Name: Matt Villareal
Degree: Sports Media
Expected Graduation Date: May 2019
Matt Villareal knew he wanted a sports-driven career, and Oklahoma State University’s Sports Media Program seemed to rise above the rest.
Villareal’s college search came to a halt when he stumbled upon OSU. His hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, didn’t offer any type of sports media program like OSU, and he knew he had to jump at the opportunity.
Freshman year, Villareal lived on the media floor in Village C, one of the dormitories at OSU. Living on that floor with other media majors helped him form a strong community and allowed him to get involved early. Older students, classmates and professors encouraged Villareal to get involved as soon as possible. During his first few days on campus, he looked into all of his opportunities.
Villareal is involved in the Sports Media Club, The O’Colly and the Pioneer Media. He also works for the OSU Athletics Department as an assistant sports media information director. He is in charge of shooting and editing video for some of the OSU sports teams’ Twitter accounts. Baseball, tennis, wrestling, basketball and equestrian are those teams.
Before coming to OSU, Villareal didn’t have a lot of experience with the media side of sports. His professors and classes have taught him the necessary skills to succeed.
“I came to OSU not knowing a whole lot about sports media,” Villareal said. “Now, I have confidence that I can do it all. If I get asked to cover or shoot something, I know I can do it and do it well.”
Villareal said getting involved early is the best advice he can give. It is what set him apart from other students and built his confidence.
“I have learned the most through my experiences and involvement within my major,” Villareal said. “When you put yourself out there, people know your name and your face. This major is all about connections.”