UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Mid-August and early September might be back-to-school time for some Penn State but for others it’s a time for hands-on hard work at high profile international sporting events.
During the next three weeks, students in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism will be covering the Little League World Series and Paralympics as part of a partnership with the Associated Press.
“They are extremely exciting opportunities, and they come with a high level of responsibility because what we do will be shared by the Associated Press all over the world,” said Amanda Vogt, a junior journalism major from Wayne, New Jersey. Vogt will be among those covering the Little League World Series, scheduled Aug. 14-25 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and the Paralympics, scheduled Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 in Paris.
“it’s not just a school assignment. That’s a big motivator, and a little intimidating. But we’ve been preparing for months, especially for the Paralympics,” said Jack Rachinsky, a sophomore journalism major from Rahway, New Jersey. “Honestly, when I came to Penn State, I was hoping for opportunities like this. I just never expected there would be so many of them and they would come so soon.”
Rachinsky, Vogt and junior journalism major Avery Hill will share duties at the Little League World Series that features 20 teams playing 38 games.
They’ll also travel to Paris, along with Aidan Conrad, Caleb Craig, Kiliegh Kane, Anna Licastro, Jackson Ranger and Leighton Smithwick. With 500 medal events in 22 sports, the Paralympics offers many more coverage challenges, options and storylines.
Students prepared for the Paralympics by meeting each week from March to May during the spring semester at Penn State. They also provided AP coverage of U.S. championships in Florida and Minnesota earlier this summer.
By this point, they’re familiar with key U.S. team members, and many of those participants know the student-led Associated Press team as well.
“It’s a strong group — writers, storytellers, photographers,” said John Affleck, director of the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism and the Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society at Penn State. He’s also the head of the Department of Journalism. “We have talented students who will provide coverage worthy of the Associated Press. At the same time, they’re getting unparalleled opportunities to build a strong foundation for their careers.”
Affleck will travel to Paris, as will Bellisario College Dean Marie Hardin, Assistant Teaching Professor John Pendygraft and multimedia production specialist Brian Shoenfelt. So, as the students hone their craft, explore different storytelling techniques and work to meet deadlines, they’ll have strong support from experienced professionals.
The Penn State coverage team will depart for Paris on Aug. 29 and return Sept. 8.
The students learned about the “mix zone” for media during the U.S. championships, gained confidence during interviews with numerous opportunities from those events and have handled all the logistics with traveling abroad. They’re ready to go, and Affleck expects they’ll do well.
“They know it’s a working trip — a once-in-a-lifetime trip that I’m sure they’ll enjoy, but still a working trip,” Affleck said. “Our students have consistently proven themselves in these kinds of situations and my sense is this group will do that as well.”