Senior Journalism student Ashtyn Henderson has spent her time at UCA redefining the expectations of sports reporting through various student media groups, and her unwavering hard work through internship opportunities.
Henderson, a Sherwood native, started her collegiate career at Pulaski Technical College. There, she pursued degrees in psychology and nursing but quickly identified her calling for sports journalism.
“I knew going into the medical field wasn’t something I loved,” Henderson said. “It [nursing] was something safe, so then I chose journalism. Being a woman going into journalism, I knew I wanted to go to sports. That was when I made the decision, and it was a no-brainer. That’s what I wanted to do.”
Henderson said that the switch was nerve-wracking, and after finding her footing, she finally decided to pursue her dream.
“I knew it was gonna be hard just because journalism is a male-dominated field,” Henderson said. “To take it even further, there’s not that many women or women of color. I’m fortunate enough to have an amazing support system, so my family has been my rock through all of this this entire experience.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do and I just kind of ignored all the negative thoughts in my head and just went for it anyway.”
During her time at UCA, Henderson has been a part of News 6, ESPN and the Purple and Grey Network, where she covers statewide high school sports, UCA athletics and has been a co-anchor for the News 6 weekly broadcasting.
Henderson accredits Purple and Grey for her development as a journalist and is grateful for the opportunities Purple and Grey Director John Walls has given her.
“John Walls really took a chance on me by allowing me to join Purple and Grey,” Henderson said. “One of the biggest things he keeps telling me is that I know what I wanna do, and I know have a promising future in this career.
“He’s giving me the opportunities to go out and cover high school sports and be on the air, but also get the behind-the-scenes practice and that’s helped me. Going into sports is not easy, and so having somebody who saw my potential, took a chance and allowed me to join his team is meaningful for me.”
Outside of UCA, Henderson has been a part of several media teams through internships through businesses like the Emma Bowen Foundation, the Little Rock Lightning Basketball team, Sports Girls Club and 4029 News.
Henderson is currently a beat writer for Sports Girls Club, a woman-oriented sports media outlet.
The almost-graduated senior has reflected on her countless opportunities and advises that women pursuing sports to never limit themselves.
“You’re always gonna have somebody talking down on you, telling you that you know you’re not enough or you can’t make this work,” Henderson said. “There’s always gonna be somebody that’s not gonna see your worth but don’t listen to that.
“You are enough to always go for your dreams. You never know what doors might be open and a fun little saying I like to say is closed mouths don’t get fed. Always open your mouth ask for something always speak up for what you feel is right and advocate for yourself. You are your biggest advocate. There’s nobody that knows you better than you.”
