AAJA Students Score ESPN NEXT Production Summer Internship
Whether it’s cheering courtside at a women’s basketball game or shooting football film from the Kenan Memorial Stadium sideline, Trisha and Navin share a lifelong passion for sports. Trisha, a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Austin and Navin, a rising senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, both landed summer production internships with ESPN NEXT — a program dedicated to growth and professional development in the sports industry.
During their time as student journalists, both Trisha and Navin joined the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) to connect with a community that shared similar experiences and an interest in sports storytelling.
“I’ve always loved how sports bring emotion, community and culture together in a way few other things can,” Trisha said.
Navin identifies ESPN as the leader of amplifying diverse voices in sports and appreciates how anyone can tell their story to a global audience.
Throughout their collegiate journeys, both incoming interns networked with ESPN Producer Howard Chen, who also serves as CPO of AAJA’s Sports Task Force. Navin touched base with Howard after an unsuccessful internship recruiting cycle and was advised to gain even more valuable field experience and reapply for this summer.
“I was able to learn more about the position, the general sports industry, and any guidance or advice to land a sports internship through coffee chats with several AAJA members, including Howard,” Navin explained. “With my gained experience I was offered the position.”
Trisha’s time with AAJA and support from Howard helped her break into the sports media industry with an AAJA-funded scholarship and internship based in New York City last summer. This gave her a confidence boost in her early career that she’s carrying with her to ESPN.
Trisha and Navin offered pieces of advice for young sports journalists looking to carve a path in the industry.
“Stay genuinely curious and never be afraid to try new things,” Trisha said. “Some of the best experiences I had in college came from taking risks and stepping outside of my comfort zone, whether that meant covering sports I wasn’t completely familiar with yet or taking on opportunities that challenged me as a storyteller.”
Both incoming interns agree that building relationships with peers, editors and mentors is an important part of the success process in the sports journalism industry. Navin recommends that students should reach out to industry professionals during their college careers, even if it’s asking for just five minutes of their time.
“You don’t have to know everything right away,” Trisha said. “Being open-minded, adaptable and excited to improve will take you much further than trying to have all the answers from the start.”
You can connect with recruiters and ambassadors from ESPN at AAJA 2026 from June 24 - 28 in Minneapolis.
