MUNCIE — Maggie Kenworthy, Ink Free News editor, will be joining a team put together by Ball State University to cover the olympics. BSU will send one of the largest groups of journalism graduates, students and staff to provide behind-the-scenes coverage of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Kenworthy will participate in the first round of coverage in Brazil from July 15 to Aug. 3. Her team will concentrate on the culture of Brazil and the role the olympics is playing in the country. Ink Free News readers will receive exclusive access to follow along on the journey with articles, photos and videos.

Bringing together students from diverse academic programs, Ball State at the Games is a student-managed news operation that works in conjunction with several media organizations to provide original multimedia content about the Olympic culture, host country, athletes and spectators.

Created by Ball State’s Department of Journalism to report from the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the program then continued with Sochi in 2014. This time, more than 50 students will travel to South America before and during the Olympics. Eight students also will comprise the public relations home team on campus to handle media relations, edit content and maintain the website. Another eight will work in Chicago, creating information graphics for the Chicago Tribune.

“BSU at the Games provides our students with an intercultural learning experience while also providing professional skills and development they would not receive in the classroom,” said Ryan Sparrow, director of Ball State at the Games and a journalism instructor. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of and share in the tradition of such a global event.”

More than 50 students are heading to Brazil to cover the games this summer August 2 to 18 and July 15 to August 2 prior to the Games for cultural reporting. The cultural reporting content will include various stories on Brazilian food, customs, people and government.

Graduates, students and faculty will be exercising extra precaution in prevention of the Zika virus and follow recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .

Fans may follow the road to Rio through the eyes of the students on social media through Twitter at @bsuatthegames; Instragram bsuatgames and at Facebook.com/bsuatthegames.