From the Classroom: Jaydin Kroutil
Jaydin Kroutil
For Jaydin Kroutil, Intermediate Journalism (COMM 4555) offered more than an opportunity to strengthen her reporting skills—it provided a space to reflect on her experiences in sports media and amplify voices that are often overlooked.
Kroutil, a junior studying journalism at the University of Utah, was enrolled in the course taught by Clinical Associate Professor Marcie Young Cancio. The class partnered with The Salt Lake Tribune and Amplify Utah, a nonprofit journalism organization founded by Cancio and serving as a community partner. Students developed opinion pieces centered on public issues, with several published by the Tribune in December.
Kroutil’s article, “Voices: Women’s voices in sports media aren’t just valuable, they’re necessary,” draws from her experience as a creative intern for Utah Football. In the piece, she reflects on entering a competitive, male-dominated environment and learning that her ideas and perspective had value. “I came in eager to learn but unsure of where I fit in as a woman in such a competitive, male-dominated environment,” she wrote. “I quickly discovered that my ideas and my voice had a place when my boss and colleagues made my ideas and work matter.”
She credits that realization with motivating her to continue pursuing a career in sports media.
Kroutil said she chose the Intermediate Journalism course to further develop her reporting and writing skills with the goal of making an impact in her community, particularly within women’s sports and women’s roles in sports media. Through the course, she learned how to balance building trusted relationships with sources while maintaining professionalism—an approach she sees as essential to effective journalism.
A recurring focus of Kroutil’s work is highlighting teams, topics, and individuals who may not always receive recognition. Through her writing, she hopes readers feel both empowered and inspired, and she continues to look for opportunities to use storytelling as a tool for visibility and change.
Looking ahead, Kroutil plans to pursue a career as a creative media manager for a football or basketball team. She is currently continuing to build her skills through the Department of Communication while gaining hands-on experience with the Utah football media staff.
Students interested in learning more about communication courses can contact the Department of Communication’s academic advisors at comm-advisor@utah.edu