Syracuse Sun

They toured the offices of Fox Sports, SONY Pictures, and the NFL Network. They received presentation tips 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 also gained insights into marketing from We Are Social head Rebecca Coleman '00 and discovered how to pitch TV show ideas and deliver impactful TED talks.

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

Rachel Dubrofsky, VPA professor and chair of communication and rhetorical studies (CRS), 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 create this experiential program.

The students' days were divided between coursework, business site tours, discussions with top sports and broadcasting executives, and presentation creation. Rob Carpenter—renowned award-winning book author, documentary creator, and film producer—taught them. Students stayed in a Hollywood Hills apartment complex near the SU in LA center. They attended a weekend Dodgers game, hiked to the iconic Hollywood sign, and met members of the LA Regional Alumni Council for a roundtable discussion.

Another highlight was their tour of Fox Sports where students visited sets used for several shows organized by alumni Bernie Kim '01 and Cayden Feifer '12. Students met “Speak” show hosts LeSean McCoy, Emmanuel Acho, Joy Taylor, and Skip Bayless.

“This was an incredible opportunity to explore a course in a short amount of time," said Proulx. "Students got a sense of Los Angeles through site visits while meeting alumni who are excited to impart their wisdom.”

Proulx emphasized that the course's career-development focus offers insights into life after athletics: “Many former players have transitioned into careers like entrepreneurship or sports broadcasting.” She noted that these alumni demonstrated how skills acquired from football can be transferred to various future careers.

Student LeQuint Allen Jr., running back on Syracuse’s football team said it was “unbelievable” how many people he met during his two weeks in Los Angeles. He identified with alumnus Lou Alexander "whose story is like mine" but wants to model himself after alumnus Roland Williams: “I felt like I can mirror that,” he said.

Kyle McCord—a CRS major set to graduate this December—plans to pursue professional football before considering coaching or sports broadcasting as future careers: "It was a really good balance between schoolwork while exploring LA," he remarked about maximizing Maymester's timeframe.

Marlowe Wax Jr., who earned his psychology degree in May 2024 before enrolling in project management master’s program at the College of Professional Studies said: “I want to go into professional football; afterwards anything related would be great." He appreciated meeting industry professionals adding: "I love that I have these connections now."

Tommy Powell praised the course as transformative: "Our student-athletes gained unparalleled exposure which enriched their academics while broadening perspectives," aligning it with Syracuse University's strategic plan preparing students as global citizens poised for leadership roles globally.

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

---