Greeted by the Paris city skyline each morning, students pair up in groups of three — a print reporter, a broadcast reporter and a videographer — before setting off to find their next story.
In the field, Cal State Fullerton communications students film b-roll, conduct interviews and create social media content. In the afternoon, their hotel is transformed into a makeshift newsroom where they write, edit and produce content that tells the story of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Through CSUF’s summer study abroad program, 26 students are covering the Olympics live from Paris. Working in a highly competitive and fast-paced environment, students are training to become professional journalists and strengthening their portfolios with high-quality media clips.
Their coverage will span a variety of highly relevant topics, including feature stories about Olympic athletes, coaches and athletic trainers, and news pieces about LGBTQ+ inclusivity for athletes, sports psychology and one of the Olympics’ newest sports, breaking.
With more than 20 years of experience as a television sports reporter, CSUF Assistant Professor of Communications Gayle Jansen Brisbane designed the three-week program to help students become top candidates in a competitive sports industry.
“Being able to work on the biggest sports stage and have the opportunity to produce content at a world-class event like the Olympics will be a huge boost to the students’ careers in sports media,” said Jansen Brisbane, who is leading the program alongside Bob Young, a faculty associate from Arizona State University. “There is no substitute for experience, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Student Reporters Take on Paris
Lina Naranjo, a third-year communications student, is working on stories about the opening ceremonies, U.S. Olympians and the impact of the games on local street vendors.
“I never thought I’d be covering the 2024 Paris Olympics as an undergraduate student. Having the opportunity to immerse myself into a new country with students who are driven, confident and passionate within the broadcast field is one of the greatest things I could ever experience,” said Naranjo.
For Marissa Lavezzari, the trip is helping her move closer to her goal of becoming a sports communications professional for a Major League Baseball team. Lavezzari emphasized what it means to be a woman covering sports on a global scale this early in her career.
“Historically, sport is an arena that has catered to a patriarchal society, so if I can continue breaking down gender barriers for younger generations, it will only fuel my passion for reporting on sports and serving as a liaison between athletes and fans around the world,” said Lavezzari, a communications student who has been involved in such campus programs as OC News and Titans Sports Network. She currently serves as an assistant director of communications for Titans Athletics.
“Cal State Fullerton offers exceptional opportunities for aspiring journalists, especially aspiring journalists who share the same passion for sports as I do,” said Lavezzari.
Training Future Sports Reporters
Enrolled in Sports Broadcast Journalism and Sports Reporting, the students are halfway to earning their Sports Media Certificate, which prepares graduates for successful careers in sports journalism, entertainment and communications, said Jansen Brisbane.
Collaborating with faculty, students gain the critical communication skills they need to land internships, build industry connections and succeed at high-level reporting assignments, such as covering the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
“My professors have been such great mentors. They are continuously providing us with tips to be the best reporters and writers we can be and giving us the opportunity to be as creative as we want with our stories,” said Naranjo.
Post-graduation, communications students will join an impressive alumni network in the College of Communications that includes Los Angeles Dodgers reporter Jose Mota ’94 (B.A. communications-radio/TV/film), NBA reporter Marc Stein ’91 (B.A. communications), and NFL on-air personality Adam Rank ’95 (B.A. communications-journalism).