Student-Athletes Enjoy New Study Away Sports Communications Course

They toured the offices of Fox Sports, SONY Pictures and the NFL Network. They got tips on making presentations from former NFL champions Lou Alexander ’12, Derrell Smith ’10 and Roland Williams ’97. They learned storytelling from sports broadcasters Andrew Siciliano ’12 and Cameron Lynch ’21 and entertainment producers Kip Konweiser ’85 and Doug Robinson ’85. They heard about the power of marketing from We Are Social head Rebecca Coleman ’00 and discovered the keys to pitching a TV show idea and giving a great TED talk.

Those were among many lessons packed into CRS-360, Communication Strategies in Sports. The College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) offered the new, three-credit Maymester course for the first time this year to provide a study-away opportunity for student-athletes whose academic year schedules are defined by little flexibility due to training and game commitments.

Rachel Dubrofsky, VPA professor and chair of communication and rhetorical studies (CRS), and Anna Proulx, visual and performing arts program director for the University’s Dick Clark Los Angeles Program, worked with Tommy Powell G’20, assistant provost for student-athlete academic development in the Department of Athletics, to devise the experience program.

Classes, activities mix

The students experienced class days split between coursework, business site tours, discussions with top sports and broadcasting executives and the creation of presentations. They were taught by Rob Carpenter, renowned award-winning book author, documentary creator and film producer.  Students were housed in a Hollywood Hills apartment complex near the SU in LA center. They enjoyed a weekend Dodgers game and a hike to the iconic Hollywood sign, and got to meet with many members of the LA Regional Alumni Council for a roundtable discussion. Another highlight of the course was the tour of Fox Sports, where students visited the set used for several Fox Sports shows organized by alumni Bernie Kim ’01 and Cayden Feifer ’12. Students were able to meet “Speak” show hosts LeSean McCoy, Emmanuel Acho, Joy Taylor and Skip Bayless.

Many Syracuse University LA Regional Alumni Council members who are prominent in their fields met with the students for a roundtable discussion, including Jordan Pynes ’98, Frank McFarland ’94, Phil Netz ’98, Sean Carey ’89, JaNeika James ’05 and Amelia Goldstein ’19, pictured with the student group. (Photo by Anna Proulx)

“This was an incredible opportunity to explore a course in a short amount of time, get a sense of Los Angeles, go on many site visits and meet alumni who are excited to impart their wisdom, who really care about these students’ success and who now are contacts for continued communication,” Proulx says.

Life after athletics

She believes the course’s career-development focus offers a sense of what life could be like after athletics and after Syracuse. “Many of our former players who moved beyond football have gone into careers in entrepreneurship, sales management, investments, NASCAR, athletic design and sports broadcasting. These alumni showed the students that the skills they already have from football are transferable to many different future careers.”

Student LeQuint Allen Jr. ’26, a running back on the Syracuse football team and a sociology major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, said it was “unbelievable” how many people he met during the two weeks he spent in Los Angeles. He says he identified with alumnus Lou Alexander “whose story is like mine,” and he wants to model the demeanor of alumnus Roland Williams. “I was getting a lot of tips from him, seeing how he handled himself and learning from him, and I felt like I can mirror that.”

Roland Williams ’97, center, a former Superbowl champion, was one of many alumni who spoke with the group of Maymester CRS-360 students. (Photo by Anna Proulx)

A good balance

Kyle McCord, a CRS major, will graduate this December. The quarterback plans to play football professionally after graduation then envisions a career in either coaching or sports broadcasting. He was impressed by the way the course maximized the Maymester timeframe. “It was a really good balance between school and being able to explore LA. Given how busy our schedules are, carving out two weeks and having a very productive trip, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’ll 100% be able to put what I learned to use right away.”

Marlowe Wax Jr. ’24, G’26, earned a psychology degree in May and is now enrolled in the project management master’s program in the College of Professional Studies.

The linebacker says the course allowed him to learn a lot about public speaking and how to control a stage. “I want to go into professional football, and after that, I’d love to do anything in sports. I really appreciate the number of people I met and I love that I have these people to connect to.”

Students David Clement and Yazeed Haynes practiced pitching their origin stories with instructors Rob Carpenter and guest speaker Lou Alexander at the Dick Clark Los Angeles Program. (Photo by Anna Proulx)

Powell says the course offered a transformative learning experience. “Our student-athletes gained unparalleled exposure to dynamic instruction and industry leaders, that enriched their academics and broadened their perspectives,” he says. “Few student-athletes have the opportunity to benefit from study abroad or away opportunities. This class aligned with the University’s academic strategic plan and our commitment to prepare students not just in their sport but as global citizens poised to lead in an interconnected world.”

More information about VPA’s Los Angeles Semester is available on the school’s study away program website.