FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY Rolls Into Fall Semester with New Partners, Contemporary Programs

FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY heads into the 2015 Fall Semester, partnering with 13 major college programs, including newcomers Rutgers University, the University of Pittsburgh, Xavier University, St. John’s University and the University of Arizona.

Partnering with prestigious journalism and business schools, public relations and sports management programs, FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY encourages creative thinking and collaboration amongst students to develop real-world solutions, products and campaigns that are then executed across FOX businesses.

The result is real-world experience and a unique peek into the world of professional sports, with winning projects implemented across a wide variety of sports and sanctioning bodies, from NASCAR to USGA. FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY student-generated campaigns have earned impressive recognition, including Emmy, Telly, Addy, Golden Matrix and Promax Awards.

“FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY assisted me with my decision to want to work in the sports industry,” said Austin Controulis, an Arizona State grad now working with the Cleveland Indians. “It broadened my knowledge of different aspects and jobs the sports industry can offer in terms of marketing and broadcast department positions. I think the program really cemented my ‘want’ to continue with a career in sports … not many college graduates can say they have built and pitched a marketing campaign to one of the largest sports media companies in the world.”

In addition to working with specific schools on a national campaign, FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY establishes social connection portals, linking thousands of students through social media, creating a foundation for career-building networking. And students who have completed the program often continue to participate once in the work force. Five FOX Sports employees who went through the program as students — Oscar Vargas (CSUN), Robert Dewitt (ASU), Brittany Norton (Florida), Jessica Musmanno (USC) and Anna Folwell (UNC) — will return to campus and work with students this fall.

“This semester, I had the opportunity to go back into the classroom — this time as an employee of FOX Sports — and share my experiences alongside executives from the YES Network,” said Folwell, Executive Project Manager at Home Team Sports. “The NYU class was an impactful reminder of how dynamic and engaging the consistent evolution of FOX Sports U has been since my involvement as a student. I’m looking forward to being a resource and mentor for students throughout the program.”

Challenges and goals are tailored to individual programs, using multiple methods of engagement.

“FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY didn’t just give us a project and leave us to our own devices,” said Galen Clavio, Associate Professor of Sports Media in The Media School at Indiana University. “We received regular feedback and advice on how to more efficiently work with our students to make their projects the best they could be.

“We really appreciated the willingness of the FOX family to take part in the project,” Clavio added. “Not only did they send out a panel of industry experts to judge the year-end project competition, but they also arranged for on-air talent to conduct Web chats and question-and-answer sessions with our students. It made for a much richer educational experience than we were expecting."

FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY is designed to stay current and topical, keeping pace with today’s sports business challenges across a broad spectrum of topics and delivery tools, including the complicated social media arena.

“I’m extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to implement a ‘Social Media in Sport’ course into the St. John’s curriculum,” said Dr. Katie Lebel, Assistant Professor, Division of Sport Management in the College of Professional Studies at St. John’s University. “The world of sport marketing has changed significantly over the past decade. I think those with some experience in social media communication will have an edge on their competition. It is my hope that this course will better prepare students to enter the workforce and go on to successful careers. Our partnership with FOX Sports is the icing on the cake.”

Returning programs for the Fall Semester include Howard University (second year in the FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY program), New York University (second year), Baylor University (third year), University of Minnesota (fourth year), Northwestern University (fifth year), University of North Carolina & Arizona State University (sixth year) and the University of Southern California (seventh year).