WVU :: Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism

Student Spotlight

Kendal Montgomery
Major Sequence: News Editorial
Status: Junior

“The experience of shooting a high-profile sporting event like the Fiesta Bowl will help me later.”

Where did you work on your winter break?
I went to the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona to take pictures for The Daily Athenaeum—the WVU student newspaper. We were there from Dec. 31 to Jan. 3.

Why were you chosen to go?
I’m the photography editor for the DA, so I got to go to the Fiesta Bowl. There were also four reporters who went.

What did you learn while working at the Fiesta Bowl?
It was really great to shoot at a huge bowl game like that. As far as the actual photography process, it was like shooting at every other game this year. But the whole experience was great. We had a great flight, stayed at a five-star hotel, and there were Tostitos chips everywhere you looked!

I also got to do some freelance photography with my pictures for the Charleston Daily Mail, which was also great.

What other aspects of the experience do you think will serve you well later in the job market?
I think just the experience of shooting a high-profile sporting event like the Fiesta Bowl will help me later. The stadium was amazing. It’s the same stadium where they will play the Super Bowl!

Can you give me an example of what a typical day was like working at the game?
Every day there was different. When we got there, there was a huge block party, so we talked to some fans there and did some work. The next day, there was a huge alumni party that I covered for the Daily Mail. They wanted some pregame fan pictures. There also was a huge media dinner.

The next day, we did some sightseeing before the game. Then, we went to the game and checked out the stadium. They didn’t let a lot of media on the field, so I had a pretty easy time taking some good shots. It was an awesome experience.

We got a call on Thursday morning saying they were going to pick the new head coach. It was all pretty exciting.

What advice would you give an SOJ student interested in getting some great work experience?
Get involved in the student newspaper. I started in January 2007, and I’ve already been given great opportunities. There are a lot of perks.

How did the SOJ prepare you for your work at the DA?
By going through the News Editorial sequence here at the J-School, I felt really prepared for things. The work at the DA is real-life experience. And all of the journalism professors have been very understanding when I have to cover an event. They are very willing to work with our schedules because they know what great experience it is for us. It’s not always easy. There are going to be rough times, but there are also some great opportunities.

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	Student Spotlight Kendal Montgomery Major Sequence: News Editorial Status: Junior “The experience of shooting a high-profile sporting event like the Fiesta Bowl will help me later.” Where did you work on your winter break? I went to the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona to take pictures for The Daily Athenaeum—the WVU student newspaper. We were there from Dec. 31 to Jan. 3. Why were you chosen to go? I’m the photography editor for the DA, so I got to go to the Fiesta Bowl. There were also four reporters who went. What did you learn while working at the Fiesta Bowl? It was really great to shoot at a huge bowl game like that. As far as the actual photography process, it was like shooting at every other game this year. But the whole experience was great. We had a great flight, stayed at a five-star hotel, and there were Tostitos chips everywhere you looked! I also got to do some freelance photography with my pictures for the Charleston Daily Mail, which was also great. What other aspects of the experience do you think will serve you well later in the job market? I think just the experience of shooting a high-profile sporting event like the Fiesta Bowl will help me later. The stadium was amazing. It’s the same stadium where they will play the Super Bowl! Can you give me an example of what a typical day was like working at the game? Every day there was different. When we got there, there was a huge block party, so we talked to some fans there and did some work. The next day, there was a huge alumni party that I covered for the Daily Mail. They wanted some pregame fan pictures. There also was a huge media dinner. The next day, we did some sightseeing before the game. Then, we went to the game and checked out the stadium. They didn’t let a lot of media on the field, so I had a pretty easy time taking some good shots. It was an awesome experience. We got a call on Thursday morning saying they were going to pick the new head coach. It was all pretty exciting. What advice would you give an SOJ student interested in getting some great work experience? Get involved in the student newspaper. I started in January 2007, and I’ve already been given great opportunities. There are a lot of perks. How did the SOJ prepare you for your work at the DA? By going through the News Editorial sequence here at the J-School, I felt really prepared for things. The work at the DA is real-life experience. And all of the journalism professors have been very understanding when I have to cover an event. They are very willing to work with our schedules because they know what great experience it is for us. It’s not always easy. There are going to be rough times, but there are also some great opportunities.