Eric Fenstermaker- Weekly Story Idea No. 6
The Axle: I want to do a story on the record-setting decline in enrollment at Pennsylvania state-owned universities. I found an AP article highlighting how state-owned colleges in Pennsylvania are struggling mightily, and I think this is a fantastic idea that ties in both the pandemic and education. There are many different aspects that need to be examined with this package, and it’s not just the universities that stand to lose out. Local businesses that need college students for sales or even jobs themselves are going to suffer, too. There are many different ramifications of this drop, and I think it’s vital to tie in all these different ideas.
The Riders: I would want to divide the package up into three different areas: the university impact, the student impact/ choice and the business impact. For the university impact, I would want to speak to either the president of the university, the admissions team or with someone in finances. These three areas all will give me great insight as to how this impacts the school, and these individuals will really be able to highlight the issue. For the student side, I would want to highlight a student that either chose to attend college or chose not to. If the individual chose school, I would want to figure out why they chose so. I want to ask what they debated and considered and even learn why they picked that university. If the individual chose working full time, I would want to learn more about their decision process. Some things to consider would be why the individual chose the job and industry they did and what all the factors that they debated were. Lastly, I want to look at things from a business side. Since college towns depend on students for sales and labor, I would want to talk to business owners to see how different things have been and really get a sense of the monetary impact.
Spokes: I would want to do my standup in a classroom and somehow demonstrate fewer students. Whether that’s physically having a room full of kids and having some leave or using another demonstration, I want people to really understand what an emptier room looks and feels like. Additionally, I want the details to really come from the lack of people. More shots of empty rooms and empty spaces will highlight the lack of students. In this situation, I think fewer people could actually be more impactful. Additionally, while the shots may not have as many people, the SOT will really hammer home that human aspect. Shots on campuses and around downtown areas will be really important.
The Rim:
- Beginning- I would open with shots of campuses with lots of students, and I would transition into less crowded shots that really give a sharp comparison. These shots will show how different things are. I would provide some basic stats and information to set the scene. Additionally, this is where I’d highlight things from the school side.
- Middle- I would want to highlight the student or worker I find. This is where I really emphasize the choice made, and I give the audience a better understanding of why students are facing this massive decision. I would also want to show how COVID-19 is a big factor in how students choose, since it impacts the wages available and the classroom setting.
- End- Lastly, I would want to highlight the impact on businesses. Whether it be stores or restaurants, these businesses will really show how a lack of students has disrupted business in these towns. My third soundbite would go in here, and I would end with that standup I mentioned above.
NOTE: This package is centered around college and education in state-owned schools. It is in no way a package about Penn State or its students.