Sports played: Swimming; Baseball
Years played: 2005-09
Year graduated: 2009
Academic major/minor: Communications -- Journalism
Current address: Somersworth, N.H.
Please share some of your favorite SJC memories - on and off the field:
Being part of the crew that helped bring the swim team from almost non-existent, to club-level and eventually a NCAA Division III Varsity sport, and then being named captain for my senior year.
Notable performances as an SJC athlete (records, championships, individual accolades):
Not too sure -- think they're all broken now, but I think I had some 50M butterfly records.
Where are you employed? Please tell us your job title, duties, how long you've been there, etc.:
NASCAR Digital Media Manager, Digital & Social Content Creating, editing and posting all of the web content for NASCAR.com, including traveling to and covering NASCAR races.
How did you get into the field?
I'd been working for the New Hampshire Union Leader for a few years and was laid off as they had to cut back hours, so I was just applying for everything out there I could find, anywhere across the country.
I don't even recall actually applying for the NASCAR job (which was originally Editor/Producer, Content; I've since been promoted to my current title) but I received an email from the recruiter at the company and honestly thought it was fake. But I went through all the steps and the interview process etc. and they flew me down to Charlotte for final interviews in front of a panel of five or so people.
I told myself I wasn't going to take the job unless I was completely wowed by them, and I totally was. It was an entirely new department that I'd be working for (NASCAR Digital Media) as we reclaimed NASCAR.com from Turner, so it was a bit of a start up. Had the job offer before I even landed back in Boston and moved down to Charlotte a few weeks later.
Easily the best job I've ever had -- allows me to write, edit, design, ideate; really anything I want to do, I can do. I'd never even seen a race before I started working for them and I couldn't imagine myself not doing this anytime in the future. My first year, I was given an award by the National Motorsports Press Association for Race Coverage and covered the Daytona 500 for the first time this year, having the lead preview story on NASCAR.com the morning of.
Please tell us about your family, if applicable:
Living with fiancé, Rachel Plumb in Somersworth, NH. Getting married at the Bedford Village Inn (Bedford, NH) on October 4, 2015.
What do you do for fun?
Playing music. Was in a relatively successful local band before I moved to Charlotte in 2013. Now that I'm back in the area, probably going to do that again. Also working on a comedy cooking show with my brother. Might dive into standup comedy some point soon.
Follow Pat on Twitter! @Pat_DeCola
See his work HERE
