As spring rolls around, many seniors are beginning to receive their college acceptances. While trying to find the college that fits you best, a plethora of schools can make the task daunting, but to soothe the nerves of our prospective senior class, Career Corner spoke with Kyle Peterson, a leading man of Colliers, a father, and a former college baseball player. Instead of a podcast, we’re taking our conversation and applying it in a more digestible manner for our audience: a written article.
Kyle Peterson didn’t fully know what he wanted to pursue when he began college, but his case wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary, according to the University of Tulsa, 75%-85% of students reported changing their majors in their first two years of college. During his time at Stanford University, Kyle was focused on his baseball career and not necessarily what would come after it; unfortunately, due to injuries, his playing time at the collegiate level came to an end sooner than he would’ve imagined. Despite this setback, Kyle was still involved in baseball and eventually moved up in the commentating world and joined ESPN in 2003 as a reporter for the Little League World Series Baseball and Major League Baseball, the College World Series, NCAA Baseball Regionals, and more. And since 2004, he has been a part of the College Basketball Selection Show. Although he focuses on being a CEO at Colliers Omaha, he continues to be involved in the ESPN world through commenting at the CWS every summer.
One of the setbacks as an ESPN reporter was during 2020, when Covid-19 hit, and the only place in the world where baseball was still going on was in Korea. Kyle Peterson explained that he and many other commentators would have to wake up around 2:00 am and sit in front of a computer to watch these games across the world. He was happy his dog was there with him, but missed seeing the game in real life. This experience led Kyle to reflect on the importance of human connection and involvement when it comes to becoming successful both in life and business.
At Colliers, Kyle interacts with dozens of clients, so adapting to different personalities is a necessity for creating a welcoming environment.
One thing in particular that Kyle stressed for high schoolers taking the next step in their lives is that mistakes are inevitable; how you bounce back and learn from them is what’s important. Adapting to different situations is important not only as a high schooler or college student, but as a working adult. Every “no” or rejection isn’t a stopping point; rather, it’s a new opportunity for you to grow. Kyle believes that every kid needs to enjoy their youth, to try new things, and to live their life without regrets. We all only have 86,400 seconds in a day, so don’t waste them, spend them.
As 2026 seniors look into their future, worried about how college will treat them, keep in mind that mistakes are needed for success. There’s no point in getting caught up in your mistakes, as it holds the key to self-growth. Although reaching perfection may be impossible, it’s within the progress we make that we find the most valuable moments. If you are a senior or anyone stressed about the future of your career, remember this: the only reassurance you need to treat yourself right is the fact that you are your own person. Your self-worth isn’t defined by the school you go to or the job you choose to pursue. Treat yourself with kindness, because being authentically you is enough, and that’s something worth holding onto.
