You have probably seen her standing on the sidelines at UIC Flames Basketball games working hard and looking fabulous. This week’s Campus Celebrity is Jenny Cklamovski! Jenny is a 21 year old junior who’s love for sports helps motivate everything she does!
HC (HerCampus): What piqued your interest in communications?
JC (Jenny Cklamovski): Ever since I was a little girl speaking to others came easily to me. But, it wasn’t until 7th grade when I was running for student body president that I really fell in love with public speaking.
HC: How did you become involved with UIC sports? What is your favorite thing about working with the athletes?
JC: I’ve grown up loving sports, so when I heard the UIC Athletic Communications Department was looking for interns I immediately applied. I was very fortunate to have been offered the position as a freshman and I’ve loved working as a student assistant since then. My favorite thing about working with the athletes is that it doesn’t feel like work at all. Most of them are my friends, so it makes it easier to interview them because they feel more confortable doing interviews with me and the other way around too.
HC: Are you a big fan of sports? If so, which ones?
JC: I think saying that I am a big fan of sports would be an understatement. Sports have become my life. There is not a moment in the day that I am not surrounded by things relating to athletics. Obviously, I’m the Flames #1 fan, but growing up and living in the Chicagoland area for my entire life, I have to stick with the Chicago Blackhawks on this one.
HC: Are you involved in any other clubs or organizations on campus? If so, what?
JC: In addition to working in the Athletic Communications department at UIC, I am also a member of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority here on campus.
HC: Do you have an outside job or internship? If so, what?
JC: Yes, I also have an ad sales internship with Viacom, specifically MTV/MTV2. It is a very hip atmosphere and I have learned so much from everyone who works there. It has been such an amazing experience and I love it!
HC: Is there anyone who you look up to as a mentor or aspire to be like? If so, who?
JC: I have two older brothers who I have always looked up to, they are the reason I have such a unique love for sports and are the reason why I work so hard everyday. They have helped me realize that even though sometimes having so much on my plate is stressful, it will all be worth it in the end. They have been successful in all aspects of their lives, so I aspire to do the same by working hard and doing everything in my ability to achieve that too.
HC: Summarize a day in the life of you.
JC: It depends what day you catch me on, but on a typical Thursday, I wake up at 6:45 a.m. in order to make it to my first class of the day at 8:00 a.m. and then I have five classes non-stop until 3:15 p.m. During one of my 15 minute breaks between classes, which usually around 9:30 a.m., I post my track & field preview to UIC Flames. Directly after class, I make my way to the FAC (Flames Athletic Center) where I work in office until 5 p.m. Around 6:30 p.m. I make my way back to campus where I have my sorority’s chapter meetings and finally make it back to my apartment around 8:45 p.m. just in time for 3rd period Blackhawks hockey!
HC: Do you have any goals before you graduate?
JC: My main goal prior to graduation is to learn as much as possible and to continue to work hard. Since I began working in the Athletic Department my freshman year, I have been given additional responsibilities and I look forward for those to continue and expand.
HC: What is your dream job/career?
JC: My dream job would be the PR director for Chicago Blackhawks. I know a job with that organization has recently become a hot commodity because of the two Stanley Cup Championships, however I’ve been a lifelong fan, and that isn’t changing anytime soon.
HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
JC: In 10 years, I see myself working within PR for some professional sports team.
HC: If you could have a celebrity best friend, who would it be and why?
JC: This is an extremely difficult question, but currently if I had to choose one person, it would be Kerry Washington (Olivia Pope from Scandal). Kerry is just so independent and I love her personality and the respectful way she conducts herself in the public eye.
HC: Ending Thoughts?
JC: For the past two years, I have been in charge of the entire production of a weekly game show called Inside the Clubhouse. Members of the UIC Baseball team compete in pairs and have to answer questions about one another in order to earn points. I keep a leaderboard every week to keep track of each pair’s score, until the end of the season when one pair will be named champions.
Here is a link to the most recent episode this season: Inside the Clubhouse