UMass Journalism PR Class Collaborates With Springfield Thunderbirds

Content

Story by Cameron Pellegrino '27 | Photography by Samantha Craddock '26

UMass Journalism lecturer Sarah Rose Stack’s Writing for Public Relations class (JOURNAL 336) is collaborating with the American Hockey League’s Springfield Thunderbirds to gain hands-on experience in planning community events and building awareness. For students preparing for careers in PR, the partnership offers a meaningful bridge between coursework and practical experience.

“Experiential learning is super important,” Stack said. “I’ve always tried to make all of my assignments to be more experiential. Don’t write a paper about press releases, write a press release. Don’t write a paper about pitching, pitch somebody on an idea.”

On Nov. 12, the Thunderbirds held their annual School Day Game at the MassMutual Center, where thousands of students from nearby schools piled into the arena for a unique field trip. Members of Stack’s class had the chance to be present at the event and learn the intricacies of organizing and executing an event of such magnitude.

The game served as a mutually beneficial promotion, as the children got to experience something outside of their normal school routines, while the players fed off the energy and excitement of the early-morning crowd. The Thunderbirds have struggled at the outset of their 2025-26 season, but they gave the kids a show en route to a 3-1 victory over Quebec-based opponent Laval Rocket.

“I just like being in this space with everybody,” said Madison Surette, a student in Stack’s class. “I know that it’s so exciting for the kids and getting to really feel that energy and see them have such a good time is so cool.”

Stack’s students had the opportunity to speak with professionals in charge of the marketing campaigns and other behind-the-scenes operations that bring events like the School Day Game to life. They also spoke to players postgame and learned a bit more about the effort that goes into promoting and advertising at the professional hockey level.

“I think it’s important for them and I also think it’s great networking for them,” Stack said. “We’ve had some students interested in applying for internships [with the Thunderbirds] and to be able to say ‘I’m already familiar with your organization' is huge.”

It was abundantly clear that the team did their homework on what engages kids today, as they incorporated popular memes and trending songs into every stoppage in play or jumbotron video. They tapped into what resonates with a younger audience to keep the energy flowing for the entire game.

The class is working closely with several employees of the team, namely the Thunderbirds' director of business development, Matthew McRobbie. He appreciates the students'  fresh perspectives on community engagement, marketing outreach and how the team can improve its overall impact in the region.

"The Thunderbirds are happy to provide this opportunity to the future leaders of our industry to learn more about working in sports and entertainment," McRobbie said. "It's so valuable to take what students are learning in the classroom and experience it in the real world.

For Stack’s class, witnessing these choices firsthand acted as a valuable lesson in modern public relations strategy. Understanding your audience and making informed decisions based on that information is a fundamental skill in the field, and the Thunderbirds’ approach offered a real-time example of how thoughtful preparation can greatly elevate an event.

“The effort is tremendous, all of those kids are going to go home so hyped because this was such a special day for them,” Stack said. “When you’re working on things and it can feel monotonous or ‘Oh, we’re doing this again, it’s the third year in a row,’ or you’re feeling like ‘Does it really matter?’ It’s nice to see the actual impact of the culmination of effort and work.”

As the game progressed toward the final whistle, the practicality of the affair became even more clear to the Writing for Public Relations enrollees. The day wasn’t just about observing how a sports team engages the surrounding community, but also how important each seemingly small detail can be.

Every facet must be considered and carefully planned. The buses from each individual school had to be funded and safely operated, teachers had to accompany their students and the kids were dismissed in an expertly coordinated manner. For the students in JOURNAL 336, witnessing how every element of the event came together provided a clearer picture of the real responsibilities within a career in public relations.

“I think it’s just given me a lot of clarity in actually knowing what I actually want to be doing,” Surette said. “I feel like in my other classes before, we weren’t actually applying our skills. So, I think it’s just been really cool to see what my day-to-day may be like and the experience of others in the positions I’m looking to go forward with.”