On Monday the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) College of Journalism and Mass Communications (CoJMC) launched Spring Game Week, which combines Husker Athletics and UNL Academics for a hands-on experience in sports media and communication.
“For the past five years the college has partnered with the NEBRASKA Athletic Department to offer students the opportunity to observe sports communication in practice at a Big Ten event,” said CoJMC Interim Dean Amy Struthers. “With the launch of our new major in sports media and communication this year, it seemed the perfect opportunity to expand on that tradition and offer our students hands-on experiences around the Husker Spring Game.”
Spring Game Week will offer three avenues for students to learn and experience sports media and communication during Spring Game Week.
A new CoJMC pop-up class, Spring game: sports play-by-play, got underway on Saturday, April 14. This course offers students the opportunity to try their hand at sports broadcasting during the Spring Game. Pop-up classes are one-credit hour classes that offer students an opportunity to experiment with new skills or dig deep in an area of interest. This course, taught by award-winning broadcasting Professor Jerry Renaud, is being taught over two weekends culminating at the game on Saturday, April 21.
The Spring Game Experience will offer over 40 CoJMC students the opportunity to be backstage at Memorial Stadium during the Game. Students will shadow the professionals of Husker Athletics and HuskerVision from the Tunnel Walk to the press conference. Inside Memorial Stadium, students will have opportunities to check out the Corn Crib, the Huskers’ social media analytics lab, the Don Bryant Media Facility where working journalists will be covering the game and the HuskerVision control room, where all the big screen magic happens.
Renowned sports photographer and CoJMC associate professor Bruce Thorson will mentor aspiring photojournalists on the field during the Spring Game. Thorson has over 25 years of experience in sports photojournalism and regularly works major sporting events for USA Today. During the spring game, Thorson will show students how to get the perfect shot from the sidelines.
“At the UNL CoJMC we believe that in order to truly learn, students must do,” said John Shrader, assistant professor and CoJMC sports media and communication coordinator. “Spring Game Week provides students the opportunity to get out of the classroom, go beyond the textbook and get on the field.”
