Darren A. Nichols, 47, is an award-winning journalist, who is seeking to combine his varying interests in the industry.
Nichols has spent the majority of his career as a longtime reporter at The Detroit News. For more than 20 years, Nichols has been on the frontlines, outlining Detroit's issues in City Hall covering every mayor since Coleman Young. That spans five mayoral administrations.
Among the topics Nichols has covered included the launch and subsequent aftermath of the Kwame Kilpatrick administraion, outlining the financial crisis under Mayor Dave Bing that led to the only major U.S. city to be under state control and bankruptcy proceedings. Nichols also covered the historic election and first year of the Mike Duggan administration. Outside of City Hall, Nichols also covered Rosa Parks' funeral and was a leading reporter on the award-winning project commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1967 riots.
But Nichols' roots remain in sports. He is the son of a longtime Detroit coach and administrator, Charles Nichols.
The elder Nichols shaped the legendary teams served as an assistant under Dick Vitale at the University of Detroit. He also served as the head coach at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Later, he led athletics in the Detroit Public School system.
Darren Nichols, meanwhile, sought to be a sports reporter. While a journalism student at Wayne State University, Nichols covered sports at The Michigan Chronicle, Cincinnati Enquirer, Observer and Eccentric Newspapers, Detroit News and Indianapolis Star. Assignments included the 1989 NBA finals, hydroplane racing, Kroger Senior Classic, World Cycling, AAU basketball and Golden Gloves Championships. He also secondarily covered the Detroit Pistons, Lions and Cincinnati Reds and Bengals.
Legendary sports interviews included boxer Aaron Pryor, Michael Jordan, Barry Sanders, Tom Izzo, Jerome Bettis, Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson.
Despite not working in sports, Nichols has attended nearly every Final Four since 1999. It renews his passion for basketball and momentarily allows him to pick the minds of some of the greatest coaches in the game.
Currently on leave after suffering a major stroke in Sept. 2014, Nichols shares his story as an ambassador for the American Heart/Stroke Association. It includes media appearances and public speaking engagements.
A member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Nichols is the former Detroit Chapter president and deputy regional director.
