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 another University of Maryland student sponsred by the Baltimore Sun's Ron Fritz.
Name: Eric Garland
College: Senior at the University of Maryland.
Sponsoring member: Ron Fritz, Baltimore Sun head of sports
Experience: Covered professional sports, politics and breaking news topics as a multimedia intern for the Baltimore Sun. Covered professional, collegiate and high school teams as a sports writing intern for the Baltimore Sun. Worked as a multimedia reporter for The Diamondback, the University of Maryland's student newspaper. Covered professional teams in the Washington, D.C., area as a member of a sports journalism class.
How did you become interested in journalism? "Ever since I could remember, I was watching sports on TV and losing sleep the night before attending a baseball or football game. I started covering high school sports for my high school newspaper and liked the idea of interviewing athletes and writing about something I love. I decided to major in journalism at college, get experience with internships and have never looked back since."
What's the most important thing you've learned? "I've learned the world of journalism is changing at a rapid pace. You are at an advantage if you can do more than just write a story. That is why I have a lot of experience with video and editing. I like to write a story and then shoot and edit a video to go with it to create a multimedia package."
Dream job? "I would love to be a beat writer for a team and travel to the cities that it plays in. As the way we obtain news is changing, I also aspire to be a full-time multimedia journalist who covers sports issues."
Athletic background/interests/hobbies/activities: Was the captain of both varsity baseball and basketball teams at Loch Raven High in Baltimore. … Writing, writing music, playing guitar.
Eric's work appears on: baltimoresun.com, diamondbackonline.com
