Two University of Sunderland graduates - one of whom became a journalist at The Northern Echo earlier this year - have been awarded masters in sports journalism.
Joshua Nichol, The Echo’s AI-assisted reporter, and Adam Foster, who now works at The Chronicle, celebrated the huge milestone at the Stadium of Light today (November 25).
The duo - who both got the chance to interview Sir Keir Starmer during their degree - were just two of thousands of students graduating over four days at the stadium this week.
The former students both now report on stories across the North East, with Joshua, who previously worked in communications, applying for the job at The Northern Echo after meeting some of its staff at a University networking event.
He was offered the job and began his role in June this year, just weeks before the General Election, while finishing his MA.
Meanwhile, Adam, who started at The Chronicle in September, helped cover Prince William’s visit to Birtley Community Pool in Gateshead just one month into the job.
Joshua, 26, from County Durham, said: “The MA at Sunderland afforded us so many incredible opportunities, from interviewing the man who was about to become Prime Minister to covering Gateshead win a Wembley final, and even interviewing one of the greatest darts players in history, Michael van Gerwen.
“Whether it was little bits of feedback, coaching for job interviews, or literally getting us into Wembley, the University set us up for success by allowing us to get ahead of other early career journalists through experience.
“Anyone who may be in my position and looking to retrain should take heart in the fact that it was the best decision I have made in my adult life. I am now working in the field I have wanted to work in since I headed on a primary school trip to see newspapers being made.”
Adam, from Liverpool, added: “If anyone is thinking of doing journalism, you should go to Sunderland because the opportunities you get are absolutely amazing.
“From interviewing Sir Keir Starmer to being in the press box when Gateshead won the FA Trophy at Wembley – these are things I didn’t think I would hear myself say at 23 years of age.
“To ask questions of the next Prime Minister was surreal. Without the course and the skills that I’ve learned, and being put forward by my lecturers, it’s something I would’ve never been able to do.
“It was the best decision I ever made, to come to Sunderland to do the Masters because of what I got out of the course, the friends I made – and the lecturers helped me every single step of the way.”
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Neil Farrington, Senior Lecturer is Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland, said: "Adam and Joshua are fantastic examples of students who not only made the most of every chance they were given to gain out-of-classroom experience during their MA studies, but had the initiative to actively pursue other extracurricular opportunities to develop their skills and confidence as journalists.
"It's a great pleasure but no surprise to the staff who taught them to see both of them land jobs before even graduating from the MA programme."
To find out more about studying MA Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland, click here: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/journalism-and-pr/postgraduate-journalism/
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