Student covered Super Bowl 50 for the school's broadcast programs

It was the first time the school has sent a student to cover a Super Bowl, but it follows the school’s tradition of supporting immersive student experiences. In recent years, students have traveled to cover news and sporting events such as the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in Los Angeles, the Beijing Olympics, the appointment of UNC system president Margaret Spellings in Texas and Dean Smith’s Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony in Washington, D.C.

 

Early this semester, Ward, a senior from Chapel Hill, had the idea to send a Sports Xtra reporter to the Super Bowl. She put together a proposal and a budget for the project, and a day later Charlie Tuggle — the school’s senior associate dean and Stembler Distinguished Professor of broadcasting — had approved the project, and she was looking for flights to San Francisco.

 

“We want our students to have these great experiences,” Tuggle said. “If a student comes to me with a good idea that is manageable in terms of time and resources and finances, why not? Why not send someone to the Super Bowl?”

 

Last semester, Ward worked for ESPN as an intern for College GameDay, so she said she feels prepared for the “chaos of the on-site game atmosphere.” She has also worked for the past three years as the student assistant to UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media alumnus C.L. Brown, a college basketball reporter for ESPN.com

 

Brown said he could tell Ward had something special from their first encounter. “She had a knack for being bold,” he said. “She is willing to take chances and dig deeper when it comes to reporting.”

 

As she was preparing for the trip, Ward reflected on her past experiences and this new opportunity. “It doesn’t feel like work to me at all. It’s sports,” she said. “Even if you lose, you love the game and love what you’re doing.”

 

Though this project is her brainchild, Ward was quick to credit Tuggle and Brown for their continued support in the pursuit of her passion.

 

She live tweeted her Super Bowl adventure on Twitter @Samantha_Ward16 and @SportsXtra_UNC.