Students Learn About British Sports Media During Study Abroad Trip to the UK
Students visited Windsor Castle while studying abroad in the UK in 2023. Pictured are (back row, left to right): Riley Haltom, Brandon Goggins, Miguel Auvert, Colton Pennington, Peyton Medley, and Guy Harrison. Also pictured (front row, left to right) are: Emma Anderson, Cara Smith, Katie Callahan, TaKiyah Stewart and Helene Burch
Senior Colton Pennington knew a lot about soccer, but not much about other popular British sports prior to participating in this summer’s study abroad course to the United Kingdom.
Pennington, a journalism and media major, said learning about other sports such as rugby, cricket, and tennis through discussions and stadium tours taught him how important these sports are to the country, its history, and people.
“This was without a doubt the greatest experience of my life up to this point,” Pennington said. “Everything about the trip was amazing from all of the people involved, to the activities we did, and the places we visited. I could not have asked for anything more.”
Pennington was among 10 students who traveled to London this summer as part of the JREM 493 Special Topics (Sports Communication in the UK) class. Led by Assistant Professor Guy Harrison and Professor Amber Roessner, students immersed themselves in British sports culture and history while learning and engaging in journalism and other applied communication practices tied to British sports.
Roessner said students stepped out of their comfort zones and refined their sports media skills through writing advances and game recaps of cricket and tennis matches, producing podcasts and vlogs, and engaging in sports trend reporting. They reported on subjects as diverse as the elitism embedded in Wimbledon, and the displacement that often accompanies the Olympic games.
“Every attempt at applying those skills is an opportunity for improvement, and stepping out of one’s comfort zone to learn new sports and how to write or talk about them can only make them better storytellers at home,” Harrison said.
In addition to class work, students visited notable sports sites including Wimbledon, Lord’s Cricket Ground, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Twickenham, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and more. As a soccer fan, Pennington said visiting the National Football Museum in Manchester was another highlight from the trip for him.
Helene Burch, a junior journalism and media major with a minor in music and culture, said she liked touring the various stadiums but also enjoyed taking weekend trips to explore Scotland, England, and Wales.
Burch said she, too, knew almost nothing about British sports media before the trip, noting it was interesting to learn more about the media’s role in both promoting and combating elitism in British sports.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the fact that such a diverse and inspiring group of students were able to experience this once-in-a-lifetime adventure,” Harrison said. “Studying abroad, for any length of time in any country, is so life-changing for a multitude of reasons.”
To learn more about study abroad opportunities, visit cci.utk.edu/student-experience/study-abroad.
