Matthew Stevens
Summary
- Highly motivated journalist with 15 years of award-winning reporting and writing experience.
- Multi-talented content writer capable of working with little oversight to write interesting, clean, and clear copy.
- Proven success in conceptualizing, developing, and writing content that engages readers, and builds interest in the brand. I have covered breaking news on an athletics director search, multiple football coaching searches and situations, a men's basketball head coach search, a baseball head coaching search, and several NCAA and internal investigations, so I appreciate time-sensitive deadlines and consistently meet them.
- Enterprising professional offering proficient skills in interviewing, researching, and writing unforgettable feature stories.
- Award-winning writer promoting a strong background in all kinds of genre content.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Writer
IlliniGuys.com
Champaign, Ill.
07.2021 - Current
My responsibilities include being the University of Illinois beat writer for an independent website that is privately funded while covering athletics (mostly football and men's basketball) in the Big Ten Conference and being a voice in podcasts, videos and a statewide radio show.
Publisher/Editor/News Reporter
Illini Now/Sports Illustrated
Champaign, Ill.
10.2019 - 06.2021
Online publishing and coverage responsibilities included being the University of Illinois editor and primary beat writer while covering athletics in the Big Ten Conference.
Correspondent
Peoria Journal Star Inc.
Peoria, Ill.
02.2019 - 08.2019
Responsibilities included reporting on preps and Bradley University athletics while also being given copy-writing/desk duties on the sports desk.
Purdue Football Beat Writer
GoldandBlack.com, Rivals.com
West Lafayette, Ind.
08.2018 - 01.2019
An online writing/reporting and audio/visual position where my coverage responsibilities included being the Purdue football beat writer and covering athletics in the Big Ten Conference. My job responsibility was to provide content on that subject matter while continuing to build sources within and outside of the athletics department.
Auburn Beat Reporter
Montgomery Advertiser
Montgomery, Ala.
08.2015 - 08.2018
Responsibilities included being the Auburn beat writer covering athletics in the Southeastern Conference, updating the online Auburn Authority Blog page several times a day as well as video/audio projects with colleagues.
Awards
2017 Alabama APME Best Deadline Reporting - 1st place
Staff Reporter
North Carolina Lawyers Weekly/Dolan Media Management Corp.
Raleigh, N.C.
03.2015 - 08.2015
Coverage responsibilities included the legal system and profession in North Carolina. My beat was the state legislation in Raleigh to provide analysis on how the government legislation affects the future of North Carolina law.
Mississippi State Beat Writer
Commercial Dispatch
Columbus, Miss.
09.2011 - 06.2014
Responsibilities included being the Mississippi State beat writer covering athletics in the Southeastern Conference, updating the Dispatch Sports Blog daily while also maintaining a prep presence in Starkville area.
Awards
2011 2nd Place Sports News Story, Mississippi Press Association
Mississippi State Beat Writer
Starkville Daily News
Starkville, Miss.
09.2009 - 09.2011
Responsibilities included being the Mississippi State beat writer covering athletics in the Southeastern Conference, creating and maintaining The SDN Bulldog Blog while maintaining a prep sports presence in the Starkville area.
Awards
2010 1st Place Sports News Story, Mississippi Press Association
2009 1st Place Sports News Story, Mississippi Press Association
2009 2nd Place Sports Game Story, Mississippi Press Association
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Journalism & Political Science
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL05.2007
High School Diploma -
Oconomowoc (Wis.) High School
Oconomowoc, WI05.2002
Skills
- Copywriting and editing
- Investigative research
- Fact checking
- Interview tactics
- Journalistic reporting
- Social media platforms
- AP Style
- News event writing
- Articulate communication skills
- Producing Audio & Video Podcast content
- Media operations understanding
Websites
References
Larry Smith - co-founder/editor of IlliniGuys.com; evening news anchor at LEX18/NBC affiliate in Lexington, Ky./current 'WNBA on ION' studio host; former host/reporter at CNN/SI for 16 years.
770-317-0904, larry@illiniguys.com or larrysmithtv@gmail.com
Duane Rankin - fmr. Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser columnist; Phoenix Suns & NBA writer for Arizona Republic
814-434-8597, dmrankin@gannett.com
David Cloninger - South Carolina beat writer/columnist, The Charleston (SC) Post & Courier
803-367-1471, dcloninger@postandcourier.com
Tom Arenberg - Fmr. sports editor, The Birmingham (Ala.) News; instructor of News Media, University of Alabama, 205-901-8069, tparenberg@ua.edu
Gabe DeArmond - Publisher/Editor, PowerMizzou.com
573-424-8899, powermizzou@gmail.com
Kent Brown - fmr. associate director of athletics for media relations at University of Illinois
217-493-9795, kwbrown3@illinois.edu
Timeline
Senior Writer
IlliniGuys.com
07.2021 - Current
Publisher/Editor/News Reporter
Illini Now/Sports Illustrated
10.2019 - 06.2021
Correspondent
Peoria Journal Star Inc.
02.2019 - 08.2019
Purdue Football Beat Writer
GoldandBlack.com, Rivals.com
08.2018 - 01.2019
Auburn Beat Reporter
Montgomery Advertiser
08.2015 - 08.2018
Staff Reporter
North Carolina Lawyers Weekly/Dolan Media Management Corp.
03.2015 - 08.2015
Mississippi State Beat Writer
Commercial Dispatch
09.2011 - 06.2014
Mississippi State Beat Writer
Starkville Daily News
09.2009 - 09.2011
Bachelor of Arts - Journalism & Political Science
Eastern Illinois University
High School Diploma -
Oconomowoc (Wis.) High School