N.C. A&T Student First From University Selected for Prestigious Sports Journalism Institute

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 16, 2021) – Jarod Hamilton, senior journalism and mass communications student and editor-in-chief of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s student-run newspaper, The A&T Register, has been selected as part of the 2021 Sports Journalism Intitute (SJI). Hamilton is the university’s first student to participate in the program.

“It means the world to me to be the first Aggie selected as part of SJI,” said Hamilton. “It also means a lot to be selected among some of the best upcoming sports journalists in the country. More times than not, in this profession, if you’re the first to do something then you’re doing something right. Also, to be joining the same program that ESPN’s Malika Andrews was a part of a few years ago and the late great Sekou Smith was a part of years ago is an honor in itself.”

Hamilton has already received his assignment and will be working with Tuscaloosa News as part of his upcoming summer internship.

“Being a part of this class, I can do an internship that is 100% what I want to do, which is sports,” he said. “My goal is to be a sports anchor for a major market or to work for a major sports network such as ESPN, NFL Network (or) Fox Sports.”

Prior to the SJI, Hamilton received an E.W. Scripps intership and worked with Norfolk, Virginia’s CBS affiliate WTKR News 3. His work allowed him to pitch and produce daily news stories. He also received tremendous tutelage from newsroom anchors and staff.

Nationally, only 16 students were selected for this year’s cohort. All participants will come together in late May – either in person or virtually – to prepare for internships at newspapers, networks and multi-media sports news organizations.

SJI students will work with hosts, partners and sponsors, including the Gannett Foundation and the Gannett family of newspapers and digital centers – USA Today, The Tennessean, the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, the Knoxville News-Sentinel, the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Tuscaloosa News. ESPN will also host an intern.