Dr. Taylor Umland Named Sport Media Chair For NILvana Sports
NILvana Sports is proud to announce that Dr. Taylor Umland has been appointed as the Sport Media Chair for the NILvana Sports Faculty Leadership Council.
Dr. Taylor Umland
Professional Biography
Dr. Taylor Umland is Lecturer and Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Sports Journalism at the University of Salford. Before joining Salford, Dr. Umland started and led the Sports Journalism course at Leeds Beckett University. Before moving to the UK, he worked as a multimedia reporter for NBC affiliate KWQC-TV in Iowa, as well as freelance work as a sports/news journalist, covering reporting, production, and live broadcasting. At Salford, he focuses on real-world practice, industry partnerships, and preparing students to create work that matters across platforms.
In 2025, Umland founded the Sports Media Education Association (SMEA), a professional body that brings together universities, educators, and industry professionals to rethink how sports media is taught and how students are prepared for work across journalism, broadcast, digital, and club media. Through SMEA, Taylor leads cross-institution collaboration, industry dialogue, and applied research focused on skills development, curriculum alignment, and emerging career pathways in sports media. The association provides a shared space for educators and practitioners to shape standards, exchange best practices, and respond to the changing realities of the sports media sector.
NILvana Sports
At NILvana Sports, our mission is to create real experiential learning opportunities for students while helping shape the future of sport industry education. Dr. Umland’s leadership will play an important role in guiding our initiatives and expanding resources that empower the next generation of athletes and sport professionals.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Taylor Umland to the NILvana Sports Faculty Leadership Council.
Learn more about NILvana Sports
https://nilvanasports.com
Leave a Reply