By Michele Foss-Snowden

December 12, 2025

By Michele Foss-Snowden 

Fans of the CBS reality-based television program Big Brother know the show’s catchphrase “expect the unexpected” means that contestants should be mentally prepared for unpredictable twists and surprises. 

As one of the “Houseguests” on the most recent season of Big Brother, Morgan Pope (B.A., Communication Studies, 2014) was up for the challenge, since she’s been expecting the unexpected her entire life.  

During her time at Sac State, Pope was known as a fierce competitor on the track and field team — she broke records in both the 200-meter and the 4x4 relay. That competitive spirit also served her well on Big Brother, where she racked up additional records in front of a huge national audience.  

Now working as a model and gaming streamer in Southern California, Pope infuses everything she does with creativity, imagination, tenacity, and adaptability. She may be a self-described “gamer girl who happened to get casted for a reality TV show,” but she’s also an inspiration for anyone who dares to set big goals and lock in to achieve them. 

University Communications met with Pope in the gaming room at the University Union and had a conversation about her experiences on campus, life inside the Big Brother house, being a professional video gamer, and much more. (Interview edited for length.) 

 

Made at Sac State: What made you choose Sac State? You were a transfer student, right? 

Yes. I came here because the track team was impeccable, and the academics were great. I knew I was going to not only have a great academic experience but also have a kick-ass track team to represent for.  

 

Made at Sac State: What are some of your favorite Sac State memories? 

Track is great. It’s my favorite sport, but we're in Sacramento, and it is so hot. So, aside from burning part of my fingertips off, I think my favorite was just hearing the crowd as I was competing and seeing my friends and faculty in the stands. 

Speaking of faculty, one of my fondest memories is having to move my track practice earlier because I couldn't miss my COMS class. I would go and work out and have to shower and get ready and run to class so I wouldn't be late. My COMS professor knew I was on the track team and did not tolerate me being late because she knew I was fast enough to get to class. 

 

Made at Sac State: Do you think having a degree in Communication Studies has helped you in your professional life? 

One thing that's really great about COMS is that you learn how to approach people. Even auditioning for Big Brother, I had to go through all these processes [during auditions], and I always got a call from the casting director that said I nailed my interview, so I can't help but think that maybe my COMS degree had a little something to do with that. 

 

Made at Sac State: Big Brother was one of the first reality-TV competition shows, and it still has a huge audience and fans everywhere. Tell us more about your time on the show. 

If you are not familiar with Big Brother, it's a reality TV show where they take people from all over the country to come in and try to make it to the end to win $750,000. You have to navigate relationships using your social game to make sure that people don't want you evicted from the house. And then you also have to have competitive capabilities to win competitions both mental and physical. 

Big Brother is just a huge game with real people, so I was excited for that game factor, but also for the communication factor and the athletics factor. I guess I can say that Sac State helped me become a really good Big Brother player. 

 

Made at Sac State: You’ve described yourself as a “gamer girl who happened to get casted for a reality TV show.” How did you get started in gaming, and what are some lessons you’ve learned by being part of that world?  

I started streaming back in 2020 when COVID shut everything down. The modeling industry shut down, just like a lot of other jobs. Since I couldn't travel for work, I had a friend encourage me to start streaming. I was gifted an Xbox and a camera, and it just kind of took off from there.  

I wouldn’t say it was easy, though. Learning how to accept losing without it affecting me personally was key. I don’t like to lose, but I’ve learned how to get okay with it. I’ve learned how to accept my losses and my wins with grace, and give credit where credit is due. There’s a difference between loss and failure. Losing doesn’t mean you’ve failed. 

 

Made at Sac State: That’s such good advice, for situations both inside and outside of the gaming world. What other advice do you have for current students, especially those who are chasing big dreams?  

Some people feel discouraged when they look at their success in terms of numbers [of subscribers or followers or views], but numbers don’t determine worth. Think about quality over quantity. You just gotta love the content you’re pushing out. It’s all about making a difference, even if you’re only making a difference to a small amount of people. If you feel like you’re not growing, then be open to adjustments. Watch back what you’ve created. Would you promote or recommend yourself to a friend?  

If I take what I learned from my coaches, from my professors, from gaming, from being a content creator, it’s all the same: you just keep going. I always kept making goals for myself, and when I reached those goals, I set another one. I didn't stop. Kind of like running, you know? You just keep going.