Blaine Grisak

Current Position: Staff Writer at TurfShow Times

Story Last Updated: Summer 2024

Choosing GMercyU wasn't an easy decision. Coming from Montana, it meant leaving everything I knew thousands of miles behind me. However, it was the moment that I went on my first visit and GMercyU welcomed me with open arms that I was certain it was the place for me. It felt like home away from home.

Coming to GMercyU, I had always seen myself going into sports writing. In fact, for my senior project, I wrote a story that got published in a magazine on the NFL Draft. In the story, I interviewed big names like NFL Draft analyst Charles Davis and Super Bowl winner Dick Vermeil.

While I had my successes in writing, GMercyU also showed me there was more that I could do with a Communication degree. I interned with the Philadelphia Freedoms professional tennis team as a social media intern during my sophomore year. Then I interned with 97.5 The Fanatic as an assistant producer my junior year. These were two things I never saw myself doing until I came to GMercyU.

All of my professors and coaches were great. However, Dr. Chakars and my tennis coach Jim Holt really stood out. If I could go back and take one more class, I would take one with Dr. Chakars.

Every day was a new, unforgettable experience and he made sure to challenge you. He really embraced me and made sure to help me whether it was finding an opportunity with an internship or critiquing my writing.

Coach Holt welcomed me into his family with open arms. He always made sure I had a place to go on holidays because he knew I was far from home. Not only did he make me a better player on the men's tennis team, but he always assured me that I had made the right decision coming to Pennsylvania. I also want to give a shoutout to Nick Schaefer in the Career Development Center. He helped me perfect my resume and with my job search.

The sports industry is competitive. After graduating, finding a steady job wasn't easy. The summer after I graduated, I was the Digital Media Manager with the Philadelphia Freedoms. Two months after their season ended, I got hired by The Germantown Academy as their Sports Information Assistant, but only part-time. I had to deliver pizza in Manayunk on the side. From people that I talked to during my job search, they always told me not to commit to one area and that you have to be open to moving. Between August and March I applied and interviewed for jobs in Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York and didn't get them. Even though it was disappointing, I kept applying and finally applied for a job with CBS. It wasn't until the interview that I realized the job was all the way in California.

Right now, I am an Associate Content Producer with CBS Interactive in San Diego, California. I have a group of 30 athletic programs that include Baylor, South Carolina, TCU, Gonzaga, Johns Hopkins, Boise State. These programs come to us to design and help put information on their website whether it be a schedule, add a photo gallery from the previous game, or add a recap. I deal with a lot of HTML code which is something I didn’t have any experience with and never really saw myself doing but l learned in the training process and absolutely love what I do. Our office has a ping pong table and a mini putting green to work on our golf game and then ESPN is on the TV all day. It really doesn't get much better.

While working for a company like CBS is a great accomplishment, this is not my ultimate goal. At some point I'd like to be a Sports Information Director for a D1 athletic program and with the connections that I'm making at my current job, I am confident that I will get there. Just hoping for my next job, I don’t have to make a third cross country road trip.