The Association for Women in Sports Media recently inducted Ithaca College as its newest college chapter.
Juniors Danielle Allentuck, Dani Schear and Hannah Reed are the three students responsible for its induction.
Its goal is to promote, support and create a network environment for women in the sport media industry.

Association for Women in Sports Media

Three Ithaca College students sought out an opportunity to create a space to advance the growth of women in the sport media profession.

Juniors Danielle Allentuck, Dani Schear and Hannah Reed started up the newest college chapter of the Association for Women in Sports Media, an international nonprofit support advocacy and network for women who work in or who desire to have a job in the sport media industry.

“It’s a place for men and women interested in a career in sports,” Allentuck said. “It’s a place for people to come together who share a common goal and to make connections.”

The first meeting of the Ithaca College chapter of the Association for Women in Sports Media was held October 24. Over 20 students attended.

The IC Chapter Begins

Allentuck, president of the Ithaca College chapter of AWSM, interned this past summer with USA Today Sports. She worked with the Editor of the Olympics section of the newspaper and an intern for AWSM who encouraged her to join the national organization as well as apply for the college chapter.

The organization offers mentorship, internship and scholarship programs yearly. AWSM was founded in 1987 and recently launched its college chapters program in the 2011-2012 school year. Through an application process it admits up to five new college chapters each semester.

Allentuck, Schear and Reed held their first meeting on October 24. They introduced their long-term and short-term goals and provided information on what the benefits are for signing up as a member with the national organization.

They currently have scheduled three guest speakers and a fundraiser so far to finish out this semester. They are also planning trips to the AWSM National Conference in June 2018, the espnW Conference in April 2018 and New York City to tour CBS Sports Studios, the Major League Baseball offices and more.

Schear, vice president and treasurer of the IC Chapter, said they are in constant communication with the national organization, and that AWSM provides them with a lot of ideas in regards to fundraising, recruiting and activities.

President Danielle Allentuck speaking to member (left) Annette Hogan after the meeting.

“They’re really there for us,” Schear said. “They know we’re a small school and we had 20 people show up today and [the University of] Alabama had 12 and they are so much bigger than we are. That was really positive.”

Allentuck said she hopes this organization at the college will provide comfort to women who aspire to be in any realm of sports media.

“We wanted a safe space where anybody interested in sports journalism, sports media could come and not be afraid,” Allentuck said. “We just want to make a place where anybody interested can feel at home and make connections and friends.”

The Importance of ASWM

Sophomore Becky Mehorter attended the first meeting, and said the individual college chapters that AWSM promotes helps students find a community of people who all share similar aspirations for themselves and the future of women in sports media.

“When you find out there is a whole collective group of people interested in the same thing you are … working together can give you more opportunities and confidence in the field you’re interested in,” she said.

Members (left) Madison Bess and (right) Maddison Murnane talked after the meeting about their previous sports internships.

AWSM also encourages the inclusion of men. Its current membership enrollment includes 600 men and women who are either professionals in the industry and aspiring students.

“I just want them [men] to know that it’s literally for everybody, Allentuck said. “Anybody can come.”

Given recent events, such as the case of Jourdan Rodrigue and Jemele Hill, Allentuck and Schear believe this was the perfect timing for Ithaca College, especially its media outlets, to be a part of AWSM.

Allentuck said her and Schear make up two of the three women who partake in WICB, the college’s student radio station. The third is Emma Beltrandi, who is the Sports Director of the station.

“It’s so important we have this chapter here at our own school where we can come together and not let men bother us when we are trying to do work,” Schear said.