UMass sports journalism student Henry Brechter ‘19 recently completed a Co-op with the Boston Globe sports section. Brechter gained invaluable experience as an intern covering high school sports in the Greater Boston area. Working in a fast-paced and hands on environment prepared him for what he hopes is a career in sports journalism. Learn more about his experience with our Intern Spotlight Q&A below.
Q. Why did you choose to apply to The Boston Globe Co-op Program? Advice to others about applying?
Brechter: I knew I wanted to go into journalism before I started at UMass, so finding out about the program early on in my freshman year helped lay the framework for the path I would take academically. It became my primary goal to be a Boston Globe sports correspondent through the Co-op program, and I worked closely with my internship adviser, B.J. Roche, to plan a course of action that would eventually land me on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester (the old home of the Globe). In the spring of my sophomore year, I applied and was accepted for the fall Co-op position. Finding out later that the entire operation would be moving to a state-of-the-art office in downtown Boston's financial district was definitely an added bonus!
My advice to students considering the Globe Co-op is to pursue it confidently and wholeheartedly - it takes hard work and planning, but with the help of everyone in the UMass journalism department, you'll have a chance to gain unparalleled experience in the sports journalism field before you earn your full degree.
Q: Can you describe a typical day at the Globe? What is most exciting? Most challenging?
Brechter: The most exciting thing about a typical day at the Globe was that it may not be spent at the office at all. I would often spend full shifts out on assignment, covering games and conducting interviews on strict deadlines at places throughout eastern Massachusetts. The deadlines were certainly the Co-op's most challenging dynamic, but very beneficial to my development as a reporter.
If I was at the office, the work was typically more laid-back. I would be completing behind-the-scenes tasks, such as answering phones to tracking high school scores for the Globe's online database, or formatting pages of the sports section for the next day's print edition. There were always sports on the televisions and good conversations to be had with colleagues, many of whom were also college students or recent graduates.
Whether I was in the field or on the desk, my responsibilities were important to the overall function of the entire sports section, and were rigorous at times, but rewarding above all.
Q: How have your previous internships or campus media experiences set you up for success?
Brechter: My work prior to applying for the Co-op was critical in preparing me for the workload I would be faced with once I started at the Globe. I started writing for the Massachusetts Daily Collegian's sports section as soon as my freshman year began and covered several different sports over my first three semesters. In the spring of my sophomore year, I was accepted to a sports desk internship at the Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton, where I gained knowledge of a regional newsroom's inner workings for the first time. Coupled with the different journalism classes I've completed, I am confident that my reporting experiences at UMass to this point have set me up very well for the future.
Q: What has been your biggest learning experience thus far?
Brechter: The importance of chemistry between colleagues in a fast-paced newsroom was made evident to me in my first few weeks at the Globe. The environment can be chaotic at times, so working well with others is essential to keeping up with the pace. Each person's responsibilities combine to ensure the publication's accuracy, timeliness and completeness. Only when all are working in sync can the publication be at its peak.
Writing-wise, there was never a moment when a light bulb suddenly turned on above my head. I feel that my writing and reporting progressively improved in my time as a Co-op due to diligent editing by my superiors, plenty of practice covering games, and becoming more comfortable within my own writing style/thought process.
Q: What class lesson proved to be the most valuable while at the Globe?
Brechter: In terms of pure journalism skills, George Forcier taught my Journalism 300 class the importance of trimming down sentences by rationalizing the contributions of each word. If a thought can be conveyed in ten words, don't use 25 words to put an over-creative spin on it. Tell it like it is. This was especially helpful for assignments at the Globe that warranted just 250 words for an entire game summary.
Q: How do you hope to build off your experience at the Globe?
Brechter: While my experience at the Globe was great, it is one of the first stepping stones on what I hope is a long path in my journalism career. I am currently applying for internships for the coming summer, and have already drawn interest from organizations such as the Los Angeles Times and NFL.com.
Maybe the best part of the Co-op for me was completing it as a junior. Now, with the Globe under my belt, I can seek another competitive internships to bolster my resume even more and hopefully put me in position to secure a job following graduation.
Q: What is your favorite and least favorite memory from interning at the Globe?
Brechter: I have two equally special memories - covering the high school football Super Bowls at Gillette Stadium, and covering Thanksgiving high school football games at Fenway Park. It hardly felt like work to cover my favorite sport at venues where some of the great events in sports history have transpired. Growing up playing both football and baseball, I dreamed of playing on the field as opposed to sitting in the press box, but it was close enough!
My least favorite memories lie in the dozens of hours I spent sitting in Boston-area traffic, but that was to be expected. On the other hand, I had plenty of time to build up my phone's music library.
Q: Any additional comments?
Brechter: I highly recommend pursuing the Co-op at the Globe to anyone and everyone considering a future in journalism. It has opened endless doors for me and can do the same for you!