Seventeen high school students from six states joined the College of Media for a three-day Sports and Adventure Media Camp at the end of June.
Campers participated in workshops to enhance their communication, photography, video and journalism skills, as well as improve their understanding of media in the modern world.
This annual camp started three years ago and is the brainchild of College of Media Recruitment Specialist Whitney Godwin. During recruiting visits to high schools, she found that students were interested in exploring more about media professions outside of the classroom.
“I thought it would be a good idea to bring them all together on our campus so they could experience WVU and the wonderful professors we have at the College of Media all while learning something that will benefit them in their future endeavors,” said Godwin.
For the past two years, the camp has focused on sports and adventure media to highlight the need for communicators in this industry, as well as promote the College’s new major.
Current College of Media students act as counselors, and Godwin brings in professional mentors for the campers. This year, mentors included College of Media teaching associate professors Emily Corio and Dr. Elizabeth Oppe; Chris Ostein, adjunct professor and WVU Athletics Video senior video producer; and Kristen Coldsnow, WVU Athletics graphic designer. Additionally, Media College alumna Anjelica Trinone, who works for WV Illustrated, was a guest speaker.
Students had the opportunity to put their adventure video skills into action through a variety of activities including capturing footage on GoPros and 360-degree cameras while ziplining through the hills of West Virginia. They also built skills in writing, photography, video, social media strategy, and sports editing and reporting.
“The camp is an opportunity to share our College’s unique sports and adventure media curriculum with eager high school students,” said Corio, who developed the curriculum for the new major. “I especially enjoy going to the WVU Canopy Tour with the students and showing them how they can use GoPro cameras to get interesting and unexpected shots as they’re zipping through the forest canopy.”
Media Camp introduces students to what the College of Media has to offer, but they also leave with portfolio pieces like finalized projects and a website.
“Camp really helps give the students a realistic look at what they could do in these industries, how the industry works and what they need to do to be successful,” explained Godwin.