TMU alum achieves dream job before graduation
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At left, Keerthika Uthayakumar in the commentator booth with play-by-play commentators Kenzie LaLonde & Cheryl Pounder during the Women’s World Hockey Championships in Brampton, Ont. (Photo courtesy of Keerthika Uthayakumar)
Just six months into her role as a Career Boost student covering varsity sports at TMU, Keerthika Uthayakumar landed what she calls her first “real” job in the control room at Scotiabank Arena.
She was only in her second year of university but by landing the role of graphics operator for Leafs & Raptors home games, she had reached the big leagues.
Uthayakumar says her experience working as a broadcast crew leader (BCL) on RamsLive broadcasts made her a top candidate.
“My experience building our graphics look and package introduced me to the world of broadcast graphics and stats. The knowledge I gained by using Xpression (a graphics operating software) was so easily transferable to the real world,” she said.
From there, her journey continued to Sportsnet as a Chyron Operator, CTV as an Xpression Operator, and then CBC to cover the 2018 Olympics – all while still in school.
Uthayakuma, 28 – whose eyes are now set on covering the Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first WNBA team – is one of many examples of TMU grads whose experience as a Career Boost student was pivotal in launching her career.
Below, meet Uthayakumar and learn more about her journey.
Keerthika Uthayakumar
Year of graduation: 2018
Program: Media Production
Age: 28
Current role: Freelance Font AP/Stats and Content Creator
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Above, Uthayakumar stands with the broadcast crew for Canada’s first WNBA game, held at Scotiabank Arena. Uthayakumar, who worked on the broadcast as a graphics AP, is standing in the second row, third from left, wearing all black, with TSN Host Kate Beirness, in the light coloured dress, to the immediate right. Several TMU alumni are in the photo. (Photo courtesy of Keerthika Uthayakumar)
Describe your Career Boost role with Athletics.
While I worked in two different Career Boost roles with Athletics, the majority of my time at TMU was spent working as a broadcast crew leader (BCL) on RamsLive broadcasts. During my first year at RTA, I volunteered on the CIS Final 8 broadcasts, and was offered a role working on the first year of the RamsLive program the following season. It was an incredible journey from then on. As a BCL, I worked as producer, director, associate producer and graphic designer on all of our varsity broadcasts, working anywhere between two to four days a week.
What skills/experience did you learn and gain in the role?
Working as a BCL was easily the best part of my time at RTA. I gained an insane amount of hands-on production skills, built a broadcast format and graphics look from scratch with the best group of people, and learned to tell the stories of our athletes. My love for stats and storytelling through stats started as a BCL, and my love for producing live broadcasts grew so much through my three years gaining experience in this position. I wouldn’t be the producer/content creator I am now without everything I learned as a BCL. I also gained a ton of technical skills that I’ve been able to take with me because we were using industry standard equipment at the Mattamy (MAC).
Why/how has that been valuable?
My first “big girl” job in sports TV was in the jumbotron control room at Scotiabank Arena. There, I worked as a Chyron Operator on Raptors and Leafs home games. The craziest part is that I got offered the job in my second year, six months into being a BCL. My experience building our graphics look and package introduced me to the world of broadcast graphics and stats.
From there, I worked at Sportsnet as a Chyron Operator and CTV as an Xpression Operator. My experience as a producer at RamsLive was also a big part of my role as a font coordinator (producing & coordinating graphics on the broadcast) at CBC leading up to and during Pyeongchang 2018 – all while I was in school. While I was a BCL, I also worked as a runner on a variety of TSN productions, this led to a full-time role as an AD (associate director) because of all the time I had spent in control rooms at the Mattamy. Through my love for live production, stats and storytelling, I found a role working on Raptors broadcasts for TSN in a stats/research space and worked to support our broadcasters and add context to storylines.
How did this experience as a Career Boost student with Athletics help you in your current career?
One of the final assignments I completed before graduating asked us for either a five-year plan or career goals (I can’t remember which) and the only thing I really remember writing in that paper was that I wanted to work on Raptors broadcasts and in the Raptors truck – a goal I accomplished four years ago. I’m doubling down on that goal now – I want to be producing or working as an AP on the WNBA Toronto broadcasts when they debut in 2026.
I recently just left my full-time job as an AD at TSN to start freelancing as an associate producer in a variety of different spaces. I’m starting a business, StatKeeks, to continue working in creative production roles in live sports, specifically basketball. I’m hoping to continue using social media to tell stories and leverage my years of live production experience in a digital space.
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Keerthika Uthayakumar courtside at Scotiabank Arena after the Raptors’ last home game of the 2023-24 season. (Photo courtesy of Keerthika Uthayakumar)
What would you say to a student about why they should apply for a position with Athletics as part of the Career Boost program?
School and classes are obviously important, but I can’t say enough about how much working for Athletics will help you in your career. There isn’t a better place for you to gain real-world experience while still in school. I got to take so many risks creatively and the lessons I learned from those risks are almost impossible to replicate when you start working in the industry.
Anything you’d like to add about your experience with Athletics as a Career Boost student or where you are now professionally?
I can’t recommend enough the value of working as a BCL or in any Career Boost position with Athletics. Not only did I have the chance to gain incredible skills and experience, I also got to work with some of the most amazing people and had so much fun.