"Life is a crazy journey, but it's a lot easier if we all do it together."
This is a mantra Cicily Porter lives by. As a news anchor, reporter, and podcast co-host, she understands the importance of community and shared experiences.
Born and raised in Rensselaer, Indiana, Porter discovered her love for storytelling early on. However, it wasn't until she attended Indiana University (IU) Northwest, majoring in communications, that she realized her passion for news. At IU Northwest, she founded RedHawk Media and launched her own podcast, paving the way for her future career.
“I always knew I wanted to tell stories in some way, but I didn’t consider doing news until college,” Porter said. “When I started piecing together my skills and looking back at my past, it just clicked.”
Securing an internship proved to be a challenge for Porter. She applied for around 100 internships but received responses from only 10.
“None of the internships I was offered were in television, so I ended up taking an internship for the City of Gary,” Porter said. “That summer, I actually took three internships, so I also worked for the Muskrats, a professional soccer team in St. John, and a nonprofit called MindPower Foundation, which I still work for today.”
At MindPower Foundation, Porter is currently the social media and communications manager and a board member. The nonprofit focuses on student-athlete mental health, something she is very passionate about.
That September, WSBT offered Porter a fall internship. She was excited to work with a television news company. Her performance led to another internship the following summer and eventually, a permanent position with the station. She has now been with WSBT for over eight months, where she enjoys building positive relationships.
“My favorite part of the job is connecting with people,” Porter said. “I love hearing and telling stories, especially good news stories.”
Outside of work, Porter is an avid traveler with a goal to explore 30 countries by the time she turns 30 – she’s already visited seven. She also enjoys volunteering with the Boys & Girls Club and is always seeking new opportunities to give back to the community.
One of Porter's favorite hobbies is co-hosting her podcast, "Just Life," which began as a college project. For the assignment, she created an episode about her experience tearing both of her ACLs while playing soccer in high school. After posting it online, she received a positive response from listeners worldwide, inspiring her to continue the podcast. Now, she and her co-host cover a wide range of topics.
“We talk about everything related to life, from beauty tips to mental health to funny life stories,” Porter said. “We have a variety of episodes. I hope that people can learn from my experiences and those of my co-host, and we can help them in whatever way they need.”