Meet Meredith Syms, a high school senior with a growing passion for sports journalism. At just 18 years old, she is already progressing in this industry through her innovative storytelling and broadcasting perspectives.
As the Sports Editor for her school’s newspaper, The Choate News, Meredith covers more than just team results and statistics. She published a sports feature on the unique challenges student-athletes face during the pandemic and how it fundamentally changed Signing Day. She has also written numerous articles about the economic impacts of COVID on college sports and high school recruitment.
Through her interest in female representation and human performance in sports, this young woman is making a career for herself in sports journalism. Meredith’s biggest personal and professional goal is to be one of the top female sports journalism and broadcasting leaders. To make her dream a reality, she hopes to intern for a professional sports team.
Meredith’s journey to achieving her goal began when she reached out to Rise25 to launch the Sports Uppodcast. As part of its efforts to create professional connections, Rise25 offers the Dream100 ROI strategy, which helps individuals and businesses connect to their ideal collaborations, strategic partners, and clients.
To break further into this industry, Meredith has adapted Rise25’s strategy and developed a new innovative method for herself in the process. The Sports Up podcast features interviews with revolutionary female sports leaders sharing insights, advice, and compelling stories on women’s roles in the world of sports and the steps those leaders are taking to increase female participation. As host, Meredith reveals the determination it takes for women to succeed in this industry, both on and off the field.
Sports Up caught the attention of the New York Times, which appointed Meredith the winner of the 5th Annual Student Podcast Contest for her entry “All is Not Lost: Mina Bakhshi’s Escape from Afghanistan with Ascend Athletics.” The episode features an interview with a young Afghan girl, who — with the help of a nonprofit organization that empowers girls through leadership training — was forced to escape her hometown after Kabul’s downfall. Meredith was one of over 1,600 students who submitted five-minute episodes.
With the help of Mina and other female sports professionals, the New York Times, and Rise25, Meredith empowers young women to get involved in sports and creates a dialogue for female representation. At the same time, she’s gaining authority quickly and carving a position for herself as a reporter in this competitive industry.