U-MEDIA AMBASSADORS TACKLE DEMANDING FIRST WEEK AT RHINE-RUHR 2025

ESSEN – After weeks of online preparation and three days of in-house inductions, it was time for the U-Media Ambassadors to move from the classroom to fieldwork as they embraced their roles covering the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.

Drawn from across Germany and the European Union, the 10 aspiring sports media professionals dispersed to the competition venues across the Rhine-Ruhr region to begin capturing the stories which will come to define these FISU Games.

“The first few days here have been amazing,” Valentina Rasini told the FISU Games Service. “I found a beautiful group; we all hang out and help each other with anything. I look forward to the future, to see where this amazing experience can get me.”

Lara Zugck, 25, has joined the team from Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.

“I feel really lucky to be part of this,” she said. “I was immediately welcomed very warmly into the international team. It’s a super cool, fun group.

“Conducting a TV interview while simultaneously gathering content for a written story and coordinating everything at the same time has been very educational.”

U-Media is an Erasmus+ educational project for student reporters which is funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ Programme.

Also involving photographers and commentators, the project attracts motivated students who are passionate about sports journalism, offering them access to a wealth of learning materials and expert lectures to support their preparation for practical assignments.

“This multi-sport event confirms for me how important it is to give student-athletes a voice,” said Moawis Ahmed, who believes the stories of volunteers and staff should also be told.

The human element

The U-Media Ambassadors – all aged between 18 and 25 – soon began to focus, not only on results, but also on the people behind the scenes during the Games.

“I was particularly touched by an interview with the rhythmic gymnasts from Ukraine,” 18-year-old Emilia Bruno (pictured above) said. “The girls told their emotional story about training during the war and their dreams.”

For Johanna Horn, the week was “exciting, diverse, and valuable for my personal development on all levels”. Like, Bruno, she was also boosted by her close contacts with the student-athletes.

“A personal highlight of the first week was definitely my TV interview with the USA basketball star, Cameron Carr,” she said. “Although I was nervous, everything went well in the end.”

For Srity Nanthakumar, a similar moment of clarity came during a press conference.

“One of the players thanked me for my good research after my question,” she said. “That’s when I realised: ‘Wow, this is more than just watching. This is real media work on an international level.’ I want to show perspectives and emotions that might otherwise go unnoticed.”

Jonas Detrois is another young reporter surprised by the emotional depth of the work. “Working with like-minded people is really enjoyable and insightful,” he said. “The student-athletes’ stories are quite surprising.”

A Crash Course in Adaptability

The multi-sport environment demands rapid learning and versatility. Not all of the U-Media Ambassadors have arrived with a bulging portfolio of sports reporting.

“I don’t originally come from sports journalism, so there was a lot I could take away,” Johanna Schröter said. “It’s a completely different perspective to look at sport and to pick up on emotions. Plus, everyone has their own work style, and it’s exciting to see how that affects my own.”

The ambassadors also honed the practical skills essential for modern journalism, such as multi-tasking across multiple platforms. The overall assessment of the first week is positive.

“This is one of the best experiences I have ever seen,” states Düşlem Gökgöz. “Well-designed and prepared. Everyone is so nice and open to relationships. Rhine-Ruhr will always be in my heart.”

As they look ahead, the ambassadors will take with them the lessons, stories and connections they have made during their intense first week at the heart of the Games. But also, some simple, clear advice, best exemplified by the key takeaway of Philipp Wohlfart.

“Don’t think so much about which questions to ask, just do it.”

To find out more about the U-Media project and the ambassadors, click here.

FGNS mo/ph/mb