For many students, choosing a college usually comes down to academics or location. For Olivia Korman, it took just 10 seconds on campus at Penn State to know she found home. 

“I fell in love with it immediately,” Korman said. “School spirit was really important to me. I’ve always loved sports, so having teams that students really rallied behind meant everything.”

Now a content associate at ESPN in Charlotte, North Carolina, Korman has turned that passion into a fast-growing career in sports media. In under three years, she’s moved from intern to production assistant to content associate, a journey she credits to the foundation she built at Penn State and her willingness to seize every opportunity.

After graduating from a small high school, Korman began her Penn State experience in the summer session program. That decision quickly paid off. An email from the Penn State Athletics video production team caught her attention, and she applied immediately.

By the beginning of the fall semester of freshman year, Korman began an internship in live sports video production.

“I always loved the behind-the-scenes side of things,” Korman said. “So it felt like a perfect fit.”

Korman made a habit of responding to nearly every opportunity that landed in her inbox. Whether it was from faculty, athletics, or various organizations on campus, Korman was determined to gain a well-rounded experience as she pursued sports journalism. 

One of her most memorable early career experiences came when she worked the Super Bowl with the Associated Press. While Penn State had prepared her technically, with experience in shooting, editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, and producing quick-turn videos, it was the magnitude of the event that introduced her to a new kind of pressure.

“Millions are watching, so you have to put aside the fact that it’s a huge event and just focus on your task,” Korman said. 

That ability to stay grounded would prove essential as she transitioned to national sports coverage.

As a student, Korman often covered Penn State Athletics from the field. One moment that stands out is from the 2022 White Out Game against Minnesota at Beaver Stadium.

While standing in front of a roaring student section with a microphone in hand, she attempted to capture the electric atmosphere. Communicating with producers in a packed production truck required quick thinking and sometimes a sense of humor.

“They told me if they really needed me, they’d just scream louder in my ear,” Korman said.

Another meaningful moment she recalled was her very first Penn State assignment: running replay for a women’s volleyball game. That experience sparked a love for replay work that shaped much of her path moving forward.

Today, her perspective on sports has shifted. While she still loves the game, she now watches with a producer’s eye by analyzing graphics, camera angles, and storytelling elements rather than simply cheering as a fan.

After graduating in 2023, Korman began her career at ESPN, working in college football, a sport she already knew well. She credits her rapid growth within the company to teamwork, initiative, and relationship building.

“It’s about learning the ESPN way of doing things,” said Korman. “But it’s also about building trust with producers.”

Each week, producers rely on Korman to turn loose concepts into polished, television-ready content. That means identifying the right highlights, structuring packages, and collaborating closely with editors.

Korman’s days often vary by sport and season. During football season, Mondays are spent reviewing footage and planning. Tuesdays are production meetings. By midweek, Korman is pulling clips and heading into edit sessions, where shaping 20-to 25-second video packages can take hours to perfect. Finally, Fridays often mean being on-call for last-minute needs.

Basketball season brings a different pace. With more than 1,100 games in a season, not every matchup gets extensive editing time. Still, Korman works behind the scenes, pulling clips, preparing sales elements, and supporting production teams however she can.

“It can take eight hours to produce a 22-second video package. Sometimes you spend three hours just finding the right clip, and it might not even air,” Korman said.

Today, Korman’s creative process is shaped by constant observation. She analyzes which camera angles translate best on television and what visual styles resonate with producers.

That time-intensive process has directly shaped the way she approaches storytelling and visual creativity in her current role.

“If I see something on TV that stands out, I’ll talk to my editor,” said Korman. “Can we replicate this? Can we build on that idea?”

For current Penn State students who dream of a career in sports media, Korman’s advice is simple: take advantage of everything. “Answer the emails. Apply for the internships. Don’t be afraid to try something new,” said Korman.

She also encourages students to experiment across different areas of sports, from marketing to social media to fan engagement, something she wishes she had explored more herself.

“Try every role in sports, because you never know what you’ll end up loving,” said Korman.