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From anchor to intern: Baughn learns to invest BY CAITY HATCHETT Editor-in-Chief
If you text Izzy Baughn, you may not get a response for a bit, so a phone call is the best way to reach her. Your conversation probably will not last more than five minutes, but you’ll smile when you hang up and laugh about something she said. It’s this ability to leave an impact in such a short time that makes Baughn a great person to know. As busy as she is being a student-athlete, working part-time for the Arkansas governor’s office, anchoring “The Roar Rundown” and “The Ouachita News Show” and serving as a leader for the Ouachita Student Foundation (OSF) and the Ouachita Sports Digital Network (OSDN), Baughn still finds time to spend with her friends and to excel in her academics. She is a double major in political science and communications, and she’s only a sophomore. But that does not stop her from being just as confident, energetic and involved as the upperclassmen. During her freshman year, Baughn got involved in OSDN through “The Roar Rundown,” and she has been reporting for and anchoring the show for over a year. The show has given Baughn professional opportunities, but she’s had many fun moments, too.Baughn and “Ouachita News Show” co-anchor Caroline Derby had the chance to watch Ouachita’s football team during their Purple Haze workout last February and even tried some of the workouts themselves. Baughn’s love for sports media started in high school. She and some other students created a weekly sports show that allowed them to highlight their school’s
different athletic programs, and Baughn spent a lot of time getting to interview different coaches. As she has moved into college, Baughn’s interests have shifted to include other areas of communications, like event planning and social media, as well as political science. “While I’m not really considering a career in sports reporting, my time reporting and anchoring for both of these shows has truly shaped me in more ways than I ever thought imaginable,” Baughn said. “I was already a people person, but I’ve learned just the importance of telling people’s stories and listening.” Working in the governor’s office in Little Rock has taught Baughn a couple of things, too. She applied for an internship during the fall semester and when the internship turned into a full-time job, Baughn rose to the challenge. With more on-campus obligations this semester, she is only able to work part-time. But she wouldn’t change a thing. “It was something I never expected, but it was hands-down one of the best things that’s ever happened to me,” Baughn said. “I am thankful for all the people that I’ve met and the opportunity that they gave me at the governor’s office.” In balancing school and work, Baughn has learned a lot about being patient. She will readily admit that it’s not one of her virtues. And you cannot fix standstill traffic— no matter how hard you try. Being off campus so much was also a challenge for Baughn. Since she is so involved on campus, she really struggled with not being able to be here as much as she wanted to. Despite all of this, Baughn knows the experience she gained is invaluable. “While it did pose some challenges, I was able to
overcome them because I knew this experience was shaping me into the person I want to be and it was giving me experience that’s absolutely irreplaceable,” Baughn said. “I wouldn’t trade those challenges or those difficulties for anything in the world.” The cross country team brought Baughn to Ouachita and has continued to anchor her throughout all of these challenges. She loves the uplifting community that the women on the team have created, and being with her teammates helps Baughn reset and refresh. Since cross country is part of the Great American Conference (GAC), the team’s season and practice schedules are set in stone. Baughn has had to learn to prioritize the things she really cares about and arrange them all around cross country. “There have been challenges because it’s been really hard to balance being involved in six-plus campus organizations, working full and part-time, as well as being a student-athlete,” Baughn said. “You prioritize what you care about, and so I’ve just tried to keep that at the forefront of my brain when I’m deciding how I am going to approach each different situation.” Over the past two years, Baughn has learned to invest in people. She will be the special events codirector for OSF next year and is excited about being able to give back in that role. Baughn is ready for any challenges that the next two years will throw at her because of what she’s learned so far. “I would definitely say that from these challenges and these experiences, they have shaped me into someone who is more intentional with my time,” Baughn said, “and I want to use that intentionality to invest in the people around me.”
On the cover: Sophomore Izzy Baughn stands in front of the Arkansas Capitol. She is a political science and communications major from Jonesboro, Ark. On this page, top to bottom: Baughn poses with Governor Asa Hutchinson. She has continued to work part-time for the governor. Baughn and co-anchor Caroline Derby take a photo after filming the news show. (photos courtesy of Izzy Baughn)
