Pi Beta Phi - University of Southern California

5 A s the daughter of a former NFL player (wide receiver Mark Pattison), Claudette Montana Pattison '16 has a lifelong passion for sports—especially football and the storytelling behind it. "There's always a story behind the game, of course, but there's also much more to every player if you dig a little deeper," Claudette said. "I was always so intrigued by people's stories." As a sports journalist for Sports Illustrated and FanNation, Claudette combines her love of football with her love of storytelling for a thrilling career. She honed her craft at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism along with various internships. She also had the support of her Pi Phi sisters through college and the years since. BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS Claudette was initiated at the University of Arizona before transferring to USC, making lifelong friends both at Arizona Alpha and California Gamma. (Years later, she would surprise her little sister at her own Arizona Alpha Initiation!) Though the chapters differed slightly in events and procedures, the core Pi Phi values were the same—so was the genuine kindness Claudette experienced from the sisters during recruitment. "My first Bid Day, I felt like a Pi Phi—not just someone going through recruitment. It was really special." After transferring to USC, Claudette lived in the California Gamma house for a year and a half. She made several close friends there and was surrounded by driven, ambitious women. Sisters had internships at NASA, Fox Sports (where Claudette interned as well), and many other places as they strove for their goals. Seeing those accomplishments helped push Claudette to be the best version of herself in the classroom and beyond. She's also thankful for the support system her sisters have shared through the years. "Life gets tough sometimes, especially with all the changes in your 20s. It's nice to call up your good girlfriends and lean on them, and I'm so grateful that I met them all." LIVING THE DREAM Although it's early in her career, Claudette already hit a major milestone this year by covering Super Bowl LVI. Specifically, she worked the media week leading up to the game, interviewing at least 50 people as the football world gathered at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Claudette is originally from Seattle, so a major highlight was interviewing Seahawks players like Tyler Lockett and Shaun Alexander. "I was exhausted at the end of the week, but it was so fun and rewarding!" More recently, Claudette traveled to Indianapolis to cover the NFL Combine, where team scouts evaluate potential draft picks. She helped with general coverage and breaking news, and worlds collided when she interviewed a few USC players! "The job takes you all over—you never know where you'll go next," Claudette said. "There's so much more that I want to accomplish in the future, but so far 2022 hasn't been too shabby!" SISTERS FOR LIFE Though Claudette and her Pi Phi friends have spread out since college, they try to see each other whenever possible and keep in touch frequently. The chapter is great for building both friendships and networks, and she encourages sisters to stay open and meet people as much as possible. "And just be kind to everybody—it goes a long way." When Claudette isn't working, she's usually watching football! She also took up gardening during the pandemic and enjoys staying active in general. You can connect with Claudette at pattisonclaudettem@gmail.com or find her on Instagram at @claudettemontana. GOING BEYOND THE GRIDIRON Sports Journalist Claudette Montana Pattison '16 Shares Her Stories

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