Newhouse students get front-row seat at FISU Winter World University Games

Seventeen Newhouse School students are in Lake Placid covering the FISU Winter World University Games. This is only the second time the international sports competition has been hosted in the United States. The opening ceremony takes place today at 7 p.m.  

The students, who are photography,  public relations and television, radio and film majors, will cover and promote the games, which feature more than 1,400 athletes competing in sports ranging from ice hockey to figure skating to alpine skiing. Teams hail from 46 countries around the world, including Sweden, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, as well as the U.S.

Faculty members Seth Gitner, Jon Glass and Brad Horn are accompanying the students.

“Students will get the benefit of learning from seasoned photo and events professionals while producing work that will be seen literally around the world,” says Gitner, who partnered with SONY to outfit students with new A9II camera kits.

Student work will be posted on the event newsroom and photo site, bringing the content to a wide audience. Students will also share social content throughout the event. 

“There’s a certain trial by fire for people who’ve never photographed sports before,” says photo minor Surya Vaidy. “I’m lucky to be here with the Newhouse team because they provide the space for me to learn without judgement while also having fun.”

Aidan Shephard interviews Gregory Bowles during a Women’s Ice Hockey game at the 2023 FISU World University Games on January 11, 2023 in Potsdam, New York. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/FISU Games)
Aidan Shephard interviews Gregory Bowles during a Women’s Ice Hockey game. (Isaiah Vazquez)
Zoe Jurmann and Aidan Sheperd interview Kristyna Patkova #25 of Czech Republic during a Women’s Ice Hockey game at the 2023 FISU World University Games on January 11, 2023 in Potsdam, New York. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/FISU Games)
Zoe Jurmann and Aidan Sheperd interview Kristyna Patkova of Czech Republic during a Women’s Ice Hockey game. (Isaiah Vazquez)
Surya Vaidy takes photos during the USA vs. Great Britain Men’s Hockey game at the 2023 FISU World University Games on Jan. 11, 2023, in Potsdam, New York. (Photo by Seth Gitner/FISU Games)
Surya Vaidy takes photos during the USA vs. Great Britain Men’s Hockey game. (Seth Gitner)
Photo graduate student Isaiah Vazquez reviews his images while public relations seniors Aidan Shephard and Zoe Jurmann prepare their press release from Wednesday's women's hockey match between Great Britain and Czech Republic (Photo by Seth Gitner)
Isaiah Vazquez reviews his images while Aidan Shephard and Zoe Jurmann prepare their press release from Wednesday’s women’s hockey match between Great Britain and Czech Republic. (Seth Gitner)
Vivian Porter take photos during the USA vs. Great Britain Men’s Hockey game at the 2023 FISU World University Games on January 11, 2023 in Potsdam, New York. (Photo by Seth Gitner/FISU Games)
Vivian Porter takes photos during the USA vs. Great Britain Men’s Hockey game. (Seth Gitner)
Photo senior Bond Photos works inside the tunnel as Slovakia hockey players prepare to hit the ice during Wednesday's game against Hungary (Photo by Zoe McCreary)
Bond Photos works inside the tunnel as Slovakia hockey players prepare to hit the ice during Wednesday’s game against Hungary. (Zoë McCreary)

In addition to Vaidy, participating students are public relations majors Christian Abdo, Zoe Jurmann, Quinn Schmidt, Aidan Shephard and Elizabeth VanBeuren; photography majors Scarlett Benson, Kayla Breen, Caroline Butler, Maddie Crooke, Zoë McCreary, Carmen Miller, Bond Photos, Sammy Swiss, Hailey Trejo and Isaiah Vazquez; and television, radio and film major Vivian Porter.

“I’m really grateful for this opportunity as it’s not every day that you have access to photograph 13 different sports and learn from professionals who have decades of Olympics experience,” Crooke says.

Tune into the Newhouse School’s Instagram account this Friday, when two of the students will provide an up-close look at the Lake Placid scene during an Instagram “Takeover.”

You can also follow the event on Twitter via the hashtag #FISUGames.

The students will continue their work until Jan. 22.

About FISU World University Games

The FISU World University Games is the world’s largest multi-sporting event for collegiate athletes, ages 17-25. The 11-day Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games feature 1,443 collegiate athletes from 540 universities across 46 countries. The competition consists of 12 winter sports and 85 medal events contested throughout New York state’s Adirondack region, including Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Wilmington, North Creek, Canton and Potsdam. Fans can follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with @LakePlacid2023, @SaveWinterHQ, #lakeplacid2023 and #savewinter.