Brendan Brown



Projects by Brendan Brown

Journalism Story

IU Women’s Club Lacrosse Courts a Supportive Team Environment

By: Mary Majeski, Brendan Brown and Jack Reilly

BLOOMINGTON, IN (April. 3, 2025)- There is more to the Indiana Women’s Club Lacrosse team than just winning games or scoring goals on the field. It’s all about the community that these close-knit athletes have created, and the amount of support on and off the field they show each other. The group thrives on a supportive environment where players support one another and celebrate every accomplishment. No matter how small, from team workouts to tournament road trips and making memories they are there for each other. The IU Women’s Club Lacrosse team has created an atmosphere that goes far beyond the game itself through respect, hard work, and a shared passion for lacrosse, which shows how being a part of a team is more than just winning. 

“The lacrosse team has just been an unbelievably welcoming place” says sophomore player Ella Duvdevani. “Since the moment I joined the team, every single girl whether they were trying out or were already on the team wanted to talk to you, wanted to get to know you, and everyone was genuinely interested in your story and about your life.”

For many players the Indiana Women’s Club lacrosse team has been  a second family, an escape from everyday challenges and a high school sport that continues to be loved years later. continuum of the sport they loved playing in high school. No matter what level skills one has, the team welcomes them with open arms. Sophomore player Leena Campagna stated, “I remember being a scared little freshman walking to tryouts from my dorm, and I remember seeing the field and being so intimidated because I saw older girls. Looking back on it now, it was extremely hilarious that I was even scared in the first place because those seniors are nothing short of amazing girls that are always welcoming and caring ever since the first time I stepped foot on the field.”

Leena Campagna stays sharp, defending her own teammate during an training session at Woodlawn field in Bloomington, IN on March 26th. Every rep counts as the team pushes each other to be their best.

 

The culture of the team is based on that sense of togetherness. The upperclassmen take pride in bringing  new players under their wing in order to create an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of skill level, has a role on the team .

The Indiana Women’s Club Lacrosse Team harps on  the importance of having fun while still maintaining a competitive edge. Energy-filled practices and tournament road trips turn into great  memories for players on and off the field. Through the relationships created on the team players are finding themselves growing as people. Ella Duvdevani stated “I love all the friendships I have made and just learned a lot more about myself and learned how to manage my time when being on a team because you really need to be there for them, and they also rely on you to show you and show out.” 

“I also learned a lot of resilience and it has taught me a lot about myself personally. Growing up and having them through college as an escape from real life. I can go, play, have fun and have a great time and leave worries behind.”

The Indiana Women’s Club Lacrosse team gathers in a huddle during practice at Woodlawn Field in Bloomington, IN on March 26th, discussing strategy and getting ready for the next drill.

The team provides many players with an opportunity to escape everyday stress and obligations.  Around their teammates they are able to decompress and concentrate on what they love. Players gain life skills like time management, teamwork, and perseverance in addition to their on-field abilities through the gift of  enjoyment and commitment that this game offers. 

Beyond the game, the team’s bonds provide a solid support network that supports  athletes in overcoming college obstacles.

Leena Campagna touches upon these obstacles more in her interview. She stated “We do not get the best time slot, and this past winter I was practicing until eleven thirty at night and wouldn’t get home until midnight.” The duality of being an athlete in college is truly shown through these girls as their athletics have them balancing their coursework, social wellbeing and personal well being. The team manages to work together despite their hectic schedules, supporting one another on and off the field.

The Indiana Women’s Club Lacrosse team is committed to creating a friendly atmosphere where players may succeed on and off the field as it grows in the next few years. The team demonstrates that lacrosse is more than just a game—it’s a family—through work, perseverance, and camaraderie. Teammates, Ella Duvdevani and Leena Campagna, embody what it means to be more than just athletes, as are the other members of the IU Women’s Club Lacrosse team. They are friends, leaders, and students who help each other through every setback and victory. Their commitment to the game and to one another has created a culture that goes well beyond the lacrosse field. The team’s foundation of inclusivity, resiliency, and unwavering  support is growing along with it, which is evidence of the strength of collaboration and the relationships that result from it.

Public Relations Story

The release of Apples newest product; Apple Watch unveiled by Tim Cook at Cupertino presentation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

    Media contacts
Brendan Brown
Gracie Helfrich

CUPERTINO, California (Sept. 9, 2014), –

Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the Apple Watch at an Apple event in Cupertino,

California. This release happened this tuesday. At the event the new device was shown off in full detail. The audience was introduced to the digital crown, health and wellness features, as well as size variety information about the new watch.

The event was an information filled experience. Cook took to the stage to give a lengthy lecture style presentation. Nearing the end of the presentation, he appeared both animated and excited; Cook announced “One More Thing”. He sprang into a brief explanation, describing and introducing the new product. Cook did this somewhat vaguely, yet his explanation was followed by a video showcasing the Apple Watch in its full glory. During this video we as an audience were shown that the Apple Watch features a brand-new innovative design. An imperative aspect to this design is the “Digital Crown,” This is a traditional watch feature, turned into innovation. The digital crown is the core of the product. The digital crown is to the apple watch as the human finger is to the iphone. The digital crown is a scroll type mechanism that the user will operate to toggle from feature to feature on the watch. It is a simple, easy to use function that is completely unique to the Apple watch. The digital crown is a jocose nod to watches of the past. The digital crown took a previously known feature of an analog watch, and turned it into something entirely new, while still respecting and recognizing watches of the past. The what was once known, traditional scroll wheel on the side of every watch is now the key navigation tool for the Apple Watch. A huge benefit of the digital crown feature is the fact that it prevents the apple watch screen from being obstructed by the human finger. This is especially important due to the incredibly small size of this new digital watch screen.

A woman flaunting her Apple Watch
A woman flaunting her Apple Watch with a stylish brown band. The design can match with any outfit in a non-obtrusive way.

Health and wellness have not necessarily been associated with watches of the past. However, this is a notion that the Apple watch may be challenging. One of the Apple watches’ most prominent new features is its health and wellness tracking. These features are in full view on the watch, and they are incredibly easy to access, which is a huge game changer for those looking to frequently access information regarding their day to day health and wellness. One of the ways these health and wellness features operate is based on the Apple watches infrared technology. The infrared technology detects your heart rate at all times. Other technical elements of the health and wellness tracking are the heart rate sensor, accelerometer, and gyroscope. These detections are 100% easily accessible to the user.

The Apple Watch is seen in action. This is one of the first times we have seen the Apple Watch on a human wrist.
The fitness features of the Apple Watch include exercise tracking. The new watch is capable of tracking running, walking, and heart rate.

The lack of size variety in the watch market is an issue that is being tackled by the Apple watch.  The release of the apple watch itself is incredibly impressive and notable to watch consumers. There is a plethora of convenient never before seen features that come along with this new watch, and in addition to all of these cutting edge new features, there is now a simple luxury of size variety as well. This simple luxury is somewhat overlooked in Cook’s presentation. He did not dwell too much on this aspect of the product’s release, especially in comparison to some of the watches other features, like the digital crown or the health and wellness qualities. The option of a smaller or larger size is incredibly well received by consumers, and has granted apple praise among a variety of watch purchasers.

The new Apple Watch can be seen in full effect above. We are able to view it in an artistic way.

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