UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) -- an international organization working to advance the success of student and professional women in sports media -- has recently created a student chapter at Penn State.
The chapter, the sixth in the nation for AWSM, attracted 25 students to its initial organizational meeting.
Longtime AWSM member Lori Shontz, a Penn State alumna who serves as an associate senior editor at The Penn Stater magazine and previously worked for the Miami Herald and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, among other publications, will guide the chapter as faculty adviser. Student board members include Megan Flood, a sophomore from Stamford, Conn.; Emily Kaplan, a senior from Montclair, N.J.; and Katelyn Marmon, a sophomore from Rockville, Md.
AWSM welcomes both male and female membership, working to support and promote women sports journalists, broadcasters, producers, editors, and those in public and media relations. The non-profit organization creates opportunities for members through its internship/scholarship program and career-enhancement initiatives.
Looking to strengthen connections with college students, AWSM currently supports active chapters at Boston University, Michigan State, Ohio University, Ohio State and Oklahoma State. The association will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in Scottsdale, Ariz., in June.
Shontz joined AWSM as a student at Penn State, where she served as a sports editor at The Daily Collegian. Mary Jo Haverbeck, a pioneer in the field of women’s sports who served as a media relations director for Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, recommended the association to Shontz. She has been a member since the late 1980s, along with College of Communications Associate Dean Marie Hardin, who serves as associate director of the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism, housed in the College of Communications.
Shontz recruited Flood as president, Kaplan as vice president and Marmon as treasurer for the chapter at Penn State. The student-run organization will utilize Shontz’s expertise and she will serve as a liaison with the national organization.
The board plans to offer members various professional opportunities through the organization. They hope to have resume and cover letter critiques, and guest speakers, including journalism and public relations professors, sports media professionals and Penn State alumni. Shontz mentions alumni connections as an important resource for students. She said, “Communications is about connecting with people. This is a way to start to build those ties early. We can learn from each other.”
She also noted that the chapter is hoping to build bridges among the various academic majors within the organization. She recognizes the importance of understanding all the jobs in the field as a fundamental tool for success. She says, “I think diversity is crucial for all media.”