Projects by Molly Wrightsman

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.

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Public Relations Story

New Apple Watch is Set to Change the Game in Health and Fitness Tracking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts
Ava Fletcher
Kol Popkin
Molly Wrightsman

CUPERTINO, California (Sept. 9, 2014) — Apple CEO, Tim Cook, announced the unveiling of the first ever Apple Watch at their annual developer’s conference on Tuesday, September 9th, in Cupertino, California. 

The new watch, that will feature health and fitness, is expected to receive positive feedback. Cook confidently announced this new product with an innovative and detailed video highlighting its features. He highlighted abilities to track heart rates and activity levels, as well as demonstrating their customizable watch faces you can make uniquely your own. After the video was shown, Cook was beaming with delight while pumping his fist into the air with the new watch on his wrist. He left the audience buzzing with excitement after the announcement of this new product.

Paris Marshall uses the GPS setting on her Apple Watch as she walks to the Sample Gates at Indiana University. Marshall also uses one of the watch’s fitness features to track her steps daily.

After the introduction, Cook showed a video where Jony Ive, Vice President of Design, went further into explanation of the amazing features the Apple Watch offers. Ive goes on to explain the significance of every part of the Apple Watch. He explains the dial on the side of the watch, known as the Digital Crown, which is the main function for scrolling and zooming in and out on the watch. The Digital Crown was created on the watch, so the user does not have to cover up the screen when trying to use the device. Ive also mentions how accurate the watch is and how easy it is to use. Whether it be trying to send a text message or scroll through photos, the Apple Watch is simple to operate. The personalization of this watch is endless, whether it be with a colorful cool background or a sleek, modern watch band. “You can personalize both their appearance and their capabilities,” Ive said. The bands for the watch are easy to slide on and off and there are hundreds of different styles to choose from.  

One of the most exciting things about this watch is the different capabilities it has. For example, the application options are endless on this Watch. Users are able to send messages and take calls just as you would on your iPhone. Not only this, but you are able to scroll through photos, look at notifications from third party apps, check the weather, play games, and more. However, one of the apps that is expected to stand out the most is the Fitness and Workout app. The Fitness application monitors your activity and movement throughout the day. The Workout app allows you to set goals with the workouts you do. Finally, this watch will have three different collections to choose from; such as the Watch, Watch Sport, and Watch Edition. “Creating beautiful objects as simple and pure as they are functional, well that’s always been our goal at Apple,” is the statement Ive leaves the audience with before Cook returns to the stage. Once again, after this video was shown, the audience was beaming with excitement and wonder about what all this watch truly has to offer.

Joey Bejin uses his new Apple Watch to track his heart rate during a workout. The watch’s numerous health and fitness features help Joey make workouts safe, effective, and fun.

A demo of this watch was then given by Kevin Lynch, Vice President, where he goes even further into detail about the capabilities and wondrous features the Apple Watch has to offer. Lynch shows users how to answer messages and how to use the digital crown (the dial on the side of the watch). He even shows how with a simple click of the button that is located on the side of the watch, you can send live messages to people in your contacts. Along with this, he mentions how Siri is already built into the watch and how they are also working with third party companies to make apps that will be compatible with the Apple Watch. After Lynch is done with his demonstration, Cook returns back on to the stage.  

As in closing, Cook brings up the “important details”. He mentions how this device is only compatible with the Apple iPhone. The Apple Watch will work with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, and the iPhone 5. The watch will not work with other brands of smartphones. The price is also revealed for this product, at a starting price of $349. Cook does not give a definitive date on when the Apple Watch will be released, but he says how it will be available early next year, and it is worth the wait. Cook reveals that much time, and effort was spent on this product and how he and everyone else that worked on it are so excited for the future of it. “It is something functional, yet incredibly beautiful,” Tim Cook said. “It empowers people and enriches their lives.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook reveals the Apple Watch’s new health and fitness capabilities. Cook explains that these features are customizable to each user’s unique lifestyle. 

Project Leader Kevin Lynch showcases the home screen of the Apple Watch. The new smartwatch functions much like the iPhone, with additional features in health and fitness. 

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