When Henry Gonzalez arrived at Iowa State four years ago, he didn’t have a grand plan. He chose Iowa State “kind of gradually.” But once he stepped onto campus, the Iowa State community offered something he couldn’t ignore: opportunity.
“I thought I’d have more hands on opportunities here,” Gonzalez said. “Between Iowa and ISU, I knew I’d get to do more at Iowa State.”
Now, as he prepares to graduate with a degree in journalism and mass communication and minors in Spanish, political science and music, Gonzalez has built a college experience defined by versatility, leadership and a deep love for storytelling—especially in sports.
Gonzalez didn’t originally plan to major in journalism. He came to Iowa State thinking he’d pursue music education. But one day, almost on a whim, he joined friends to record a broadcast “as a joke.”
Sports had been part of his life since he was three years old, and journalism was in his blood. His dad is a journalist, though Gonzalez laughs when he admits his father once advised him not to follow in his footsteps. But Gonzalez felt the pull anyway.
“My dad’s a journalist, so I’m kind of following in his footsteps even though he told me not to,” he said. “And being one of not that many Latino journalists—that’s something that’s important to me.”
Political science, another of his minors, has been a lifelong interest as well.
“I’ve always been politically involved,” he said. “Knowing and understanding political theories and our system makes me better informed as a person but also as a journalist. It makes me really versatile.”
Versatility is a theme Gonzalez returns to often. He prides himself on being able to do a little bit of everything—writing, photography, social media, graphic design. He sees that as essential in today’s media landscape.
“The industry is learning that a journalist needs to be excellent in all these areas,” he said. “I like that I can do graphic design, manage social media, take photos and be a writer.”
Outside the classroom, Gonzalez’s Iowa State experience has been shaped by music and marching band. He’s been surrounded by marching band culture since he was three years old, thanks to older siblings who performed in Texas and a brother who marched at Kansas State.
At Iowa State, Gonzalez plays alto saxophone and has served as a guide—a section leader—since his sophomore year. But his biggest marching band accomplishment came when he was selected as one of just six student staff members out of more than 375 band participants.
He also found a musical home in the Groove Drumline Club, where he joined the Gold Line to learn Iowa State drumline instruments.
Gonzalez’s passion for sports storytelling found a home in the Sports Media Club, where he’s been involved since his sophomore year. By junior year, he stepped into leadership as the club’s social media manager. This year, he serves as vice president, and he’s helped reshape the club’s mission.
Under his leadership, the club has expanded student broadcasting opportunities, including hockey broadcasts this semester and planned softball and baseball coverage.
Gonzalez’s professional experience spans marketing, news and sports broadcasting.
In 2024, he worked as an AV intern at Wellabe, gaining experience in marketing and video production. But his most transformative experience came in 2025 as a sports intern at WHO.
There, he shot and edited highlights, packaged content for newscasts, interviewed athletes for sound bites, pitched story ideas and even produced full sports stories.
After graduation, Gonzalez plans to pursue his dream of becoming a play by play broadcaster.
“It’s such a hard industry to get into,” he said. “But I know that if I’m also a sports journalist—even someone making sports documentaries—that’ll be very fulfilling.”
For Gonzalez, sports aren’t just games. They’re stories.
“I think sports are some of the best stories someone can tell,” he said.
And as he prepares to leave Iowa State, he’s ready to tell them.