Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Do you do any skin treatments?
Ms. Bonnie Bernstein: I’ll try to get a facial once every two months, but honestly, the key to healthy skin and hair for me has been eating well and drinking lots of water!
Ms. Namita Nayyar: Advice and motivational words for aspiring female sports journalists and broadcasters. How can they climb the ladder of success?
Ms. Bonnie Bernstein: First and foremost, never let anyone deter you from your dreams. Succeeding in a predominantly male industry often requires you to wear blinders and to have unwavering confidence that you’ve got what it takes to rise to the top. There’s no substitute for hard work! My other recommendation is to make it your mission to network. Through internships, through alumni groups, through friends and family. The more people you know, the better you position yourself to seize opportunity. And do hand-written thank you notes. A dying art. But it makes a long-lasting impression.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: On October 11, 2006, doctors discovered life-threatening blood clots in both of your lungs (pulmonary emboli) that originated in your left leg (deep vein thrombosis.). How you were able to overcome such a physical medical setback and what advice you can give to those in a similar situation?
Ms. Bonnie Bernstein: I couldn’t travel to cover games for three weeks so the medication could dissolve the blood clots, but ultimately, because the extensive flying I’d been doing was one of the primary risk factors in my diagnosis, I got off the road for several years and focused on studio hosting. Many people don’t realize complications from DVT kill more Americans than breast cancer and AIDS combined, but the good news is, it’s largely preventable. Several online risk assessment tools are available and if you think you may have a blood clot, get to a doctor right away.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: You graduated from the University of Maryland magna cum laude with a degree in broadcast journalism. You were also a four-time Academic All-American in gymnastics. How did this background help you become one of the American Sportscasters Association’s most accomplished female sportscasters in history?
Ms. Bonnie Bernstein: There was a study about 10 years ago that indicated more than 80% of businesswomen in executive positions were competitive athletes growing up. What’s the correlation? The characteristics and skill sets you build as an athlete– teamwork, discipline, time management, the ability to overcome obstacles– are also critical building blocks for success in the workplace! I’ve always strived to be the best I can possibly be in every facet of my life, so I guess I just approach my job with the same type of focus as I did academics and sports as a kid.
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The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.