Greenlee students work ESPN broadcast, state championships over Thanksgiving

While many college students spent the Thanksgiving break relaxing with family, three seniors from the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication traded turkey dinners for press credentials.

Shae Bernhardt, a public relations major from Van Meter, worked all seven of the 2025 Iowa High School Athletic Association state football championships at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls before the Thanksgiving holiday.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with the IHSAA since May 2024,” said Bernhardt. “This has included state track and field, golf, soccer, tennis, baseball and football.” Bernhardt was responsible for creating and scheduling web and social content for the association, documenting each team’s road to the title before, during and after each game.

Meanwhile, sports media and communication seniors Matthew Nielsen and Lucas Thompson were crewed to work ESPN’s national broadcast of the CyHawk Wrestling Dual, which saw Iowa State break Iowa’s 20-year winning streak in front of a record crowd at Hilton Coliseum.

“It’s always great to get these opportunities to work with the big companies and get my name out there,” said Nielsen. “There are a lot of things I have to learn on the spot, but there are just as many things where I’d be completely lost if I hadn’t had some sort of experience from class.”

Assistant Teaching Professor James McNab worked alongside all three students at both events, serving as lead replay operator for Iowa PBS’s coverage of the state football championships and ESPN’s coverage of the wrestling dual.

“It’s always a pleasure to see our Greenlee students at these events,” said McNab. “Many of them are sacrificing family time, and their commitment to the profession is inspiring.”

The Thanksgiving break work served as more than just a learning experience. It’s a foot in the door for future opportunities in the industry.

“It was a great opportunity to be a part of the broadcast,” said Thompson. “The Greenlee School fully prepared me for this by delivering classes that prepared me for real-world experiences.”

Bernhardt echoed the belief about her academic preparation, noting that “the Greenlee School has prepared me in more ways than I could ask for in understanding broadcast aspects and developing creative stories.”