Last summer APSE president Gerry Ahern called on every member of APSE to recruit and sponsor one college student as a member of our organization.
For a $25 fee, students gain access to the minds and events that will shape the future of sports journalism. Ahern also asked sponsoring editors to help help mentor the student as they prepare to enter the profession.
To sponsor a student member, go to http://apsportseditors.org/registration/
Several APSE members have answered the call. To recognize them and the new members they've brought into our organization, we'll be posting bios of the first wave of student members.
Today, meet a Penn State junior and the last of five — count'em five! — student members sponsored by the Baltimore Sun's Ron Fritz.
Name: Steven Petrella
College status: Junior at Penn State University in 2012-13
Sponsoring member: Ron Fritz, Baltimore Sun head of sports
Experience: Covered the Preakness and wrote stories about local athletes excelling at the college and professional levels as sports reporting intern for the Baltimore Sun in summer of 2012. Covered Penn State football and basketball for the Daily Collegian, the school's independent student newspaper. Helped lead sports related coverage of scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, the termination and death of Joe Paterno and the hiring of new coach Bill O'Brien.
How did you become interested in sports journalism? "Ever since I was a kid, I always had a strong interest in sports, and I always enjoyed writing. I joined the school newspaper in high school, where I served as the sports editor for two years. I enjoyed my experience, so I decided to pursue it in college."
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned: "Separating myself from the school I love and the coverage of that school proved very difficult, but it taught me invaluable lessons. I had to step back and look at things objectively, valuing the opinions of those outside and inside the situation. It hurt me to see my university suffer the way it did, but it gave me an unparalleled experience in to how to cover something as big as the story that cast a shadow over Penn State last fall."
Dream job: "Beat writer for an NHL team in a major market."
Athletic background/interests/hobbies/activities: "Played high school hockey for Randolph, winning two New Jersey state titles and serving as a captain senior year. … Play intramural hockey at Penn State. … Raise money for Penn State's Dance Marathon, which raised more than $10.6 million for pediatric cancer patients. … Video games, sports handicapping."
Steven’s work appears on: psucollegian.com, baltimoresun.com
Follow Steven on Twitter @steve_petrella
