A journalism school plus a huge sports program equals great opportunities for sports media students, but not always for women.
Starting this term, the University of Oregon will have a chapter of the National Association for Women in Sports Media.
“Being a sports journalist and being female, you experience things differently,” UO student Beth Maiman said. “We are outnumbered so by allowing women in college to have a place to discuss this then it can only be a positive thing.”
With the help of faculty advisor Lori Shontz, who started an AWSM chapter at Penn State University, the two started holding informal meetings, which attracted around 25 women. They came up with goals and sent in the application to nationals to be approved as a student chapter.
AWSM started in 1987 and the organization works to increase diversity in sports media and helps pave the way, not only for women, but also men who want to work in the field. The UO recently recognized AWSM as an official student chapter giving the grounds for members of the group to begin holding official meetings and allowing them to make a presence on social media.
Executive Board member Courtney Mains is excited to have a chapter at the UO because it will provide professional networking opportunities. Being a member gives you access to the AWSM directory so members can connect with industry professionals who are also AWSM members.
“AWSM also has an annual convention that students can attend and connect with other student chapters,” Mains said.
Shontz and a few students will be attending the convention over Memorial Day weekend. She believes the convention shows what the possibilities are for women and will give them a better idea of what to do next.
“I hope women will realize they’re a part of a really cool group,” Shontz said. “It’s shocking how few women are in this field and I hope they learn that their voices matter.”
Based on her experience as a sports intern with CNN, Maiman believes if a woman has confidence in a male-dominated industry then she will succeed.
AWSM aspires to give women that confidence and allows them to have a support system to talk about issues within this career.
Shontz said there are two pieces to this chapter: teaching students the industry obstacles women have had to overcome and professional development.
In meetings they will discuss how to ask questions in news conferences, “Which can be intimidating if you’re the only woman in the room,” Shontz said.
AWSM will do a variety of other things at meetings such as having guest speakers, holding professional workshops and reporting on sporting events.
Meetings will be every other Wednesday beginning week three, but the time and location is to be determined.
“If you’re interested in a career in sports media, want to meet a group of driven women, or just like discussing sports, then check us out,” Mains said.