Cara Lacey, a student at Marist College, has been selected to participate in NBCUniversal’s Winter Olympics Immersion Program. As part of the program, Lacey is working as a press runner at NBC’s Olympic Operations Center in Stamford, Connecticut. Her responsibilities include tracking media narratives, extracting key moments from live broadcasts, and helping maintain the accuracy and timeliness of NBC’s coverage during the Games.
“Being on the communications team during the Olympics means you really are involved in everything,” Lacey said. “Every clip and every quote matters, and it’s our job to stay on top of all of it. It’s a lot, but it’s the kind of work I genuinely love doing.”
Lacey will finish her bachelor’s degree in communication this May with concentrations in sports communication and advertising and a minor in environmental studies. She is also enrolled in Marist’s online master’s program in digital marketing.
A significant aspect of her experience at Marist has been her involvement with Center Field, a student-run sports media outlet where she led coverage across various sports and honed her multimedia reporting skills. Last year, she contributed to on-the-ground reporting at Super Bowl LIX during Marist’s first sports communication student trip.
Professor Joanna D’Avanzo, Senior Professional Lecturer of Advertising at Marist College, commented on Lacey’s progress: “Cara is an excellent example of how Marist students thrive through immersive, experiential learning,” D’Avanzo said. “She has intentionally sought out opportunities that connect classroom learning to real‑world practice—from Sydney to Alaska to Cannes.” D’Avanzo added that these experiences have helped sharpen Lacey’s focus and professional ambitions. “Her trajectory reflects the kind of applied learning, ambition, and career readiness that Marist is committed to fostering.”
Mary Jones, Executive Director of Marist Career Services, noted that NBC remains a key destination for students from the college: “NBC continues to be one of the most impactful and rewarding career destinations for our students,” Jones said. “We are proud to see Marist talent consistently excel across the organization. Our students regularly earn both internship and full-time opportunities with NBC, reflecting their strong preparation and the meaningful industry partnerships we have built together.”
Reflecting on her current role supporting Olympic coverage from Stamford as the only intern on her team, Lacey said: “Being the only intern on the communications team has definitely pushed me to grow fast,” she said. “I really feel like I’m contributing to something bigger than myself, and it’s helping me see where I want to go in sports media.”
