Though she’s an experienced photographer, being on assignment for Unlimited Sports and the Daily Nebraskan has put sophomore Izzy Lewis in some unique — and occasionally daunting — situations.
Covering the Husker opener at Arrowhead Stadium was certainly one of those weighty situations for Lewis.
“Stepping into the stadium where the Kansas City Chiefs play, I kind of felt like the pressure was on,” Lewis said. “I remember thinking, ‘Okay, I really need to lock in.’”
Thankfully for Lewis, the pressure is part of the thrill of photography. Whether it’s covering the nearest stop of Chappell Roan’s tour or catching the game-winning buzzer beater at a state basketball game, she says her College of Journalism and Mass Communications professors have taught her to feel confident and prepared for whatever comes her way.
“Our professors tell us to always act like we know what we're doing and not be freaked out that we're ‘just students,’” she said. “Having them tell us that we deserve to be in these situations as actual journalists with a job to do has really stuck with me and given me a lot of confidence.”
That confidence has helped Lewis grow as a leader in Unlimited Sports, the student-run sports media outlet in the college’s Experience Lab. Stepping in to a new role as a student lead this fall, Lewis helps manage the inflow of stories from more than 100 student journalists.
“Each student has a minimum of five stories each semester, so it’s a lot," Lewis said. "Being flexible and figuring out what works best for each student has been something that’s really helped me in the role.”
Adaptability comes naturally to Lewis, stemming from the need to think on her feet as a photographer. It’s also helped her as a student.
“I’m constantly learning — and, if I don’t know how to do something, there are so many amazing professors and talented peers I can lean on to help me figure it out.”
