This story was produced by a student in JAMS 192, a collaborative course between the Post and the UWM journalism department.
From Merrill Hall to Yankee Stadium, prominent Milwaukee sports journalist Drew Olson returned to UW-Milwaukee to encourage journalism and media students to prepare early for their future in media careers.
Olson, a UWM alum, sacrificed his only Monday off to speak to the first-year journalism “living learning community” course, a class which meets in Sandburg dorms. Olson joked that these students would never have an excuse to miss class as it is right in the students’ dorm.
Olson said he was happy to be back in the building where he lived for two years back in the ’80s. He reminisced on the days back when he started at UWM for journalism. Olson told the class about his experience of starting at the Milwaukee Journal while he was still in college and that he knew UWM was the right fit for his aspirations.
“It was the place to be,” Olson told the class.
After Olson started at the Milwaukee Journal he moved up through different positions and ended up being the Brewers beat writer for 11 years. Olson was named the president of the Baseball Writers Association of America and still votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Olson ended his time after 20 years to work at OnMilwaukee.com, an online media site.
In 2004, Olson started his radio career with Saturday morning guest appearances at ESPN 540. He quickly made his way to having his own show, called the D-List, which now airs weekdays from 10 a.m to 1 p.m.
Students of the JAMS LLC class said it was great to hear about his successful career, especially because he had had once also been in their shoes.
“Meeting Drew Olson and different staff members at the station’s office is a great way to get good connections at the station, especially since an internship there is something I am interested in,” said student Jordan Riemer after the tour.
For instructor Jessica McBride, the opportunity for young media students to meet working professionals like Olson hits two birds with one stone. The class meets the general goal of LLC courses to improve the freshman experience and strengthen campus community while exciting students about working in the media and learning about the contemporary media landscape.
“Drew Olson is a veteran journalist with experience in multiple media platforms, from traditional print to online media to broadcast, so he symbolizes the modern journalist,” said McBride.
Visitors like Olson are just one of the opportunities that the Journalism, Advertising and Media Studies LLC is providing. These courses allow students of the same intended major to share rooms and dormitory floors with LLC students also have at least one first year seminar available to them.
UWM’s intention with the LLC’s is to provide an environment where students in the same classes can get to know each other outside the classroom. This provides comfort and connections between the students and the professors leading the LLC.
Students have ventured outside of the classroom to see some of these media professionals in their natural setting as well as meeting them.
The Wednesday after Olson visited Sandburg, the LLC students visited him at ESPN’s studio to meet more staff, learn about their jobs and learn about interning at ESPN.
At the end of the tour, students were allowed to join Olson and WISN’s Dan Needles in the live show. Student Jack Feria was interviewed during the first hour. Feria admited on air that he does not know much about sports news radio, but looks forward to a future career in a field of radio broadcast.
Olson encouraged the students to gain real life experience outside the classroom.
“Put yourself out there, meet people, and get connections,” he said, stressing that his own career was built from connections and relationships with others in the media.