JMC students provide front-row coverage of historic Union Jack Classic in London

LAWRENCE — As college football made its debut at London's Wembley Stadium, eight University of Kansas students from the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications were there to tell the story.

The inaugural Union Jack Classic on Sept. 19 was a test to see if London audiences would show up for a NCAA football game with as much excitement as they do for NFL games. It was also a test for KU students: Could they brush shoulders with media professionals on the international stage?

The answer is a resounding yes. Throughout the week, students interviewed coaches and influencers, met with communications professionals, visited international agencies and produced live coverage from one of the most unique events in college football history.

“A major objective for us as faculty was to use this as an opportunity to get students out of their comfort zone,” said Matt Tidwell, professor of the practice in journalism. “Some of the students shared that they were a bit apprehensive and shy about traveling so far to meet total strangers, but those were some of the students I was super proud of. They were really out there with microphones in people's faces.”

Tidwell, faculty members Patricia Gaston and Scott Reinardy, and Himée Kamatuka, impact adviser and senior recruitment coordinator, led the students on a weeklong trip to cover the event at Wembley Stadium. The group included two students from each concentration: Charlotte James, Urbandale, Iowa; Ella Boozer, Andover; Kaityn Gantenbein, Osage City; Melaina Hesterlee, Lenexa; Brooks Babcock, Kansas City, Missouri; Daniel Schmidt, Lee's Summit, Missouri; Wyeth Cooper, Lenexa, and Juan Reyes, Garden City.

This was no vacation. The students had to juggle writing articles, visiting agencies, covering media events and sharing a flurry of updates from their trip on social media.

“Every day was something different, but it’s so much better when you’re with the same group of people,” said Reyes, a junior in media arts and production. “Slowly getting to know one another and quickly becoming friends was the peak of this trip for me. Everyone has such big personality and motivation, which made the trip all the more better. Going out to eat, exploring London, working — we did it all together.”

The trip was the culmination of months of fundraising and planning behind the scenes. Shortly after the Big 12 announced KU would play in the first college football game at Wembley Stadium, then-Interim Dean Scott Reinardy and Sports Media and Society Chair Steve Bien-Aimé began planning and securing funding for a weeklong study abroad program centered around the game. Two students of junior standing or higher from each concentration were selected through an application process last spring.

In the days leading up to the game, students covered a press conference with KU offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. Their questions ran the gamut from how players were adjusting to life in London to the best place to grab fish and chips. Even Kotelnicki was surprised by the volume of questions from the students.

“We did not need to jump on a plane, travel however many hours to do this,” joked Kotelnicki before being asked a question from Cooper. “Gosh dang it, if you are from London, please ask a question!”

During an open practice, James, a senior in digital marketing communications, connected with content creator Kylan Darnell, who has more than 2 million followers across multiple platforms. The resulting collaboration received more than 15,000 views on Instagram.

“I introduced myself. I told her I was with the KU school of journalism and I would love to ask her some questions after the practice. And she was totally open to it,” James said. “She was very kind. For my capstone for the class, I'm doing a comparative analysis of U.S. influencers to U.K. influencers. She’s actually going to help me out with my capstone for the class, which is also incredible.”

On the eve of game day, Babcock, Reyes and James provided team coverage of a pop-up pep rally at the Adidas store. The three shot standups and interviewed fans attending the rally.

The group's experience extended beyond football. Throughout the week, students met with alumni and visited agencies across London, including FleishmanHillard, where they spoke with UK CEO Marshall Manson. The group also met with E.ON Next data strategist Viviana Millan and learned about covering women's sports from The Athletic's Charlotte Harpur. They also visited The American School in London to discuss college life at KU and current events and to teach the Rock Chalk chant to local students.

Game day brought the students' biggest assignment of the week.

When the group arrived at Wembley Stadium, they faced a complication all too familiar to anyone who has covered sports: a credentialing error. The stadium only gave one student credentials to be on the field. That left Cooper, who had never done sports photography before, as the lone student on the sidelines.

Like any good journalist, the students rolled with the punches. Cooper stepped up to his role as sports photographer to capture the critical moments of the game. Meanwhile, Schmidt and Boozer wrote articles for the University Daily Kansan. The coverage extended to social media, where James, Hesterlee and Reyes shared updates and interviews before, during and after the game. Every student played a role in delivering comprehensive coverage.

"Students rocked it — hit the ground running with comms meetings, covered Jayhawks' practice and news conferences, and ended up writing stories and posting videos," Gaston said. "I am proud of them, their success."

Although the Jayhawks lost to Arizona State, the trip was a success for the aspiring journalists and communications professionals. The Union Jack Classic was a test not only for college football's international future, but also for a group of students eager to prove they belonged on a global stage. By week's end, they had done exactly that.

“Like how lucky are we to get to go travel across the pond to watch our school play and not only be there, but to sit in the press box and to be there early and have the special access, like what an outstanding experience,” James said.