At Northwestern State University of Louisiana, students strive to become professionals in their specific professions. For communication majors, those skills are put to the test through athletics.

Students involved in athletics are taught how to use a camera to film games and use computer programs to keep record of stats in games. NSU-TV Manager David Antilley II grants students access to actively and successfully create content for the digital viewers that are not able to be in attendance for NSU home games.

“I definitely love getting to know people in this field,” Quindarius Bush, junior communication major, said. “Everybody welcomes you in and treats you like family from day one.”

From broadcasting the live stream to marking down important milestones and events in each game, NSU students earn experience in athletics.

Sports information video technician James Stanfield was once a part of the student side of live streaming NSU athletics. Now, he’s the one running the operations of the stream. He credits NSU students and staff involved behind the screen for the quality on the screen.

“Learning how college athletics culminates into the product that you see on the screen via the people who work in the department and getting to be a part of that structure makes you feel like you’re a part of a great team,” Stanfield said.

On the statistical side, students learn from NSU sports information staff how to track down all of the information across all sports. Senior communication major Caroline Bland has been working with sports information since August 2021 and has written articles and kept track of stats for football, basketball and tennis.

“I love being around athletics and it gives me a chance to be involved in the behind the scenes of athletics,” Bland said. “[With this,] I am able to go to all athletic matches.”