2008 Beijing Olympics news service program
Emerson College has been selected as one of five US colleges and universities to work the Beijing Summer Olympics as part of the official Olympic News Service (ONS). Emerson students will work side-by-side with professional staff to cover Olympic events, provide background information on athletes and competitions, and basically create Olympic news material for the international press who will be sending stories back to their homelands.
The College will select approximately 25 students to participate. To be selected students must possess excellent writing, oral communication and investigative research skills. Students must be juniors (64 credits minimum completed), seniors or graduate students from any major but they must all demonstrate the skill sets necessary to represent Emerson College with excellence. Journalism students are a natural cohort, but all majors are likely to have students who can serve the ONS and benefit greatly from this opportunity. Because visa arrangements will be handled by the Beijing Olympic Committee all students must be US citizens and be native speakers of English. Seniors who are chosen will have their official graduation withheld until August so that their student status can be preserved.
Student costs will include summer tuition for 4 credits, travel expenses including airfare and other incidentals. Dormitory lodging (double occupancy) will be provided on the campus of Communication University of China. 
Meals during working hours will be provided.
If selected, the student will travel to Beijing on July 7 and be there until at least the end of the Olympics at the end of August (final end date to be determined). A few students will be able to stay for the ParaOlympics through mid September. The ParaOlympic opportunity is especially viable for a graduating senior!
Emerson will offer a mandatory 4 credit spring semester course that prepares the selected students for the experience. Students will learn basic sports reporting skills such as how to interview foreign athletes, how to write breaking news for an international wire service and how to find story angles under deadline pressure. To fully appreciate this summer's hands-on reporting experience, students will also be exposed to Mandarin Chinese, and will study the history and culture of China, the history and rules of the Olympic movement and the environmental and economic pressures that affect the country's ability to host the Olympic Games. This course, titled JR585 International Sports Reporting will be taught by Journalism Assistant Professor Paul Niwa, a former TV producer who launched two networks in China for NBC and led CNBC's international coverage from 1998-2000 and by Visual Media Arts Associate Professor Shujen Wang who is an author, lecturer and scholar specializing in Chinese media and globalization. Additionally Emerson friends and alums with professional news experience and Olympic expertise will guest lecture in the class. The spring class will meet at the following days and times: Monday/Wednesday, 4-5:30; and a lab on Thursday, 2-3 or 6-7 (The lab will be split into 2 sections).
The summer program will also be operated as a 4 credit course. Thus the Olympic opportunity will constitute an 8 credit package that is taken as 4 credits in the spring and 4 credits in the summer.
To watch the video of the December 14 Beijing Meeting click the image above.
| Program Fee: Undergraduates:..........$1,866 Program Fee: Graduate Students:..........$3,390 | For a more detailed cost breakdown click here. |
The cost of the program includes:
| Individual participants will be responsible for:
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| For more information call or e-mail:
| or visit: International Study and External Programs |
This information accurate as of 3/27/08. Subject to change.
The College reserves the right to withdraw this offering if it fails to generate sufficient enrollment. Participants should be guided by this policy when making travel arrangements. Emerson College is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.
Students who wish to participate in any Emerson sponsored program or activity must be physically and mentally able, with or without reasonable accommodations, to fully and safely participate in the program or activity. Students who suffer from a physical or mental disability, and wish to request accommodations that might enable them to fully and safely participate should contact Dr. Anthony Bashir at Emerson's Disability Services Office.
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