The Media and Communication Studies (MCS) Department has expanded to sports broadcasting—and it’s a slam dunk!
The idea for this course started with student interest to start a sports cast at Ursinus. What started as an independent media production class has grown into a class of over fifteen students.
Students are getting hands-on experience in managing and maintaining ongoing sports productions. With resources at Ursinus like the TV studio, WVOU, and Spotify, students can produce their own ongoing sports shows. As Kylie Ruggiero ‘26 explains, “I didn’t know what to expect coming in here, but now that we’ve started it’s really interesting. Knowing more about the operational side of things like working the cameras but also actively following sports—it’s turned into a community where everyone is interested in the same thing.” For students like Ruggeiro, who want to continue in the sports world after Ursinus, they have the opportunity to practice filming games and seeing a different side of sports production.
Erin Ewing , another student interested in the sports media and entertainment industry, is also getting valuable practice throughout this class. “One of the toughest things I think is for people to actually talk in front of the camera,” Ewing explains, “so this class gives you a lot of practice for that because it’s something that you think is really easy, but then when you do it it ends up being a lot harder. It gives you a lot of practice in a nice, safe, non-judgmental environment. It’s a lot of fun, but also super beneficial!”
A common compliment among the students is that the class creates a space to grow media skills before applying them in the real world. Dr. Edwards, the professor leading the class, says, “Now that students have these classes and these experiences, I would like this to continue and grow—not just be a one off class experience.”
Part of what makes the goal of the class possible are the connections with media industry workers. “We have a bunch of hall-of-famers who are still doing sports work around the area like Dennis Stanton who runs the Dennis Stanton basketball camps,” Edwards stated. “I would like to start telling those stories and highlighting those stories for alumni. We also have MCS alumni who are now working in sports industries like ESPN and NFL films.”
Outside of the class, there are also opportunities available for Ursinus students interested in sports broadcasting. Justin Jones, the assistant director of athletic communications, says, “I got the idea from when I was in college. It’s sort of how I got involved with the broadcasting department on my campus. I saw how beneficial it was for us back then and it’s been my goal to bring it to Ursinus since I arrived in 2021.” The effort to get students into sports broadcasting on campus is a win for all parties: students get experience and Ursinus athletes get more coverage for their families, friends, Ursinus alumni, and beyond.
If experience is a hurdle, Ursinus’s athletic department is equipped to train students to clear it. Jones explains, “Also, our more experienced workers will be a part of the groups/teams and can properly help provide support to the students as well on game days. Although it may take students some time to pick up certain positions. I believe our support staff, Matt, Lynne, and I can put the students in a spot to succeed.” Jones encourages students to try if they are interested. “At the end of the day, it’s a learning opportunity for the students,” he says. “In sports, learning and improving usually comes from a missed assignment, tackle, etc. If mistakes occur, we can always use them as a teaching point for future students or classes.”