Meet Roman Modrowski

For many sports fans, Roman Modrowski has a dream job.

He gets paid to watch professional basketball games and write about them.

Modrowski is the Chicago Bulls' beat writer for the Chicago Sun-Times.

In preparation for his job, he earned a bachelor's degree in communication at Purdue University Calumet.

While he was a student, the 1986 graduate and East Chicago native wrote for Purdue Calumet's student newspaper, The Chronicle. He also obtained an internship in the sports department of The (Northwest Indiana) Times. That internship blossomed into a full time job. Modrowski also blossomed-into an award-winning sports reporter and columnist.

After 10 years, he moved to the Sun-Times, where he also has covered Notre Dame football. On the Bulls beat, even though the subject of his coverage has struggled to play winning basketball, he, himself, came up a big winner last year in earning a Professional Basketball Writers Association award. In all he's earned 15 writing awards.

Modrowski credits the "solid education" he received at Purdue Calumet and the internship he acquired as having been especially valuable to him.

"I think one of the most important opportunities a college can provide is the chance to experience real world applications of what's learned in the classroom," he said. "And the internship I received during my senior year proved to chart the course of my professional life. It gives you a chance to see if you have what it takes."

From Purdue Calumet to the Chicago Sun-Times, Modrowski's regular byline in the newspaper's sports pages is proof positive he has what it takes.

"While proximity brought me to PUC," he said, "the quality of education kept me on target for a diploma." -and the opportunity to succeed in a career he enjoys.