Comm. camp aims to recruit students
Waynesburg University’s Department of Communication recently announced it will be hosting its annual Sports Announcing/Sports Journalism Camp for the eighth consecutive year this coming summer.
The camp will be run by current communication students at Waynesburg University, who will serve as counselors. It will be overseen by Lanny Frattare, assistant professor of communication, who was the broadcaster of the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster from 1976-2008.
High school students who have attended the camp in the past have had multiple opportunities to learn the different aspects of communication.
In past years, prominent Pittsburgh media figures like John and Paul Steigerwald, Mark Kaboly and Bill Hillgrove have been brought in as special guests. During the camp, students also get the chance to announce a few innings during a Washington Wild Things minor league baseball game.
Since its beginning in 2010, Frattare has seen the camp work in a variety of ways over the years.
“I’m pleased that the general plan of the camp that we’ve put into effect in 2010 has not required a lot of changes,” Frattare said. “We’ve succeeded every year, but as expected, we’ve been able to make some small adjustments each year and add a few things that we’ve not done previously.”
One of these “adjustments” is the added emphasis on Sports Journalism. This emphasis was officially added into the title last year and is being overseen by longtime counselor Dr. Brandon Szuminsky, instructor of communication.
“We try to widen the scope,” Szuminsky said. “The idea of being able to do one thing doesn’t really work in today’s media age. So being able to get an experience in both sports broadcasting and sports journalism-those are two sides of the coin that we feel you need to have.”
Past counselors have recognized the need to add Sports Journalism to the camp. One of those in favor is senior sports broadcasting/sports information major Kyle Dawson, who’s been a counselor for all four years of his enrollment at Waynesburg.
“In order to be a good sportscaster, you need to be able to write well,” Dawson said. “We are journalists as sportscasters. As sports broadcasters/announcers, you are a journalist on top of being an announcer.”
To Frattare, the camp has been a tremendous recruitment tool for the Department of Communication.
“We’re proud of Waynesburg University,” said Frattare. “We want to showcase our campus and our department and we’re pleased that right now we are averaging 20 percent of the students that have come to the Sports Announcing/Sports Journalism Camp have elected to matriculate to Waynesburg.”
Dave Floyd, the senior associate director of admissions and recruitment manager, has been a part of the camp since its inception seven years ago. After growing from a counselor into a recruiter, Floyd has seen a steady increase of future Waynesburg students enrolling in the department due to this camp.
“Each year there are always multiple students who will attend Waynesburg and I think the camp is a big reason why,” Floyd said. “Not only does the camp allow them to see whether or not they want to pursue announcing or journalism as a major or career, but it also allows them to see the opportunities they get within the department. Just by nature it’s a great recruiting event for the institution as well because of what students can experience while they’re here.”
The Sports Announcing/Sports Journalism camp will commence Monday, June 12 and will last until Friday, June 16.