Senior Brock Aaker has been attending all of his classes on Zoom this semester for reasons you might not expect! He’s currently living in the Metro area completing his broadcast internship with the Minnesota Twins. Brock started as an intern last May after going through a rigorous application process. This has been a rewarding summer for Brock, as it has always been his dream to work for a professional sports team.

“There was a lot that went into landing the position, but I would say the opportunities I’ve gotten at Bethany and the connections I’ve gained helped the most. I met the Director of Broadcast for the Twins, Bethany graduate Andrew Halverson, my freshman year when he was a guest speaker on campus. I had a good conversation with him at the time and Greg Vandermause and I reached out to him again when we saw the internship position listing.”
– Brock Aaker

Andrew recognized that Brock was a qualified candidate and encouraged him to apply for the internship. Brock’s application included a variety of hands-on campus experiences that began as early as his freshman year. He had worked as a camera operator, basketball announcer, and went on to direct the MSU Maverick hockey broadcast. He also created a Bethany Vikings Podcast. He was ready.

Life for Brock as a MN Twins broadcast intern is a lot like being a production assistant. “I produce content that hits the air every day. I write in-game drops. I also listen to press conferences featuring Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli and the players. I cut together answers that best tell certain storylines for the pregame show and then I do the same thing in the postgame. In June the media was allowed on the field, which gave me the opportunity to interview players one-on-one for our pregame show.” Brock also manages the out-of-town scoreboard during games, assembles highlights for studio shows, writes stories about the players in their community, and even makes commercials! Here’s a Target field commercial that Brock voiced and edited:

 

We asked Brock about the ways this internship has prepared him for his future. He described learning from the best, which includes observing skilled interviewers while they work and receiving regular feedback from professionals on his writing and editing. This internship has also taught Brock about himself. The experience has given him more confidence in his ability to pick things up quickly while on the job and working under pressure.

We’re not sure exactly when Brock will be back on campus as the internship lasts through two weeks after the final game of the season. But we’re proud of the work he’s doing for the Twins and glad that Bethany’s hyflex model has allowed him to complete his internship while staying on track to graduate in four years. Keep up the great work, Brock! See you soon!