And Action!

Meet Elizabeth Coon ’23: Lover of Sports, Lover of Learning, Lover of LTU

Elizabeth Coon grew up in the small Michigan town of Chesaning. She’s always loved sports, all sports. She played volleyball, basketball, and softball in high school. But it was softball that she played for LTU.

Liz Coon

Liz will be graduating from LTU in December ’23 with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Communication and wants nothing more than to be a sports broadcaster.

Let’s go back to when this career aspiration took root. In her sophomore year in high school, Coon attended career day at Delta College where she met Jeanna Trotman, then the sports reporter for NBC 25/FOX 66 in Flint and now weekend sports anchor for Detroit’s WXYZ-TV. In her senior year of high school, Liz job shadowed Genna Rose, then a Lawrence Tech senior working at State Champs! Sports Network, which produces Emmy award-winning high school sports programs.

She also met Jody Gaber , director of LTU’s Media Communication program. “I met Liz when she was in high school. She was so passionate and focused even then,” recalled Gaber. “She already had this vision about what she wanted to do, and she was just so enthusiastic. I invited her to campus, and we did a mock broadcast in the State Champs! studio with Genna Rose and Jason Ross, Jr., both students in the program at the time. Not only did she do a great job, but she was also very mature. She kept in touch with Genna and Jason as mentors; not many students understand the importance of working with  a mentor.” 

Liz Coon reporting from the sidelines at a Blue Devils football game.

With her high GPA and her prowess at softball, Coon was offered a sports scholarship from LTU that made it possible for her to attend college. She’s since won a State Champs! Scholarship, the first annual State Champs! Endowment Scholarship offered by the company, which is based on academic performance and good standing, and a merit scholarship from Lawrence Tech.

“Lawrence Tech has been really good to me,” said Coon. “And working at State Champs! since freshman year, has given me so much practical experience.” Coon has also worked at Oakland University as a broadcast assistant for the last two years. 

Coon lauds all her experiences at LTU. She said, “Being on campus and meeting new people from all kinds of backgrounds, being on camera, learning how to write news stories, script writing, putting together short films, learning the production side of things…this mix of everything I need to know to get a job in my field, means everything to me.”

Gaber explained that students are cross trained in a myriad of skills, film/television production, journalism, broadcasting, post-production, and digital marketing. “The fact that State Champs! and Yellow Flag Productions is on our campus is this unbelievable opportunity; they provide paid internships for students who love sports broadcasting.”

For some students, a job isn’t enough to pay for college. “Liz was this close to leaving,” Gaber said with her fingers pursed. “She’s an outstanding student who needed support, so Lisa (Kujawa) made it happen for Liz” so she could stay and graduate. “Not only does it speak volumes about Liz, but it speaks to how we personally understand the struggles and support the goals of our students at LTU. They’re not just numbers! 

“Liz was so ‘in it to win it.’ She is the sort of student every teacher wants. She embraces every aspect of media arts. Liz is a magnet for new information. She has utilized every educational resource LTU has to offer.” Gaber further applauds Coon’s maturity in creating a network of mentors, like many of the teachers in the program who are working media professionals.”

With graduation looming, Coon is ardently looking toward her next adventure. “I would not have changed anything in my college career,” she said. “I love all the opportunities I’ve been given. They (LTU) put so much effort into helping us. I never thought I’d have so much experience in my field going to college. 

“I’m really so grateful!” 

See Liz in action on her demo reel here . 

by Renée Ahee