Central Michigan University Athletics
Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography
Charting Her Course: NCAA Forum Helps Chesson on her Path to a Career in Athletics
6/24/2026 9:56:00 AM | General, Lacrosse, Student-Athlete Services, Our Stories, Student-Athlete Leadership & Development
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – A hundred pathways in front of her leading in every direction imaginable.
Central Michigan lacrosse player Victoria Chesson recently partook in the NCAA Career in Sports Forum, a unique three-day career exploration program in Indianapolis. Some 200 student-athletes from across the country attended the event, where they explored off-the-field careers in athletics, attended seminars, and heard from a number of speakers working inside and outside the athletic arena.
The student-athletes in attendance were selected by their respective universities and colleges.
"It was really awesome to you hear all their stories and learn about their paths in sports and it was reassuring for me to hear that there's really no cookie-cutter path in the sports industry," said Chesson, who earned her bachelor's degree with a major in broadcast and cinematic arts in April.
While playing lacrosse at CMU and earning a 3.95 grade point average, Chesson also worked as a sideline reporter for ESPN Plus broadcasts of Chippewa volleyball matches.
"CMU offered so many opportunities that other schools might not have been able to offer," she said. "Being on ESPN Plus, like that's something I don't think every school can offer to their students. That was a really good learning experience for me. (CMU) had so many opportunities for me to figure out what I want to do."
Chesson, now back home in Cincinnati, Ohio, said she may attend graduate school and pursue a master's in business administration, or she may opt to immediately embark on a job search and begin a career in athletics, be it on the broadcasting side or elsewhere.
The Career in Sports Forum helped to open Chesson's eyes to the possibilities.
"There are so many different paths that you can pursue in sports, and having that confidence is super important," she said. "Sometimes I have a hard time, I see people getting these jobs and I'm like, 'Oh, that's so cool! I would love to do that.'
"But they really emphasized (at the forum) that every path is different and you just have to trust in yourself and be confident that you're going to get to the place you want to be. Your path might not look the same as (that of) someone else. They really captivated all of us. It was really cool to hear the speakers that were there and their stories of how they got to where they are.
"They were motivational and also enlightening, because you find out some things about yourself that maybe you hadn't realized."
Chesson's athletic career at CMU was not without its struggles. She suffered a knee injury before she played in a game in a Chippewa uniform, and it was two surgeries and two-plus years of rehabilitation before she was able to get on the field.
Chesson, however, looks at it all with a positive perspective: The experience will help her when she one day – hopefully – is working as a broadcaster or in any other athletics-related field.
"When I'm talking to athletes, I can relate to them and ask the questions that go more in depth and can really tell the story," she said. "I think I've really found a passion for telling the story of the athletes that aren't just like, 'They scored three goals in the game' or 'They have a like a million assists' or something like that.
"It's more about telling who they are outside of their sport and all the cool other things that they have to offer. I just really enjoy the storytelling process and that made me want to pursue this career in sports reporting and the sports industry."
Central Michigan lacrosse player Victoria Chesson recently partook in the NCAA Career in Sports Forum, a unique three-day career exploration program in Indianapolis. Some 200 student-athletes from across the country attended the event, where they explored off-the-field careers in athletics, attended seminars, and heard from a number of speakers working inside and outside the athletic arena.
The student-athletes in attendance were selected by their respective universities and colleges.
"It was really awesome to you hear all their stories and learn about their paths in sports and it was reassuring for me to hear that there's really no cookie-cutter path in the sports industry," said Chesson, who earned her bachelor's degree with a major in broadcast and cinematic arts in April.
While playing lacrosse at CMU and earning a 3.95 grade point average, Chesson also worked as a sideline reporter for ESPN Plus broadcasts of Chippewa volleyball matches.
"CMU offered so many opportunities that other schools might not have been able to offer," she said. "Being on ESPN Plus, like that's something I don't think every school can offer to their students. That was a really good learning experience for me. (CMU) had so many opportunities for me to figure out what I want to do."
Chesson, now back home in Cincinnati, Ohio, said she may attend graduate school and pursue a master's in business administration, or she may opt to immediately embark on a job search and begin a career in athletics, be it on the broadcasting side or elsewhere.
The Career in Sports Forum helped to open Chesson's eyes to the possibilities.
"There are so many different paths that you can pursue in sports, and having that confidence is super important," she said. "Sometimes I have a hard time, I see people getting these jobs and I'm like, 'Oh, that's so cool! I would love to do that.'
"But they really emphasized (at the forum) that every path is different and you just have to trust in yourself and be confident that you're going to get to the place you want to be. Your path might not look the same as (that of) someone else. They really captivated all of us. It was really cool to hear the speakers that were there and their stories of how they got to where they are.
"They were motivational and also enlightening, because you find out some things about yourself that maybe you hadn't realized."
Chesson's athletic career at CMU was not without its struggles. She suffered a knee injury before she played in a game in a Chippewa uniform, and it was two surgeries and two-plus years of rehabilitation before she was able to get on the field.
Chesson, however, looks at it all with a positive perspective: The experience will help her when she one day – hopefully – is working as a broadcaster or in any other athletics-related field.
"When I'm talking to athletes, I can relate to them and ask the questions that go more in depth and can really tell the story," she said. "I think I've really found a passion for telling the story of the athletes that aren't just like, 'They scored three goals in the game' or 'They have a like a million assists' or something like that.
"It's more about telling who they are outside of their sport and all the cool other things that they have to offer. I just really enjoy the storytelling process and that made me want to pursue this career in sports reporting and the sports industry."
Players Mentioned
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