Sukari Williams



Projects by Sukari Williams

News Story

NIL: Issues, Pressures, and Effects on Collegiate Athletes

By Sophia Trout, Sukari Williams and Molly Wrightsman

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Nov. 5, 2024)

“BALLS UP” yelled Josephine’s teammate. As she looked up, it seemed as if she watched the ball hit the floor in slow motion. She looked around to see disappointment on her teammate’s faces as that was the point that just lost their entire season. The look on their faces portrayed the way she had felt all season, disappointed.

Josephine Mulligan, a volleyball player at Indiana Northwest University, talks about how college has impacted her mental health in an interview.
Josephine Mulligan, a volleyball player at Indiana Northwest University, goes up to tip the volleyball over the net. Mulligan describes how being a college athlete has impacted her mental health greatly. Photo courtesy of Josephine Mulligan.

Josephine Mulligan had just transferred to Indiana Northwest University after playing three years of volleyball at Keiser University. After she transferred, she realized that the promises she was guaranteed were just broken promises. Josephine was not taken care of physically or mentally.

“Being a college athlete has definitely taken a toll on my mental health,” Mulligan said. “My first college had great counselors who helped me through my anxieties and struggles learning how to live away from home. My second college did not have that and it took a huge toll on me to the point where I had to leave.” As a college athlete, outside audiences do not often associate these athletes with having mental health struggles nor do they realize the intense amount of pressure they are put under everyday.

Dr. Galen Clavio gives a press conference about NIL to students in C250
Dr. Galen Clavio, the associate dean of the Media School at Indiana University, passionately explains the intricacies of NIL to a group of students. NIL is a growing subject that many are unaware about. Photo taken by Mike Badrov.

In June of 2021, college sports changed tremendously. In prior years, getting money as a college athlete would cause these athletes to lose their eligibility. However, after the Supreme Court ruled against NCAA v. Alston, all of this changed. College athletes are now able to earn money based on Name, Image, and Likeness, also referred to as NIL.  “The idea was that athletes don’t have intrinsic value and the NCAA and its members believed that so strongly that they thought the whole thing would go away by not providing that level of support, ” said Dr. Galen Clavio, an NIL expert at Indiana University, during a press conference. “The opposite has occurred.” Many athletes have taken advantage of NIL and are using it as an opportunity to succeed in the media world.

The NCAA is still figuring out the rules and regulations surrounding NIL. “You have to present yourself as an individual,” Clavio said. You cannot wear the logo of your school when in an NIL situation, unless the school has partnered with you. This is just one of the many rules the NCAA has created thus far.

Athletes before NIL were worrying about playing time and trying to go professional as that would be the only way they could make money playing a sport. However, NIL has now created additional pressures on these athletes which could potentially have detrimental effects. “There are a lot of outside expectations that people may have of you,” Brady Simmons, a football player at IU, said during an interview. “There are a lot of internal pressures like wanting to please your family and impress your coaches.”

Brady Simmons, a football player at Indiana University, gives an interview on how NIL has impacted his college experience.
Brady Simmons, wide receiver at Indiana University, smiles for the camera. Simmons shares his thoughts and struggles that he has experienced with NIL. Photo taken by Molly Wrightsman.

College athletes already are putting pressure on themselves to perform well- is NIL only going to make this issue worse?

Not only is extreme pressure applied to perform well on the court or field, but also on social media platforms. Since the pandemic in 2020, mental health in college athletes has continuously and rapidly decreased. According to the National Athletic Trainer’s Association, adding NIL pressure can be too much for athletes and put their mental health at risk. NIL does have its pros, including helping athletes financially, however, putting too much pressure on an athlete to secure NIL deals can lead to burn out (Sitzler et al., 2023).

NIL is not only affecting mental health, but can also cause friction between teammates. “I definitely think NIL can affect relationships if teammates are not getting the same opportunities, but I also think that comes with every job in life,” Mulligan said. Some sporting programs are a close knit community where NIL may not affect teammates’ bonds. “At the end of the day when you have a place like this, a good support system, and a good group of people that you surround yourself with everyday, money is kind of the last thing on your mind,” Simmons said. Every school’s sporting community is different, so NIL can influence teams differently.

Each athlete has a different experience with NIL. Many only hear the good things, so it is important to understand the risks that come along with NIL. For Josephine Mulligan, when she was struggling with her mental health, due to added pressure, her school unfortunately did not provide the resources to help her get through it. Now that NIL is rapidly growing, each school must have counselors for athletes so they do not get put in the same situation as Mulligan. If NIL is used correctly, it can be a great tool for athletes to have, but if not, it can put their lives at risk and potentially ruin their love for the game.

Student’s on Indiana University’s campus tell their thoughts and opinions about how NIL is affecting college athletes. NIL has added extra pressure to athletes to perform not only well in their sport, but also on social media.

###

 

 

Public Relations Story

Apple Watch Announcement–The most personal device

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts
Erika Watt
Titan Williams
Sukari Williams

CUPERTINO, California (Sept. 9, 2014) – Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, revealed the new and innovative Apple Watch early September to a large crowd of enthusiasts at an event in Cupertino, California. 

After unveiling the new iPhone 6 and 6 plus, Cook announced Apple’s first device in the smartwatch realm. Just after showing a montage of the square-faced new device, with no explanation on the device given, Cook received a standing ovation. The Apple Watch was enthusiastically presented by Cook, who casually appeared in a purple button down and jeans featuring the new Apple Watch on himself.  

This new, precise timepiece took careful deliberate consideration when being created. Each feature is extremely intentional and personal for each person using the device. It is customizable so each person can find one that reflects their own style. You can choose between three collections including Apple Watch, Sport, or edition—each featuring stainless steel, steel 60% stronger than the average steel, or 18k gold. The watches also come in two sizes and have interchangeable wrist bands.  

Customize your Apple Watch to complement your unique style and meet your needs with different colors, bands, faces, and complications. Jenna has a unique stack with her watch.

The face of the watch is also customizable with multiple different options. When holding down on the screen, an option to edit what is displayed pops up. The appearance of the watch’s face can be changed to what you want to see when just tapping on the watch or holding it up to your face. For example, the “astronomy” watch face has the option to display an earth, fly to the moon and its phase, or show the positions of planets in our solar system at that time. 

The Apple Watch is a major step for the company. Design Chief, Jony Ive, explained certain features of this new device in a voiceover of a visually appealing montage. “I think we are now at a compelling beginning” Ive said. “Designing technology to be worn, to be truly personal.”  

Apple paid close attention to making the Apple Watch easily functional. The apps are displayed on the face of the watch. Because of how small the device is, Apple wanted to make sure no one had an issue with their finger blocking their view. The watch features a digital crown, or dial, that acts as a navigator when scrolled and home button when pressed. You can also interact with this device by lightly swiping and tapping at the screen.  

Never be late with the convenience of a clock display that appears from the “Wake on Wrist Raise” feature on the Apple Watch.
Here’s an IU student checking the time so they make it to class. Never be late with the convenience of a clock display that appears from the “Wake on Wrist Raise” feature on the Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch is a “new innovative, intimate way to communicate directly from your wrist, and it’s a comprehensive health and fitness device” Cook said.  “And, it is so much more.” 

Project Leader Kevin Lynch displayed the Apple Watch and showed off many of its key features. The watch notifies you with a vibration or sound by your choice and has many options regarding what you want to reply with. When in need of a quick response, the watch analyzes the text received and comes up a list of responses that align. You can also record an audio message—translate that to text—use customizable emojis, draw a picture, or even respond with an animation of your heartbeat.  

The Apple Watch contains activity and workout apps that can help you reach your fitness goals. “We think it’s going to help a lot of people live a better day and a healthier life” Cook said. The activity app helps track activity throughout your day with the goal of helping you sit less and move more. The workout app helps you set specific goals during your workout like the length of your workout, how far you want to run, and how many calories you want to burn.  

Starting at $349, the Apple Watch comes with a magnetic charger and requires an iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 or 6 plus. Apple paid close attention to the development of this device to make it the personal device it is. The apps and customizable features make this watch special to Apple. “Apple Watch, the most personal device we’ve created, will redefine what people expect from a watch” Cook said.  

Cook describes how the Apple Watch is very diverse from anything that Apple has ever created. The watch itself is very responsive and extremely precise when looking into the world time.

Cook explains why Apple believes the Apple Watch will be something that customers rely on using often throughout their day. Apple has created a brand new charger, exclusively for the Apple Watch, that will be very effective and easy for customers to use.

 

###