The 2014 Winter Olympics is sure to be intense but may be a bit more vigorous with a Bulldog in the midst. Olympic News Service chose Mississippi State University’s Department of Communication assistant professor Skye Cooley to serve as a flash quote reporter. 
Sochi, Russia hosts this year’s winter Olympics, which will continue until Feb. 23. 
The 22nd Olympics features a total of 98 events in 15 winter sports. The games include biathlon mixed relay, women’s ski-jumping, mixed-team figure-skating, mixed-team luge, half-pipe skiing, ski and snowboard slopestyle and snowboard parallel slalom. 
The events take place in two new venues: an Olympic Park constructed in Sochi’s Imertinsky Valley on the coast of the Black Sea and the Fisht Olympic Stadium. The games’ indoor venues are located within walking distance, and snow events are held at the resort settlement of Krasnaya Polyana.
Cooley is a public relations and political communication in the Department of Communication professor at MSU. He holds degrees in international relations, international studies and political communication. Cooley has traveled through much of Europe, Latin America and Africa. He has also lectured, researched and traveled throughout Russia. Cooley said in an email he is no stranger to the country. 
“I love Russia. I have been here numerous times, and it is like a second home to me. Sochi is amazingly beautiful. The sea and mountains combined with the Olympics — it is just simply amazing,” Cooley said. “The climate is just a little warmer than Mississippi, at least since I have been here. More than anything, though, it is the people here that make it memorable. Sochi, right now, is flooded with kids who want to represent their country. The energy is just infectious.” 
Cooley is one of 10 team members for the Olympic News Service. Cooley said the team is managed by Australian journalist Louise Evans and is made up of renowned journalist and media members from around the globe. 
“I originally just volunteered for the Olympics. After looking over my resume, the Olympic News Service contacted me and asked me if I wanted to do something more meaningful. I said yes, and I was thrilled to do so. In order to qualify, I had to go through some language exams, a bunch of tests and two formal interviews, but I eventually landed the gig,” Cooley said.
The Olympic News Service (ONS) provides the media with comprehensive games information services. This includes biographies of all the athletes, game time news service, press conference highlights and flash quotes. Cooley said his job is very hectic. He said it involves a lot of people skills, high journalistic integrity and high energy. 
“So basically, what I do is sit in on press conferences, ask questions to the athletes and Olympic officials and help write news stories for the ONS. I also help write short pieces we call winterludes. It is a hectic job, always running around to the press conferences and coming back to our media room, but I love every moment of it. I feel very fortunate,” Cooley said. 
Many others in the communication department at MSU believe Cooley is the man for the job. John Nicholson, assistant professor of communication, said his selection alone reflects well on MSU, the state of Mississippi and the Department of Communication. 
“Skye was chosen because he has a rare set of qualifications, including his mastery of English and Russian, as well as his written communication skills. The fact that he is a faculty member at MSU is evidence of the literary world-class faculty on our campus,” Nicholson said. “He is one of the most highly motivated people I have ever met. For Dr. Cooley, no challenge is too daunting, no obstacle too large. When you combine his skill set and his motivation, he becomes the kind of team member any group would want.”
Cooley said having a member of MSU’s faculty chosen for this job could potentially have great future benefits for the university and its student body.
 He said these kinds of jobs are a great way to network and meet fellow educators and media persons. This opportunity will reflect positively on the university and will represent MSU at an international venue.
“I am very honored to represent MSU. I think having a representative of our university at the Olympics is a great thing,” Cooley said. “I have met a number of media members and made a tremendous amount of contacts that I think will help me guide students, especially those in communication studies, to jobs and internships. It is also helping me to update my skill set in reporting the news and learn new technology which, in turn, will help me prepare my students for real-world jobs.”
Asya Cooley, Skye Cooley’s wife, said she believes his experience in Russia will greatly benefit his students and have a significant impact on his teaching methods. 
“I can only imagine the wonderful first-hand experiences he is having with the Soviet media. He will serve as an inspiration to students and faculty members to reach for the loftiest goals, to work hard and to achieve those goals. That is what the Olympics are all about,” Asya Cooley said.