SJI Meaning
what does SJI mean to alums?
Chanda
Washington
Class of 1993
Today she is an
assistant photo
editor at The
Washington Post
I'm so far away
from where I began
as a member of the
Sports Journalism
Institute, but I think
that's because of
the many people I
met who believed
in me. My goal was
never to be the
go-to sports
reporter. I believe
there are others
who are far more
talented in that area.
My hope was to
learn the many
aspects of the
newspaper business
in the hopes of
climbing the
managerial ranks to
the top. And I
chose sports as a
way to get in the
door. Thankfully,
people like Sandy
Bailey (Rosenbush)
and Leon Carter
believed in me as
well. And through
them I met
then-sports editor
George Solomon,
who offered me an
internship -- and
later a full-time
position -- at The
Washington Post.
After spending a
few years designing
sports and news
pages and later
being a manager on
our weeklies layout
desk, I am now an
assistant photo
editor at The Post,
selecting lead art
for Page One. As a
member of the
inaugural class, I'm
proud to say thank
God for the Sports
Journalism Institute.
Washington
Class of 1993
Today she is an
assistant photo
editor at The
Washington Post
I'm so far away
from where I began
as a member of the
Sports Journalism
Institute, but I think
that's because of
the many people I
met who believed
in me. My goal was
never to be the
go-to sports
reporter. I believe
there are others
who are far more
talented in that area.
My hope was to
learn the many
aspects of the
newspaper business
in the hopes of
climbing the
managerial ranks to
the top. And I
chose sports as a
way to get in the
door. Thankfully,
people like Sandy
Bailey (Rosenbush)
and Leon Carter
believed in me as
well. And through
them I met
then-sports editor
George Solomon,
who offered me an
internship -- and
later a full-time
position -- at The
Washington Post.
After spending a
few years designing
sports and news
pages and later
being a manager on
our weeklies layout
desk, I am now an
assistant photo
editor at The Post,
selecting lead art
for Page One. As a
member of the
inaugural class, I'm
proud to say thank
God for the Sports
Journalism Institute.
Kate Crandall
Class of 2006
Today she is
Colorado
College hockey
beat/general
assignment
sports reporter
at The Gazette
(Colorado
Springs)
SJI equipped me
with a greater sense
of purpose, that
each word I write
and the way I
report reflects on
an entire network
of passionate
sportswriters from
all walks of life.
Class of 2006
Today she is
Colorado
College hockey
beat/general
assignment
sports reporter
at The Gazette
(Colorado
Springs)
SJI equipped me
with a greater sense
of purpose, that
each word I write
and the way I
report reflects on
an entire network
of passionate
sportswriters from
all walks of life.
Amanda Comak
Class of 2007
Today she is a
senior at Boston
University
SJI was one of the
most unique
experiences in my
life. When they say
boot camp they
aren’t kidding
around, but after
SJI I felt completely
prepared for my
internship and for a
career in sports
journalism. And
now I have a family
of sports journalists
that is a network
unlike any other.SJI-
ers are the cream of
the crop.
Class of 2007
Today she is a
senior at Boston
University
SJI was one of the
most unique
experiences in my
life. When they say
boot camp they
aren’t kidding
around, but after
SJI I felt completely
prepared for my
internship and for a
career in sports
journalism. And
now I have a family
of sports journalists
that is a network
unlike any other.SJI-
ers are the cream of
the crop.
Steve Patterson
Class of 1996
Today he is a political
reporter at the Chicago
Sun Times
I always knew I could make
it at a major metro, if given a
chance. The Sports
Journalism Institute not only
gave me that chance in 1996,
but also gave me the
confidence to continue
working toward that goal.
I spent a week entrenched in
all things sports journalism -
writing, reporting, editing,
ethics - before spending a
summer at the Chicago
Tribune. I broke a national
story there – and scored an
exclusive interview with a
sobbing Nick Price - that
caddy Squeeky Medlen had
been diagnosed with cancer. I
also pitched in on the
Olympic bombing coverage
that year and backed up their
pro beat reporters.
More than a decade later, I’m
back in Chicago, working at
the rival Sun-Times and
covering the sport of politics,
but there’s no doubt it was
that chance to shine as an SJI
intern that gave me the
confidence to come here and
know I could succeed.
And, eventually, I want to get
back to sports - combining
the investigative news skills I’
ve honed over the years with
the skills I learned with SJI.
SJI also helped me see there
were other Native Americans
interested in sports journalism
and to understand the
importance of working to
bring more Natives into
journalism and ensuring they
continue to have all of the
same opportunities I had to
reach my goals.
Class of 1996
Today he is a political
reporter at the Chicago
Sun Times
I always knew I could make
it at a major metro, if given a
chance. The Sports
Journalism Institute not only
gave me that chance in 1996,
but also gave me the
confidence to continue
working toward that goal.
I spent a week entrenched in
all things sports journalism -
writing, reporting, editing,
ethics - before spending a
summer at the Chicago
Tribune. I broke a national
story there – and scored an
exclusive interview with a
sobbing Nick Price - that
caddy Squeeky Medlen had
been diagnosed with cancer. I
also pitched in on the
Olympic bombing coverage
that year and backed up their
pro beat reporters.
More than a decade later, I’m
back in Chicago, working at
the rival Sun-Times and
covering the sport of politics,
but there’s no doubt it was
that chance to shine as an SJI
intern that gave me the
confidence to come here and
know I could succeed.
And, eventually, I want to get
back to sports - combining
the investigative news skills I’
ve honed over the years with
the skills I learned with SJI.
SJI also helped me see there
were other Native Americans
interested in sports journalism
and to understand the
importance of working to
bring more Natives into
journalism and ensuring they
continue to have all of the
same opportunities I had to
reach my goals.
Maggie Thatch
Class of 2006
Today she is a
high school
sports reporter
at the Salt Lake
Tribune
Being in SJI has
really educated me
about the sports
writing industry
and has allowed
me to experience it
for myself.
Through the
program, I
interned at the San
Francisco
Chronicle and
made connections
that led me
to my job today.
Not only has SJI
been an
educational
experience but
it has been a very
valuable social and
networking
experience. You
become a part of a
group and I think
when you become
a member of SJI,
you are a member
for life and
members are
always trying to
help each other
out. I know I talk
to the people in
my class often and
we can talk to
each other and
help navigate each
other through this
very exciting, but
hectic industry.
Class of 2006
Today she is a
high school
sports reporter
at the Salt Lake
Tribune
Being in SJI has
really educated me
about the sports
writing industry
and has allowed
me to experience it
for myself.
Through the
program, I
interned at the San
Francisco
Chronicle and
made connections
that led me
to my job today.
Not only has SJI
been an
educational
experience but
it has been a very
valuable social and
networking
experience. You
become a part of a
group and I think
when you become
a member of SJI,
you are a member
for life and
members are
always trying to
help each other
out. I know I talk
to the people in
my class often and
we can talk to
each other and
help navigate each
other through this
very exciting, but
hectic industry.
Lisa Kennelly
Class of 2005
Today she
covers the
Yankees for the
Newark Star
Ledger
I wouldn't be
where I am today
if it weren't for
SJI, simple as that.
Not only the
program itself but
the family and
connections I
gained as a result
of SJI continue to
be rewarding.
There is nothing
out there to
compare with SJI!
Class of 2005
Today she
covers the
Yankees for the
Newark Star
Ledger
I wouldn't be
where I am today
if it weren't for
SJI, simple as that.
Not only the
program itself but
the family and
connections I
gained as a result
of SJI continue to
be rewarding.
There is nothing
out there to
compare with SJI!
Jo'el Steven
Rouse
Class of 1999
Editor,
InOtherWordz
Magazine
SJI was the most
stressful,
disorienting,
humbling and
thought-provoking
experience of my
journalism career.
It was also the
most rewarding,
invaluable,
accurate, heartfelt
and honest of
experiences. I
could not have
asked for a better
internship
experience to
prepare me for
any and everything
I would later see
at various
newsrooms from
the Tacoma News
(Wash.) Tribune
and Beaumont
(TX) Enterprise
up to the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer,
Houston Chronicle
and Sports
Illustrated
Magazine. SJI is
and will always be
priceless to me.
Rouse
Class of 1999
Editor,
InOtherWordz
Magazine
SJI was the most
stressful,
disorienting,
humbling and
thought-provoking
experience of my
journalism career.
It was also the
most rewarding,
invaluable,
accurate, heartfelt
and honest of
experiences. I
could not have
asked for a better
internship
experience to
prepare me for
any and everything
I would later see
at various
newsrooms from
the Tacoma News
(Wash.) Tribune
and Beaumont
(TX) Enterprise
up to the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer,
Houston Chronicle
and Sports
Illustrated
Magazine. SJI is
and will always be
priceless to me.
Jonathan Long
Class of 2004
Today he is a high school
sports reporter at The
Tennessean
Sports journalism bootcamp,
excuse me, SJI has been
pivotal in my success as a
journalist. Going into the
program I was still
somewhat undecided
whether to persue a career in
journalism or get a job in the
field of Marketing where I
was obtaining my degree.
However, after the training
and mentoring that I received
in the program my choice
was clear. SJI gave me a
new found sense of pride in
my work and showed me
first hand that there were
people who believed in my
potentioal and were
dedecated in helping me
reach my full potential. Not
just for a week and a half,
but for life.
Class of 2004
Today he is a high school
sports reporter at The
Tennessean
Sports journalism bootcamp,
excuse me, SJI has been
pivotal in my success as a
journalist. Going into the
program I was still
somewhat undecided
whether to persue a career in
journalism or get a job in the
field of Marketing where I
was obtaining my degree.
However, after the training
and mentoring that I received
in the program my choice
was clear. SJI gave me a
new found sense of pride in
my work and showed me
first hand that there were
people who believed in my
potentioal and were
dedecated in helping me
reach my full potential. Not
just for a week and a half,
but for life.
Daniel Davis
Class of 2006
Today he is a
high school
reporter at the
Austin
American-States
man
SJI provided me
with excellent
networking
opportunities and
helped me get into a
professional
newsroom with my
first internship.
There is no way
that I would be
where I am right
now if SJI hadn't
helped me get my
first foot in the
door.
Class of 2006
Today he is a
high school
reporter at the
Austin
American-States
man
SJI provided me
with excellent
networking
opportunities and
helped me get into a
professional
newsroom with my
first internship.
There is no way
that I would be
where I am right
now if SJI hadn't
helped me get my
first foot in the
door.
Angela Busch
Class of 2006
Today she
covers the
minor-league
hockey Florida
Everblades at the
Naples Daily
News in
Southwest
Florida.
The Sports
Journalism
Institute showed
me how important
it is for our
industry to
diversify itself,
and how important
it is for me as a
female to network
with other
minorities in
sports journalism.
I had always
worked with white
males in the past,
and SJI showed
me how valuable it
was to form
relationships with
people my age
who understood
what it was like to
be a minority in
the world of
sports journalism.
Class of 2006
Today she
covers the
minor-league
hockey Florida
Everblades at the
Naples Daily
News in
Southwest
Florida.
The Sports
Journalism
Institute showed
me how important
it is for our
industry to
diversify itself,
and how important
it is for me as a
female to network
with other
minorities in
sports journalism.
I had always
worked with white
males in the past,
and SJI showed
me how valuable it
was to form
relationships with
people my age
who understood
what it was like to
be a minority in
the world of
sports journalism.
Kevin Howell
Class of 2000
Today he is high school
sports editor at the
Newark Star-Ledger
SJI was not only my 'foot in
the door' to the newspaper
businesss, it's also been
constant resource for
encouragment and
advancement. I still apply the
lessons and skills I learned
from my time in boot camp,
but moreso, I still draw on
the network of friends and
colleagues I gained through
my experience. I've been
fortunate enough to work
with four fellow SJI alums
so far in my career, and they
are a constant reminder to
me of the program and how
it has improved diversity in
newsrooms with young,
quality journalists.
Class of 2000
Today he is high school
sports editor at the
Newark Star-Ledger
SJI was not only my 'foot in
the door' to the newspaper
businesss, it's also been
constant resource for
encouragment and
advancement. I still apply the
lessons and skills I learned
from my time in boot camp,
but moreso, I still draw on
the network of friends and
colleagues I gained through
my experience. I've been
fortunate enough to work
with four fellow SJI alums
so far in my career, and they
are a constant reminder to
me of the program and how
it has improved diversity in
newsrooms with young,
quality journalists.
Zuri Berry
Class of 2007
Today he is a
sports reporter
at the
The Union in
Grass Valley,
Calif.
Hands down, the
best sports
networking
opportunity for a
college student
available. There's
no way I could
replace the
experience.
Class of 2007
Today he is a
sports reporter
at the
The Union in
Grass Valley,
Calif.
Hands down, the
best sports
networking
opportunity for a
college student
available. There's
no way I could
replace the
experience.
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