INTERNSHIPS
Out in the Field
AU communication
students work for
CBS during Masters
T
he Masters opens up lots of
opportunities for students at Augusta
University to work a major sporting
event. Last year, two Pamplin students, Leeroy
Francis Jr. and Tyler Strong, spent a month
working for CBS Sports for their coverage of the
golf tournament.
The two communication majors worked
with the CBS production crew 12 hours a
day for a solid month and received valuable
experience working in broadcasting. Behind
the scenes, Francis and Strong did a little bit of
everything for their supervisor, Ben Deiterich,
including occasionally delivering food to CBS
sportscasters. One night, Strong found himself
delivering Italian food to a residence in West
Lake. When he got to the door, the CBS
employee turned out to be Verne Lundquist,
whose “Yes, sir” when Jack Nicklaus won his
final Masters in 1986 remains the two most
famous words every uttered about the event.
Strong was a little confused when Lundquist
invited him to share in the spaghetti. After all,
the AU student was a hired intern and Lundquist
was the famous talent.
“What I enjoyed about working at Augusta
National was the overall atmosphere,” Francis
said. “While there was a lot of manual labor,
the experience of working on a live television
broadcast that is seen by millions every year is
by far one of the coolest feelings in the world. I
don’t know how the normal person would feel
driving television royalty to work, but for me
having brief interactions with Jim Nantz and
golf legends like Nick Faldo and Dottie Pepper
made the whole four weeks’ worth it. Also,
being on the course walking some of the holes
looking at the layout, setting up towers on iconic
holes like 14 and 17, and being actually on some
of the famed Augusta putting greens at Augusta
National at sunrise is something I personally will
22 | #WeArePamplin · Spring 2019
Leeroy Francis Jr., left, and Tyler Strong have worked with CBS during the Masters Tournament.
(Photo by Vernon Blount)
never forget.”
Strong, who graduated last May, and Francis,
who is currently sports editor of the Bell Ringer,
also worked behind the scenes for the network
for a second year this spring.
Integrated studies major Vernon Blount was
also hired by CBS, becoming the third Pamplin
College student to join the team.