{
  "id": 4630427,
  "title": "ESPN EVP Rosalyn Durant on the importance of shooting your shot",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/espn-evp-rosalyn-durant-on-the-importance-of-shooting-your-shot",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T10:11:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91589214/espn-evp-rosalyn-durant-on-the-importance-of-shooting-your-shot-espn-leadership-career-advice"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Rosalyn Durant, the EVP at ESPN, spoke about the significance of seizing opportunities in one's career. Growing up in a small town in South Carolina, Durant was drawn to the world of sports and ESPN, but she lacked connections in media and corporate America. It wasn't until she learned about the T. Howard Foundation during a journalism job fair at Howard University that she realized how crucial access and advocacy could be for someone from her background. The foundation helped Durant secure an internship at Turner and later at ESPN, marking a turning point in her career.\n\nDurant's first role at ESPN was as an intern in affiliate sales and marketing, where she worked in Special Markets, managing distribution for various locations like hotels, college dorms, and apartment buildings. While this work may not seem glamorous, Durant loved the environment and the collaborative, energetic atmosphere among her colleagues. It felt more like joining a team than entering a corporation, and she quickly realized she wanted to stay.\n\nOne memorable moment Durant recalled from her internship involved meeting ESPN President Steve Bornstein. She had a business trip scheduled for the same day as a lunch with interns, but instead of excusing herself, Durant composed a formal letter explaining her absence and requesting to meet with Steve. His assistant took her request seriously, and she ended up meeting with the president. Durant shared her ambition of working at ESPN, and despite not having a job offer at the time, she believed in her potential. This moment with Steve, Durant said, taught her that magic could happen when an open door meets audacious expectations.\n\nAfter graduation, Durant returned to ESPN full-time as a marketing coordinator, eventually growing alongside her fellow interns and celebrating milestones together. Durant emphasized the importance of representation, both big and small, and creating environments where people feel supported, seen, and connected—not just professionally, but personally. She now serves as chair of the T. Howard Foundation board, committed to helping open doors for the next generation in the same way her opportunities were opened for her.",
  "summary": "When I was in college at the University of South Carolina, I thought I wanted to work in media, but I didn’t really know what that meant or how someone like me was supposed to get there. I’m from a small town in South Carolina. I didn’t have family connections in corporate America or the entertainment industry. What I did have was curiosity, ambition, and a love of sports. Every morning before…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}