A visit to UMass Amherst’s Career Development and Professional Connections Hub set Jeremy Bhandari ’18 on a path to success in sports media and publishing.

Growing up in Ashland, Mass., about 30 minutes away from Boston, Jeremy Bhandari cultivated a love of the area’s sports teams, including the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, and Bruins.

When it came time for him to apply to colleges, he knew he wanted a school with a Division I sports program, and UMass Amherst fit the bill.

“I didn’t have a specific career path in mind, but I knew I loved sports, writing, and the media landscape,” Bhandari says. “UMass had a rich athletic history, with Julius “Dr. J” Erving being an alum and the 1996 Final Four basketball team with Marcus Camby and Coach John Calipari. I loved the tradition, the logo, everything about it.”

Bhandari was thrilled to be accepted to UMass, and he eventually decided on a communications major within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS).

“Initially, it was the only path that felt right for me,” he says. “The program offered diverse courses covering TV, human interaction, and media, which I found appealing. In addition to communications-specific classes, I appreciated how the curriculum pushed me beyond a narrow discipline, exposing me to a wide range of subjects.”

When his senior year rolled around, he began to think about how he could differentiate himself from others when he entered the job market. “I didn’t want to graduate with just a diploma,” he says.

Bhandari headed to the Career Development and Professional Connections Hub, where he spoke with a staff member about his love of sports writing. They worked together to find him an internship at a sports blog, where he would write three articles per week using advanced metrics to strengthen his pieces.

“It was more work than a typical class,” he says. “I produced over 100 articles on baseball, basketball, and football by graduation.”
In addition to the real-world experience of researching and writing each article, Bhandari says the internship helped him develop discipline and a work ethic. He had weekly check-ins with Senior Lecturer in Communication Allison Butler, which enabled him to track his progress and kept him accountable.

“Expressing my love for sports was the best part of the internship,” he says. “One highlight was writing an article about Hall of Fame baseball player Vladimir Guerrero (Sr.) that he reposted on his Facebook. Seeing my work gain traction as an undergrad was incredible and reinforced my drive to create.”

The portfolio of work Bhandari developed helped him land an interview with ESPN for a position as a sports content researcher. The hiring manager was impressed with his output, which led to a job offer just one month after graduating.

He spent the next year and a half creating original graphics for ESPN’s shows, assisting with social media, and providing stats for writers and talent. Working out of the SEC Network studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, he saw his ideas come to life during ESPN’s coverage of the 2019 NBA Draft, coverage of the 2019 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, and on shows like SportsCenter, The Paul Finebaum Show, and SEC NOW. 

“Seeing my ideas used in these programs was a direct result of the creative thinking and boldness I honed at UMass.”

Jeremy Bhandari ’18

Bhandari also reflects, “Whenever I ruminate over some of the highlights, like getting to work as the on-site researcher for a live college basketball game involving Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers, generating countless graphics centered around Joe Burrow during his Heisman campaign, providing a unique stat that was referenced during the 1st round of the NBA Draft, and cultivating a concept featuring Tom Brady that ran during the College World Series Championship Final, I always remind myself that without the effort I put in as a college student, none of these special moments would have ever played out.”

While working for ESPN, he developed the idea for his next big project: a book designed to teach middle and high school students the habits of successful athletes.

Bhandari interviewed 16 athletes, with each one representing a specific productive habit. Jason Kidd, former NBA star and current coach of the Dallas Mavericks, offered his thoughts on discipline. Hall of Fame baseball player Chipper Jones talked about goal setting. 

“Using my ESPN connections, I networked with athletes, agents, and industry professionals,” he says. “I explained that I was creating an inspirational book for kids who were too young to have seen them play. Retired athletes, with more time on their hands, were eager to inspire the next generation.”

Trust the Grind was published in 2020, when Bhandari was 23 years old, and eventually became the #1 Best Seller in Teen & Young Adult Fitness & Exercise and Baseball & Softball on Amazon. Schools in Massachusetts, Georgia, Ohio, Florida, Mississippi, California and the UK added it to their reading lists. The book was also featured in publications like the American Libraries Magazine, and the National Alliance for Youth Sports. To date, the book has sold over 40,000 units.

In addition, Bhandari had the opportunity to speak directly with students at schools in New York and Texas about the themes described in the book.

“Students loved the unique approach,” he says. “They appreciated the personal connection, learning what these athletes did at their age. Their feedback taught me the importance of creating content that resonates with a specific audience.”

For the five-year anniversary version of Trust the Grind, which was released in July 2025, he has added a ‘memorable moment’ blurb for each player to reinforce their key insights. He is also currently outlining a documentary project where he continues to advance his storytelling.

Bhandari encourages every UMass student to pursue hands-on experience before graduating, whether through an internship or personal research project.

“I didn’t have a master plan; I stumbled into the internship,” he says. “But reflecting now, I see how those experiences built my success. Students don’t need a perfect plan, just the initiative to pursue their interests.”

Want to help students gain access to internships and experiential learning opportunities? Make a gift to the Career Development & Professional Connections Hub.