Hannah Beam
I presented my research, “New Sound to the Old Game: Women in Baseball Broadcasting,” at the NINE Spring Training Conference in Tempe, Arizona. The conference brings together scholars, writers, and researchers from across the country who study baseball from historical, cultural, and media perspectives. My project began in my Honors course, Baseball and American Culture, with Professor Brad Horn, and developed into a larger research presentation examining the history and impact of women in baseball broadcasting. At the conference, I shared my work alongside professional researchers and engaged in conversations about representation, storytelling, and the evolving media landscape of the sport. I especially enjoyed connecting with other presenters and seeing how academic research can shape meaningful conversations about sports media.
One thing that surprised me was how welcoming and collaborative the conference community was, especially as an undergraduate presenting alongside experienced researchers and authors. I expected the environment to feel intimidating, but instead I found people genuinely interested in my work and eager to offer feedback and encouragement. It helped me realize that undergraduate voices have a place in academic conversations earlier than I had imagined. That experience gave me more confidence to continue pursuing research opportunities.
I am currently working toward developing this research into a potential article for the NINE Journal, which would expand the project beyond the conference presentation format. I also plan to continue exploring topics related to women in sports media and broadcasting through future research and reporting opportunities at Syracuse University. Presenting at this conference encouraged me to think about how academic research and journalism can complement each other in my future career.
Receiving support from the Honors Program enabled me to travel to and participate in a national academic conference as a first-year student. The award helped remove financial barriers and allowed me to fully engage in the experience as both a presenter and attendee. Because of that support, I was able to share my research with a broader audience and connect with scholars working in the field of sports history and media. The experience strengthened both my confidence and my commitment to continuing research. This experience directly supported my goal of building a career in sports media and storytelling. Presenting research about women in baseball broadcasting allowed me to explore how history, journalism, and representation intersect in the sports industry. It also strengthened my interest in continuing research alongside my reporting work as a Broadcast and Digital Journalism student at Newhouse. Being part of a national conference so early in my college career showed me that research can play a meaningful role in shaping conversations about the future of sports media.
This opportunity would not have been possible without the guidance of Professor Brad Horn, whose Honors course first introduced me to this research topic and encouraged me to develop it further. I am grateful to the Honors Program for supporting undergraduate students in pursuing experiences like this so early in their academic careers.
