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This feature is one of the many profiles we are doing to showcase our diverse CoSIDA membership during 2017 CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week. To see all the feature stories, please click HERE.
 

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Katie Gwinn Hewitt: University of Michigan
Assistant Director of External Relations and PR

by Tim Hanson, Rogers State Sports Information Director
CoSIDA Recognition Week Committee member

Joining the Michigan staff in 2015, Katie Gwinn Hewitt is the primary media contact for Big Blue women’s volleyball and baseball and the secondary contact for women’s basketball. She also is a member of the athletic department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

She received both her bachelor’s (communications management) and master’s (business administration) degrees from Saint Leo University. She jump-started her career at her alma mater, serving as an athletic communications intern then as manager of athletic communications and co-SAAC advisor from 2011-14 at the NCAA Division II school. Hewitt then stepped into high school teaching and was Saint Leo’s assistant director of career services before making the trek north to Ann Arbor and a return to athletic communications. 

Below, she talks about her varied career path, what motivates her, the popular Sparkles and Sports (sparklesandsports.com/) blog that she co-created with Oliva Coiro, and gives her perspective on serving in athletic communications.

 

Looking at your young career, what sparked your interest in athletics communications? How did you get your start?
I got my start working in the athletic department at my alma mater, Saint Leo University. I was a student-athlete that needed a small internship and asked my SID (Michael Farrant) if there was an opportunity for me to tackle some feature writing since my goal was to become a writer for Sports Illustrated. I was given the chance and ended up continuing to volunteer my time there even after my internship was finished, gaining more skills and eventually covering my own sports. The rest, as you could say, is history. 

 Who were some of your early influences in the profession? How have they helped shape your career?
The people I worked with at Saint Leo are some of the best — Taylor McGillis (now at Arkansas), Michael Farrant (now at Tampa Bay Sports Commission), Megan Hinners (at Rollins College) and Evan Ortiz (no longer in the business) taught me so much. I then worked at the University of Tampa with Tom Koble and Marc Jordan (Texas). Through every experience, I was able to learn more thanks to the people that I worked with.

You’ve been very open about your career path to Michigan, including your short time out of the profession as a teacher and in college student affairs. What advice would you give someone who might feel like you did after a setback in their career? Or for someone who is questioning their career path?
I would say to follow your heart. I was in a really bad place personally before I got out of college athletics and wasn't sure what I wanted from life. I knew that I needed to change my surroundings and that's when I fell back in love with this profession. The answer isn't always clear or immediate but it's there if you listen to yourself. 

How did the blog Sparkle and Sports come about? You've added a few “staff” contributors recently. How do you see the blog expanding in the future?
Olivia Coiro (East Carolina) and I met while working in the Sunshine State Conference and kept a close friendship once we both moved into Division I. One day we were talking about needing guidance, and realized that neither of us had a female mentor to talk to. We didn't even know any female SIDs who had faced some of the things we were facing. Thus, we decided to make a place where women could get advice on issues they might be facing. Our writers are both female and male, so we get both perspectives on the issues. We've gotten a lot of positive feedback since we started and will keep working hard to serve others in whatever ways we can.  
 

Sparkles and Sports coverages a wide range of topics, including some very personal. Where do you get some of your inspiration for your topics? And what's the feedback you receive from your readers?
Sharing some of the more personal thoughts and topics is pretty scary, but we know that if WE are going through something, then there is a good chance that someone is facing the same battles. Sometimes our inspiration comes from the things that are happening in our lives, and sometimes an idea just hits us out of nowhere.

Regardless, the feedback has been positive. We've gotten a lot of thank-you's from men and women alike, which is cool, because we know that even if our posts aren't relatable to men, then at least they can gain the perspective of what it's like to be a woman in this business. 

What have been some of your most meaningful accomplishments during your career?
There's not one specific thing or moment that stands out to me, but what makes me most proud is the relationships that I have with my student-athletes and coaches. Having great relationships is something I value greatly and work hard at, and it makes my job so fun. Feeling like I'm "part of the team" is the best feeling. 

What's been the most enjoyable part of your time in your time at the Michigan?
Without a doubt, I'd have to say working with some of the world's best student-athletes. Michigan is so well known for its academics, but to work with student-athletes that are smart, athletic and great all-around people is so special. The second-best thing is experiencing a new place. I'm from Florida and had never experienced fall or winter until I moved here. So cool!

What are your outside interest/hobbies, and how do you find time for them?
In my spare time (which is pretty rare because I travel with both of my volleyball and baseball teams), I enjoy reading, watching HGTV or true crime shows, and just hanging out with my husband and our two pets. We also recently bought a house so we often spend "free" time working on the yard or doing home improvement projects. 

What advice would you give to someone wanting to enter the business?
Work hard, work often, and always be willing to learn. No matter how recently you entered this business, there's always something that can be learned and being willing to learn is one of the most valuable characteristics of an employee.