From TCU to the World Cup: AddRan Writing Alumna Finds Her Dream Career at FOX Sports
As millions of soccer fans around the world tuned in to the FIFA World Cup this summer, TCU alumna Jaya Armstead ’21 was helping tell the stories behind the tournament.
Working as a production assistant for FOX Sports, Armstead supported the network's World Cup coverage while contributing to feature interviews, music videos and original content that aired during the tournament. Seeing her work broadcast to a global audience was a milestone years in the making.
"Being able to work on the FIFA World Cup has been surreal," Armstead said. "It's wild to think about how many people over the globe are watching our coverage and seeing pieces I have worked on."
During the tournament, Armstead supported producers and editors by gathering footage, organizing edit sessions and contributing creative ideas. She also produced original pieces, including a match tease and a World Cup music video celebrating the tournament's spirit of unity.
"Watching them air brought tears to my eyes," she said. "It just feels like years of hard work and dreaming are finally bridging together to become real."
A passion for storytelling
Although Armstead grew up in a sports-loving family, her father played professional football, she didn't initially envision a career in sports television.
Instead, she came to TCU knowing she wanted to be a writer.
"I grew up collecting comic books and adored watching films and TV shows," Armstead said. "Through each form of media, I enjoyed the storytelling and how it impacted myself and others."
As a writing major in the AddRan College of Liberal Arts, she immersed herself in courses that expanded her understanding of storytelling, from dramatic writing and poetry to copywriting, rhetoric and Black satire.
"Those courses expanded my idea of everything I could do with my major," she said.
After graduating from TCU, Armstead moved to California to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting at the New York Film Academy. While there, an internship with FOX Sports changed everything.
Armstead said she realized how easily she could blend her passion for sports and media production. By the end of the internship, she knew she wanted to return to FOX Sports as a full-time production assistant.
Building confidence through the liberal arts
While Armstead's career has taken her from screenwriting classrooms to some of the world's biggest sporting events, she credits her liberal arts education with giving her the skills to thrive in a fast-paced production environment.
"My writing degree truly is my backbone," she said. "It made me a stronger writer and enhanced my critical thinking skills."
Whether she's writing scripts for pitches, editing interview transcripts, brainstorming graphics copy or communicating with producers under tight deadlines, Armstead relies on the communication and storytelling skills she developed at TCU. She emphasizes that being a strong written communicator is just as important as being a verbal communicator.
TCU faculty members saw those strengths developing long before she entered the professional world.
Chantel L. Carlson, senior instructor of English, recalled Armstead's dedication to every creative assignment, noting that she consistently approached her work with preparation, curiosity and a willingness to grow.
"It was an honor to see Jaya grow as a writer over the years,” Carlson said. “Creative writing can help to give you the confidence to find your own voice — to find what you value in yourself and in the world around you. By tapping into your own creativity, it not only gives that self-expression an outlet, but it also opens the door for empathy and connection with others. That's what makes creative writing and the liberal arts such a unique and valuable foundation for endless career opportunities."
During her time at TCU, Armstead also found community through the AddRan Leadership program, internships and mentors who encouraged her ambitions. She credits those experiences with helping her build the confidence to pursue graduate school and eventually a career in television production.
Representing TCU on the world's biggest stage
Since joining FOX Sports, Armstead has contributed to coverage of the NFL, NASCAR, IndyCar and the FIFA World Cup. Among her favorite memories is working the Indianapolis 500, where she helped produce interviews and supported race-day coverage.
Looking back on her journey, from growing up in Dallas in the Oak Cliff community and later attending TCU to working in Los Angeles, she says those moments are reminders of how far she's come.
"Being able to represent TCU makes me so proud," Armstead said. "This university has taught me to be innovative, resilient and understanding. All aspects that I bring into my office every day."
For current students hoping to follow a similar path, Armstead encourages them to stay curious, embrace challenges and remember that every opportunity matters.
"The most important advice is never think a task is too small," she said. "Take each moment as a learning experience because it will prepare you for bigger tasks. Take time to grind and never compare your career pace to anyone else."
Watch to learn why working at FOX Sports is Jaya’s Dream Job!