Fantastic work experience opportunities have been awarded to four JMU Journalism students after being selected by FIFA for tasks on its website during the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.
The quartet – Jack Birch, Niall Dudley, Jack Horrocks and Paul McIntyre – will each have shifts working from home moderating comments which appear on FIFA.com.
The final year students will also be operating on the official tournament app, as well as FIFA’s new ‘Global Stadium’, which gives fans the chance to take part in a worldwide discussion.
They will be joined by Class of 2013 graduate, Sam McDonnell, who has also earned a role on FIFA.com for the duration of the finals, following a similar arrangement with JMU Journalism during the last World Cup in South Africa four years ago.
Jack Birch said: “It’s an honour to have been chosen to work for FIFA during the World Cup. It’s something I have been aiming for since I first heard about the 2010 team when I was back in first year. I can’t wait to get started.”
Niall said: “To be able to work for FIFA in any capacity so soon after finishing university is a great opportunity. Getting chosen was a real boost to my confidence and it’s going to be a great thing to put on the CV.
“It will give us all a chance to impress and it will certainly make this World Cup an extra-special one for me.”
Martin O’Boyle, Lead Editor of FIFA’s English website, said: “It’s been a great pleasure to meet with students from JMU Journalism and to give them this opportunity. Their predecessors were fantastic four years ago and I have every confidence that the current crop will be just as good.
“The individuals have a vital role to play – they have to be dependable, knowledgeable and display good judgement in testing times. It seems that they’ve been prepared extremely well by their degree course.”