Written By Stephanie Walton, TeleProductions Public Relations Assistant
Students working at Kent State University’s TeleProductions are getting the opportunity of a lifetime this semester: working on ESPN3 broadcasts.
ESPN3 is an online streaming service that provides live streams of sports events to fans everywhere.
Kent State is currently working on broadcasts for volleyball, men’s basketball and women’s basketball.
TeleProductions has partnered up with the athletics department for ESPN3. For each game, they take their truck and their crew, around 15 to 20 students, to produce the broadcasts.
Working ESPN3 games will give Kent State students the relevant, hands-on work experience that they need before entering their careers, and students can leave with ESPN3 on their resume.
“Part of the initiative of this was to try to get as many students involved as possible, the MAC Conference and ESPN want to give students the opportunity to get real-life experience during their college career,” said Josh Tanner, the producer of the Kent State ESPN3 broadcasts.
Susanne Ketchum and Jacob Auger are just two of the students who are receiving this opportunity.
“To me, ESPN3 means that I will have a leg up on other people entering the industry when I graduate since I will already have experience working sporting events on a truck for ESPN,” said Jacob Auger, a TeleProductions student employee.
Students have been able to make connections with industry professionals such as Ledion Isufaj and Dan Klamert, who are the directors of the Kent State ESPN3 broadcasts.
Isufaj is the co-owner of Bullseye Media and a freelance professional and Klamert is currently a video director for QTV.
“Our producer, Josh, has been such an invaluable mentor from the start. He's taught our crew a substantial amount of what we know about sports production going into this experience and also helped me to realize this was an industry I would be happy working in. Dan and Ledion, our directors, have offered great guidance in the process as well, and Dan has already been a help in connecting me with an opportunity to sit in on a rehearsal for one of the Browns' video board productions. We've definitely been lucky to have such supportive leadership in this experience,” said Susanne Ketchum, a TeleProductions student employee.
These students know the true value of what they are getting to experience.
“Out of all the experiences I've had in college, this has been one of the most rewarding, said Ketchum. “I'm grateful to have been a part of it before I graduate.”