BDJ Capstone

For many college students, the last week of April and first week of May means the end of the school year. For graduate students at Newhouse, that is just the end of the spring semester. Most graduate programs in Newhouse require students to complete a capstone to complete the program and earn their degree.

Grad students in the Broadcast & Digital Journalism program get a two-week break after the end of the spring semester, then come back and take a “News Producing & Presenting” class. This class goes until the end of June and then students must complete a capstone. The capstone must be six weeks and ends the first or second week of August.

For students who are not in the Sports Communication Emphasis (SCE) they must go to Washington, D.C. and report news with an associated Nexstar news station. This is a unique experience because students have the chance to report on Capitol Hill. Students have the opportunity to interview politicians, policy makers and prominent figures in the D.C. area. This is a unique experience that not many other students get. It’s a great resumé booster and addition to reporting reels.

This is the first year students have been offered the opportunity to report on NFL teams. There were four positions offered, for two teams. Two students will cover the Buffalo Bills in Rochester, NY and two students will cover the New England Patriots in Providence, RI. This is an experience not many reporters get in their career, let alone in college.

The BDJ capstone is a unique, real-world experience for graduate students. It is an opportunity for students to experience what it is like in the everyday life of the television industry.