
“Don’t let the feeling of being different silence you or diminish you, but let it fuel you,” Omatiga said. “You are intelligent. You are talented. You are capable and you are worthy of being in every room that you set foot in. Don’t adapt to the energy in the room, influence it.”
Omatiga has acquired a wide variety of skills including social media, on- and off-camera interviewing, newsgathering, digital media, on-air hosting SEO strategy, content ideation and storytelling. For Omatiga, it all began at Iona.
Omatiga reflects on her time at Iona and how it has gotten her to where she is today.
How did Iona prepare you for your career?
I wouldn't be here today without my time at Iona. The Sports Communication and Media graduate program really gives you the most well-rounded classes and experiences to make you as marketable as you can be. The professors are some of the best in the field and are people that I still keep in contact with to this day for advice and feedback. Mike Damergis and Joe D'Aloisio go above and beyond for the students and make sure students are aware of internships and job opportunities to get their careers going.
What do you love most about your job?
Representation is something that is so important to me and as a writer; I have the unique opportunity to champion diverse stories every day through athlete interviews. My priority with interviews and the work that I do is making sure that athlete stories are told well. I get to make sure that the athlete feels not only seen and heard but that their story was told accurately. I also love helping fans feel more connected to their favorite athlete. The biggest reward is telling stories that readers can resonate with – making the audience feel encouraged and represented.
What is a piece of advice you would give to students?
First, don't let your talent take you where your character can't keep you. At the end of the day, no one is going to remember you for the really great story that you published or how much money you were able to bring in for the company, but they'll remember how you treated them – how you made them feel. Be kind always because that will take you further than your talents ever can. Secondly, don't be afraid to carve out your own path and be vocal about what you want. If opportunity doesn't knock, then you build the door.