For Jackson Overholt, Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) was the natural choice in his search for a college. He was looking for three things: a Christian university, a sports broadcasting program, and a cross-country team to compete on—all of which he found at PBA.
Jackson graduated with the class of 2022 from Lakeland Christian School (LCS) in his hometown, Lakeland, Florida. He had remarkable athletic success competing on LCS’s track and cross-country teams, earning All-County Honors his junior and senior year of high school. His passion for running is largely what led him to PBA.
“I met with the cross-country coach and really liked who he was as a person,” Jackson said.
This was a key moment in his college search, and after meeting with his future coach, Jackson decided that the University was exactly what he was looking for.
Navigating Academics and Athletics
Now, only three years later, on Friday, May 9, Jackson, who demonstrated exceptional academic and athletic performance, will graduate a year early from PBA with a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Broadcasting.
As a collegiate athlete, Jackson successfully juggled his academic and athletic responsibilities, earning a place on the Provost’s list his freshman year and on the Athletic Director’s List his sophomore year. He says that one of the most valuable skills he learned while attending PBA was simply the ability to navigate various different responsibilities.
“I learned how to deal with all sorts of people and schedules and all kinds of tasks,” he shared. “From doing live broadcasting at games to writing papers for class, there was a wide spectrum of ways to learn and things to do.”
A Team Bond and Lasting Relationships
Being part of a team also made a lasting impact on Jackson, as he formed friendships with his teammates and interacted with different people at the schools where he competed.
After graduating, he plans to continue pursuing a career in sports broadcasting as he works with The Lead Sports Media, doing stats for live professional and college sporting events. Eventually, he hopes to either work with a sports broadcasting network or to do sports media coverage for a college.
“Ultimately, I’d love to run a youth sports camp or do broadcasting for the Olympics,” Jackson said of his aspirations after he gains experience in his industry.
PBA’s sports broadcasting degree prepares students to deliver action-by-action visual and audio commentary on some of the most exciting moments in sports. Each semester, students can expand their skills in the hands-on sports broadcasting lab and in specialized courses for producing live sports, sports documentaries, news reporting, and more Additionally, students can partner with the Sailfish Sports Network, the campus-run streaming service for all major PBA Division II athletics competitions. Students gain hands-on experience directing a multi-camera broadcast, operating top-notch equipment, providing play-by-play commentary, and doing more behind-the-scenes production work for PBA’s baseball, basketball, lacrosse, softball, soccer, and indoor volleyball home games.
To learn more about PBA’s sports broadcasting program, click here.
