KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 31, 2024

Like many remote employees, Jason Kirk ’07 wakes up each morning at his Atlanta-area home and logs in to his computer.

Sometimes, before he wades into the day's work, he pauses and reflects on his journey. He set an early goal of carving out a career in sports journalism, and these days he has surpassed all expectations by working as a managing editor at The Athletic, a part of The New York Times. 

“I don't have a journalism degree, and I work for The New York Times,” said Kirk, who graduated from Kennesaw State University in 2007. “Those things don't make any sense, but it has all worked out for me in the end.”

Armed with a bachelor's degree in English and inspired by lessons from a supportive professor, Kirk has taken an unconventional path to success, incubated in the modern media landscape.

In addition to editing newsletters and articles for The Athletic, Kirk co-hosts the Shutdown Fullcast, a wildly popular college football podcast. He also published his first novel in February 2024, selling more than 12,000 copies in the first eight months of distribution while earning rave reviews of Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, among others.

A longtime bookworm and writer, Kirk honed his craft while at KSU. Studying English and creative writing in the Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences, his personality often came through in his writing assignments and revealed to his professors untapped potential.

“I could see that he had natural talent,” said Aaron Levy, an English professor and director of the KSU Master of Arts in Professional Writing program. “You could tell he wanted to write, and he enjoyed it. When you encounter a student who has a voice and a specific way of capturing things, you do everything in your power to encourage them to keep writing and realize their potential.”

After graduating, Kirk edited ACT preparation manuals and worked as SB Nation’s top college football editor. However, he had other ambitions. Encouraged in part by his experiences in Levy’s classes, Kirk spent the early 2020s writing his debut novel, "Hell is a World Without You." The title even comes from a poem Kirk had written years prior for one of Levy’s class assignments.

Though Kirk has an agent for his non-fiction work, he wished to promote the novel on his own terms. So he created his own publishing company, Shutdown Fullbooks.

Independent publishing also meant Kirk had the freedom to allocate the book proceeds as he wished. During the book’s launch, its sales have raised more than $50,000 for the Trevor Project, a nonprofit entity dedicated to creating a safer world for the LGBTQIA+ community.

A self-proclaimed college football fanatic, Kirk has also enjoyed seeing KSU athletics land on the national stage by reaching the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in 2023 and joining Conference USA this year.

“The school’s becoming huge,” he said. "We didn't have football when I was here, and now we are an FBS program playing on national television multiple times a year. I can only imagine how much fun the student experience will be for years to come.”

Kirk maintains a strong connection to KSU. He keeps in touch with professors, including Levy; he sometimes works from a coffee shop just off campus; and he often plays as the Owls whenever he fires up the EA Sports College Football 25 video game.

Most importantly, he stands as proof positive that Kennesaw State prepares its students well for future careers—whatever those careers have in store, Levy said.

“I'm very happy that he's crushing it out there, and I'm sure he's yet to reach his ceiling,” Levy said.

– Story by Dave Shelles

Photo by Darnell Wilburn

 

This article also appears in the fall issue of Summit Magazine.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.