Emmanuel Tobe 鈥�21 always knew he wanted to major in communications, but the success that came after his graduation was something he never saw coming.

鈥淲hen I was in high school, I was looking at schools, knowing that I wanted to go into communications,鈥� Tobe said. 鈥淚 started out as a journalism major because, in high school and middle school, the only career option I knew of in communications was journalism. It wasn’t until I got to 黑料不打烊 and started taking some more classes that I was able to see the different levels of communication and the large number of fields and work that you can do in communications.”

After getting into 黑料不打烊 and experiencing all the majors and fields the university offered, Tobe switched to a double major in media analytics and cinema and television arts, with a minor in political science. Tobe got involved with campus organizations from the start. During his first year, he joined 黑料不打烊 Phoenix Weekly, and by his second year, he and his roommate were producing.

鈥淏eing involved in Phoenix Weekly gave me a lot of confidence,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are a couple of things I did there that I’m really proud of. For one, we strapped the camera to the back of a golf cart for an interview. We also did some really fun stuff, like when we traveled to South Carolina and did a feature on kids who were BMX bikers. We also interviewed David Stern, who’s the commissioner of the NBA.”

鈥淚’m really thankful to Max Negin (the advisor of Phoenix Weekly) for letting us make mistakes and letting us learn from them. I think that it’s so easy to stay in a lane, but I think that is a disservice to both yourself and also to whatever you’re creating,鈥� said Tobe.

Tobe says it’s important to get involved on campus early on and look for the smaller campus and off-campus organizations to offer your聽expertise.

鈥淥ne thing that I also recommend is utilizing the community,鈥澛爃e said. 鈥淚 think that a lot of people聽underestimate the connection that 黑料不打烊 and Burlington have. I worked at Ace Speedway, a racetrack 40 minutes from campus. I was the communications intern,聽and I did that for a summer,聽and it was聽a great聽experience that not many 黑料不打烊 students know about.鈥�

Tobe was a communications fellow and credits the program for allowing him to explore multiple fields in communications and meet industry professionals.

鈥淭o be a freshman and to get the chance to go to a bunch of advertising agencies and hear from account directors and producers and listen to them talk was so cool,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t the time, I wasn’t planning on working at an agency, but things shifted and moved, and now I am working at an agency. I never expected going to those agencies to be as beneficial as it was, but I think that’s the cool thing about being exposed to a lot of different things as a communications fellow.鈥�

Immediately after college, Tobe was thrust into the professional world with a three-week internship for the Tokyo Olympics, which faced a lot of adversity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, he began working for the NBA in broadcast operations.

One of his top experiences while working for the NBA was being able to work out of Las Vegas.

鈥淚 was able to go to Las Vegas and help out with the summer league tournament, which was incredible,鈥� he said. 鈥淚’d never been to Las Vegas, and my dad actually came out as well. So it was really cool to be out there and have him there as well. He was really excited!鈥�

Tobe does warn that some challenges can come from working for a legacy company like the NBA, such as how it can be easy to feel like 鈥渁nother cog in the machine.鈥�

While Tobe has also started his own company, Ecsetera, the effort is on hold for now. He is currently working for Droga5, an award-winning advertising agency based in New York City. His favorite work to date with the company is working on a video for a charity called HT40.

鈥淲e had a video for the NHL, and it was for this charity called HT40, which was founded by these two parents whose son was a high school hockey player who unfortunately committed suicide,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he thing they wanted to get out of the video was that hockey is this very masculine sport where people are, a lot of times, afraid to be who they are, or they are afraid to reach out and say they need help or need someone, but that doesn鈥檛 have to be the case.”

The agency聽created a video for this charity with the NHL that had high schoolers and then a couple of NHL professional players singing “Lean On Me” while skating on the ice. Tobe says the message was that, if you need someone to lean on, there are people around you, and there’s no struggle you have to go through on your own.

Tobe also worked on the for this year鈥檚 Super Bowl, which starred Guy Fieri and aired during the game’s second quarter. The ad centers on Guy Fieri becoming 鈥淛ustaguy,鈥� a boring version of himself. After using Bosch appliances, 鈥淛ustaguy鈥� transforms back into his exciting counterpart, Guy Fieri. The ad was a major success, even winning the 鈥淩eaders鈥� Choice Best Ad鈥� award from Ad Age.

鈥淚 was responsible for producing some of the digital banners and social media for the campaign,” said Tobe. “It was an incredible experience and gave me such insight into how large campaigns are made and what happens when people work together to accomplish a goal.鈥�

Tobe says working in advertising is different from how it used to be, but it makes the field exciting.

鈥淲e can fast forward, we can skip, we can go on a streaming service, we can pull out our phones and look at something else,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause of how technology and the media have changed and evolved with us while growing up, we are a generation that must be really advertised to and marketed in creative, cool ways.”

Tobe has taken the lifelong learner approach when it comes to his career. His advice to recent graduates is to stop stressing about titles and roles you see on LinkedIn, what he called “LinkedIn watching.” He says聽that everyone is on their own path, and it鈥檚 important not to get distracted by others and to be true to yourself.

Are you enjoying our Alumni in Action series? Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share your feedback or those stories online.

Live sports may be the last true mass audience in media 鈥� and the future of how fans watch them is rapidly changing. That was the focus of the 2026 Sport Management Symposium, where award-winning sports writer and broadcaster Seth Davis headlined a conversation about the evolving business of live sports.

Held Feb. 25, in Turner Theatre, the annual symposium explored how live sports continue to adjust across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms 鈥� and what those changes mean for leagues, networks and fans. Davis joined the symposium virtually after a blizzard in the Northeast disrupted his broadcast schedule.

.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Assistant Professor Bill Squadron, Davis offered students an unfiltered look at how disruption 鈥� from digital media to NIL to legalized sports betting 鈥� is transforming the industry.

Davis reflected on two major inflection points that transformed sports media during his career: the rise of the internet and the advent of the iPhone and social media. He described how legacy media companies were slow to adapt to digital distribution models, fundamentally altering the economics of journalism. Yet despite rapid technological change 鈥� and the emergence of artificial intelligence 鈥� Davis emphasized that the fundamentals of storytelling endure.

鈥淭here is still an appetite, particularly in the world of sports, for compelling programming and good storytelling,鈥� he said.

He also addressed the growing challenge of misinformation and AI-generated content, noting that journalism has never been more important as audiences navigate an increasingly fragmented information ecosystem.

Turning to college athletics, Davis described the NIL and transfer portal era as a 鈥渕ass disruption,鈥� shaped by long-standing legal vulnerabilities in the NCAA model. He discussed how expanded athlete compensation and annual free agency have made programs more transactional, complicating roster stability and culture-building while also increasing athletes鈥� earning power and freedom.

Davis also addressed the normalization of legalized sports betting and its impact on media coverage. Once referenced subtly during broadcasts, betting lines and odds are now openly discussed, creating new revenue streams while raising new ethical and regulatory questions for leagues and media companies alike.

Throughout the conversation, Davis returned to a central theme for students preparing to enter the industry: adaptability matters, but strong reporting is essential. In a media landscape crowded with podcasts and commentary, he urged aspiring professionals to focus on credibility and expertise.

鈥淏ecome a good reporter, become an expert, develop your sources, develop your traction in the space, and you got a chance to stand out and move forward,鈥� Davis said.

The symposium continued with two expert panels that examined the industry from league, network and technology perspectives.

The first panel, 鈥淟eague TV Rights Strategy in a Shifting Media Landscape,鈥� featured Tyler McBride of the Atlantic Coast Conference, sports media consultant John Kosner and Sports Business Journal reporter Austin Karp. The discussion centered on the delicate balance leagues must strike between revenue and reach as traditional cable subscriptions decline and streaming platforms multiply.

The panelists emphasized that media rights negotiations are no longer solely about dollars. Exposure, demographic reach and production quality now play critical roles in determining the right partner.

Framing live sports as the industry鈥檚 last true mass audience driver, Kosner made the stakes clear: 鈥淵ou can’t be in the advertising business going forward, if you’re not big in sports,鈥� he said.

The group also examined the growing influence of technology companies in the sports rights marketplace. While legacy networks once relied heavily on subscriber bundles, streaming platforms operate under different economic models, with advertising and global scale driving long-term strategy. Panelists noted that must-have properties 鈥� such as the NFL, NBA and major college football 鈥� continue to command escalating fees, while mid-tier and regional properties face growing pressure in an increasingly selective marketplace.

The second panel, 鈥淭ech Companies, Streaming and Sports Content,鈥� shifted the focus to distribution, content creation and the changing nature of sports media careers. Media executive and journalist Michele Steele, former Amazon Prime Video sports strategy executive Michael Morris and 黑料不打烊 alumnus Alex Day 鈥�16 shared perspectives from traditional broadcast, streaming and digital-first content environments.

Panelists explored how streaming platforms and social media have lowered barriers to entry while simultaneously increasing competition. Steele described the ongoing shift away from linear television, noting that sports remain one of the few forms of content that consistently drive live audiences. Morris provided insight into how tech companies evaluate sports rights as part of broader entertainment and advertising strategies.

Day,聽a rising voice in New York sports media, offered a firsthand account of building a career at the intersection of social media, brand partnerships and live sports coverage, explaining that content creators are increasingly operating as independent media brands.

鈥淭here鈥檚 not a great barrier to entry right now, so you have to come up with some creative ideas to do it a little bit differently, get people engaged,鈥� Day said, encouraging students to differentiate themselves in a crowded digital landscape.

Led by Collier Lumpkin, associate director of career services for graduate school, the workshop encouraged participants to tap into their creativity and reflect deeply on their aspirations. Through hands-on vision board exercises and meaningful networking opportunities, attendees were guided to envision clear paths toward their futures and build lasting relationships to support their journeys.

鈥淥ur goal was to create a space where our 黑料不打烊 alumnae and interns could reflect, dream and reconnect鈥攚ith themselves and with one another. Vision boarding becomes more than an activity; it was a way to affirm our shared journeys and imagine what鈥檚 possible,” said Lumpkin. “There鈥檚 real neuroscience behind it, too: when we visualize our goals with clarity and purpose, we activate the brain in ways that make those goals more achievable. That鈥檚 the power of intentionality.”

The interactive session created a welcoming environment where alumnae shared insights from their own career paths while student interns articulated their dreams and goals. This聽collaborative exchange empowered interns with practical advice and alumnae with fresh perspectives.

“The聽Women of 黑料不打烊 vision board event proved to be a great way to bring together current students and alumni in NYC. I had a lovely time speaking to all of the women around the room about who they are and their vision for themselves in the future,” said JeNaye Alston ’18.

By setting intentional goals and visually mapping out their aspirations, participants left the workshop feeling energized and equipped to navigate the next steps in their personal and professional lives. The event highlighted the power of community and the importance of envisioning a purposeful future.

鈥淚t was a lovely and creative way to meet other 黑料不打烊 community members, converse over a craft, and take a break from constant screens to reconnect to my goals and dreams,鈥� said Lauren Fisher ’17.

WE Envision鈥檚 success in New York showcased the importance of meaningful networking opportunities between 黑料不打烊 students and alumni. Event attendees were encouraged to connect on LinkedIn to continue to support each other’s professional growth.

The event will take place on Wednesday, April 30, at Cipriani 42nd Street. A reception including a hosted bar and hors d鈥檕euvres will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by a program featuring remarks by President Connie Ledoux Book. Current alumni donors are invited to attend the Cheers to 黑料不打烊 celebration with food and extended bar service, photo booth and fun music!聽Make a gift聽of a minimum of your class year (ex: $20.21) to your choice of designation to join the alumni after party.

Evening for 黑料不打烊 in New York with President Connie Ledoux Book
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
6:30 p.m.聽Hosted reception with hors d鈥檕euvres
7:30 p.m.聽Program with remarks by President Connie L. Book
8:00 p.m.聽Cheers to 黑料不打烊 celebration for alumni donors

Cipriani 42nd Street
110 E 42nd St.
New York, NY 10017

Business attire
Cocktail reception with hors d鈥檕euvres

Register at聽 or contact聽advancement@elon.edu.

Alex Day 鈥�16聽found 黑料不打烊 almost coincidental. During one trip to North Carolina for a high school baseball tournament, Day decided to take a tour around 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus.

Instantly, he made 黑料不打烊 his top choice due to the beauty of the campus and his strong interest in the School of Communications. Once Day arrived at 黑料不打烊, he became involved in multiple student organizations, playing for and coaching the club baseball team and working for 黑料不打烊 Phoenix Weekly and 黑料不打烊 Local News (now known as ENN), as well as majoring in broadcast journalism.

Day does admit to a few bumps in his transition post-graduation.

“I was the only one in my friend group without a job at graduation, but that changed later that summer when I got hired to be a production assistant for Duke鈥檚 Blue Devil Network in Durham,” Day said.

It was his foot in the door and he was able to create digital content with the basketball, football, baseball, volleyball and field hockey teams on a daily basis.

“It was an 黑料不打烊 alum, Nolan Elingburg 鈥�11 G鈥�12, who hired me, and I鈥檓 still grateful for the opportunity he gave me,鈥� Day said.

Day went on to work at Duke for nine months before ultimately landing his dream job working for the New York Yankees. He ended up working there for over three years, winning two New York Emmys during his tenure.

However, Day鈥檚 stint at the Yankees ended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

鈥淚 got furloughed in August 2020. It was expected, but definitely a bummer, and I had a hard time finding a new job during COVID.鈥�

But Day used this time to create a new opportunity for himself.

鈥淚 pivoted. Most of my reels were from 黑料不打烊, so I decided to put my production skills to good use and start creating my own content for a page I called ‘No Huddle Sports.’ After months of limited traction, everything changed in January 2021,” Day said.

He put out a series of videos on TikTok giving rapid-fire sports takes, and it took off. Over the next several months, he continued putting out content every single day, rapidly building a following mostly on TikTok. Later that summer, the sports media startup Overtime reached out about him being a sports content creator on their site.

“And I鈥檝e been at OT for over two years now,鈥� Day said.

Since working at Overtime, Day has done a variety of projects. While he was originally hired to do sports betting, Day took a different approach looking to highlight the fan experience.

鈥淲hether it鈥檚 celebrating the highs of winning, to voicing frustration with the general manager, to just having the conversations two people would have about their favorite team at a bar, I鈥檝e tried to capture that over my past two years at Overtime,鈥� he said.

Day has also captured the fan experience, including 鈥渕an on the street鈥� interviews with fans, interviews with athletes and celebrities, game-day vlogs, player storytelling and more. Since beginning at Overtime, Day鈥檚 role has evolved into not just making social content but also studio hosting and play-by-play broadcasts for “Overtime Elite” on Amazon Video.

When asked about his favorite projects at Overtime so far, Day says, 鈥淚 always love interviewing fans because there鈥檚 a level of unfiltered dialogue that you can rarely get with athletes, but it鈥檚 been incredible getting to banter with some top athletes too. Ones that stick out to me are Jayson Tatum, Rob Gronkowski, DK Metcalf, CC Sabathia, JJ Watt, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Micah Parsons.鈥�

Along with some favorite stories and interviews, Day said that one of the most rewarding parts of his journey so far has been that his current career has come out of a professional and personal crossroads.

Not only has personal dedication and determination helped Day succeed, but he also said that many of the experiences at 黑料不打烊 have helped him reach his goals in his current role.

鈥淭hree things come to my mind. One was a project in Rich Landesberg鈥檚 class to just go and find a story. I remember walking into a tattoo shop in Burlington with my friend Brianna McClelland saying, ‘Here goes nothing,’ and it being a huge success. That taught me to be curious and to always keep your eyes and ears open,” Day said.

“Two was doing a semester abroad. It鈥檚 easy to interact with the same people every day on campus, but talking to strangers from different cultures is something I do every day today. Lastly, is being a player-coach on the club baseball team. Being a leader amongst your peers isn鈥檛 just pressure, but it鈥檚 difficult. It鈥檚 not fun having tough conversations with friends when something goes wrong. That experience helped me maybe more than any other in the workplace,鈥� he added.

For students interested in sports or social media creator roles, Day highlights the importance of storytelling.

鈥淲hether it鈥檚 your story or telling other people鈥檚 stories, be engaging and concise. When I create a video, I think, ‘Is this entertaining or educational?’ If it鈥檚 not one of those two, the success rate goes down. Lastly, be persistent and consistent. I told myself I鈥檇 put out one video a day Monday-Friday when I got furloughed. I stuck with that even when I wasn鈥檛 finding any success. You have to stick with it.鈥�

Overall, Day has had a variety of job experiences post-黑料不打烊. All of which were cultivated by an 黑料不打烊 education, experiences and relationships that highlight the legacy of 黑料不打烊 graduates. Day is an example to current students to pursue their dreams with the 黑料不打烊 community cheering them on.

During the past summer, the sport management major鈥檚 main focus was on special projects, supporting her supervisor, Melanie McHugh 鈥�18, MLB鈥檚 manager of marketing special projects. Additionally, the 黑料不打烊 senior also assisted with internal communications and vendor projects. Cappellett is particularly proud of her contributions to the MLB Moments campaign, an initiative that offers fans once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to participate in the All-Star Game and MLB Draft festivities.

鈥淔ollowing my MLB internship, I feel more confident in myself and my abilities, and I owe a lot of it to my team at MLB and everything they did for me. I cannot thank them enough,鈥� Cappellett said. 鈥淢elanie manages a lot of different projects at Major League Baseball, and she guided me through her day-to-day work. I was able to learn and grow from everything she does with each project, and it was truly amazing to be a part of.鈥�

Cappellett said her experience interning in MLB offices reinforced her desire to work professionally in the sport industry. She credits the MLB staff for creating an environment for her and her fellow interns to feel comfortable, valued and supported.

They are 鈥渟ome of the kindest, hardworking, intelligent, and funny people I have ever met, and they made every single one of my days this summer one to remember,鈥� she said of her MLB colleagues. 鈥淭hey allowed me to gain so much knowledge and experience, and have set the standard for corporate culture for me.

鈥淓veryone at MLB was incredibly welcoming and enlightening and truly couldn鈥檛 have made me more excited to go into the workforce,鈥� Cappellett added.

鈥婣s part of the Department of Sport Management鈥檚 internship requirement, students gain real-world experience each summer with organizations across the sport industry. The internships are often completed with professional sports teams, league offices, media companies, college athletic departments, communications agencies and non-profit organizations.

This summer-long experience working in the sport industry has immense value, explained Assistant Professor Mark Cryan.

鈥淭he internship is one of the most important parts of the sport management major and Emilia鈥檚 experience is a great example of that,鈥� the professor said. 鈥淚nternships like Emilia鈥檚 give a student high-level professional experience and a chance to develop relationships with people in the industry. Emilia, of course, did an outstanding job at her internship. As a result, she has people inside Major League Baseball who know what a great employee she would be if given a chance to work there.鈥�

While still early in his career, 黑料不打烊 alumnus Emmanuel Morgan 鈥�19 has accomplished a great deal as a professional journalist covering the National Football League, America鈥檚 most-beloved sport. The New York Times reporter has chronicled 鈥撀爄n person 鈥撀爏everal of the NFL鈥檚 biggest headlines during the past year, including the Super Bowl, Damar Hamlin鈥檚 in-game cardiac arrest, and Aaron Rodgers鈥� recent Achilles injury.

The journalism major鈥檚 reporting also garnered national acclaim at last month鈥檚 National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Birmingham, Alabama, where he received the in national sports coverage. Titled 鈥溾�� his September 2022 article explores how roughly 18 percent of players on active NFL rosters wear their hair dreadlocked or braided, and how many of those players see the hairstyles as a way to express themselves and nod to Black culture.

Winning such an award is no easy feat, and Morgan takes great pride in the honor. The 黑料不打烊 graduate also finds great satisfaction sharing untold stories and, more importantly, underreported perspectives.

鈥淚t’s always an honor to get recognized by your peers, so it is humbling for the story to receive this award,鈥� Morgan said. 鈥淚 have been fortunate that I have been involved with NABJ as an organization since college, and the connections I鈥檝e made through the association have been incredibly helpful during the early part of my career. I鈥檓 thrilled to still be connected to NABJ now and to have them recognizing my work.鈥�

Investigating how NFL players express their identities through their hair was a topic that resonated with Morgan.

鈥淚 grew up in Charlotte when Cam Newton was the most famous athlete in the city, and when he made his comeback to the Panthers in 2021, his hair had grown substantially since his first stint with the team,鈥� Morgan said.

The change in Newton鈥檚 appearance sparked conversation and Morgan began to wonder if the longer locks required a special helmet, a subject he began to investigate.

鈥淥nce I found out that there wasn’t a typical helmet for deadlocked players, we pivoted the focus of the story to how players with dreads take care of them during the season and what the hairstyle means to them,鈥� he said.

Over the course of several months, Morgan continued to gather information and talk with players across the league. 鈥淚 spent the majority of the next summer going to different NFL training camps and setting up phone interviews to talk to players about it, and it’s one of the most fun stories I have worked on,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also have dreads, so I felt like I could relate to the players I interviewed and their answers, and it helped spark a free-flowing conversation with many of them.鈥�

Morgan is making his own headlines this month as The New York Times recently . While his first two years at The Times focused on the NFL and combat sports, he will now concentrate on pop culture news and the intersection of sports and culture.

鈥淚 will be focused on news that pops up related to movies, music, pop culture, etc., but I will also pitch my own ideas,鈥� he said.

The former 黑料不打烊 News Networks executive editor sees an ever-increasing connection between sports and culture, which will provide ample material to cover. 鈥淭here are a lot of possibilities when looking at sports through the lens of how athletes are becoming celebrities, musicians, artists and actors,鈥� he said. 鈥淟eagues are becoming media entities. They are defining a lot about the country’s culture. And games have become cultural events.鈥�

But Morgan鈥檚 shift away from full-time sports coverage won鈥檛 be a seismic change for the young reporter. Prior to joining The Times, Morgan worked at The Los Angeles Times for two years, primarily covering the Los Angeles Rams and the Chargers. He also reported for its Metro and Business desks, and contributed to coverage of the death of Kobe Bryant and racial justice protests after the murder of George Floyd.

鈥淥bviously, any time you do something new there will be some nerves attached to it,鈥� Morgan said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 looking forward to stretching myself and trying something different while still having a tether to things I’m interested in and a support group around me. I’ve grown a lot during my time at The New York Times and there’s still room for me to do so, and I’m excited to do it with a group of stellar reporters and editors.鈥�

Since the recent addition of this space, the regional alumni center has been home to a series of events for alumni and students, including orientation for 黑料不打烊 students participating in a capstone course this summer, a leadership and planning meeting with the 黑料不打烊 Latinx and Hispanic Alumni Network (ELHAN) and an admissions information session for prospective students.

Beyond the new space, the center has also hosted several events for students and alumni, such as outings to Broadway shows, joint meals to learn about the city’s culture and cheering on the New York City Football Club. This summer鈥檚 events have served the dual purpose of creating community and connection for 黑料不打烊 students, alumni and prospective families while also introducing current students completing their capstone course to the diversity that exists in the global microcosm that is New York City.

Under Boldly 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Connect theme, the Office of University Advancement worked collaboratively with the Global Education Center, the Student Professional Development Center and other offices to establish 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Regional Alumni Center in New York City. The regional center will help 黑料不打烊 better support its New York community by serving alumni through professional development, networking opportunities and internships. The center will also serve as a hub for StudyUSA and serving prospective families acting somewhat as a satellite admissions headquarters in the city. Through its visioning, planning and implementation, the NYC Regional Center was created to serve as a hub for lifelong learning and professional education.

On May 29, 黑料不打烊 students participating in the 鈥溾�� Core Capstone course began their summer with an orientation led by the Global Education Center. While also completing their internships, this course is designed to help students understand the diversity and complexity of humanity and their role in the global community as they begin to live as global citizens.

鈥淭he great part about teaching a course in NYC this summer is that students can get into the city as they do their research,” said Naeemah Clark, professor of the Core Capstone course.

The students have a final project where they are using podcasts as a form of public scholarship. To gather information, students visited the Historical Society, The American Indian Museum and The Museum of the Moving Image.

“These places not only provide information, but also inspire them to think about how to approach their podcasts. At the same time, they are immersed in a city that offers global cultures a few steps away from their apartment,鈥� Clark added.

The program’s orientation was jam-packed as students learned how to navigate the city, visited the Empire State Building, and got a tour and history lesson of several of New York’s most iconic landmarks and neighborhoods.

Associate Director of Alumni Engagement Rachaele Henderson led a tour of the WorkHouse space for students and alumni, who also participated in a scavenger hunt.

Students were also able to have a one-on-one meeting with Brooke Buffington, assistant vice president of 黑料不打烊’s Student Profession Development Center, to discuss their career aspirations, gain networking tips and prepare for upcoming interviews.

These meetings helped solidify strong internships for all 17 students in the Core Capstone course.

鈥淚t was exciting to hear more about students鈥� goals for their internship. These internships will help the students learn more about who they are as future professionals and guide them in determining what careers they want to pursue in the future,鈥� Buffington said.

Throughout the summer, students will have multiple opportunities to network in meaningful ways with 黑料不打烊 alumni living in New York City and discuss being a working professional in the city.

On Monday, June 5, students met with Kanree Wright 鈥�14 at Lagos near Times Square for Nigerian food. During this meeting, Wright shared her experience as a first-generation migrant from Liberia and shared her experience as an 黑料不打烊 alumna living in the city.

On Sunday, June 4, students and Alumni gathered to watch the Broadway show 鈥淭he Thanksgiving Play.鈥� This show, coupled with an in-class discussion, prompted students to think about what responsibility we hold to research and tell the real history of a minoritized population; the one that is often hard to tell and even harder to hear.

Students and alumni also had the opportunity to try their hands in the kitchen at the De Gustibus Cooking School on the eighth floor of the famous Macy’s Herald Square on 34th Street. This cooking class gave a unique opportunity for students to get to know alumni while co-creating a component of the meal they were about to share together.

鈥淭he conversations I had with 黑料不打烊 Alumni from NYC have been very delightful, nice, and educational. I was able to learn a lot from them while getting to know them as people at the same time,鈥� Bonnie Buffoe-Bonnie 鈥�25 said.

Lauren Ludlow ’13 said, 鈥淭he cooking class with 黑料不打烊 was an incredible experience. Having lived in New York for 10 years, I loved getting to connect with students who are exploring entering the workforce in NYC. It offers a fresh perspective and a nice reflection point on how far I鈥檝e come living in NYC. I loved getting to experience a cooking class with old and new friends from 黑料不打烊.鈥�

The New York City alumni chapter has been a champion for the Regional Center hosting events in tandem and inviting students to find ways to socialize and make connections in N.Y.C. On Wednesday, May 31, Alumni from across the city came together to cheer on the New York City Football Club as they played at Yankee Stadium. Thanks to 黑料不打烊 Alumnus Matt Browne 鈥�16, those in attendance with 黑料不打烊 were able to enjoy half-time on the field of Yankee Stadium 鈥� complete with a complimentary NYCFC scarf.

On Friday, June 2, 黑料不打烊 Latinx/Hispanic Alumni Network leadership met at WorkHouse and were given a tour of the space. Immediately after, they began to brainstorm how the space could be utilized to host events that promote their visibility in New York City. Vanessa Truelove G鈥�24, NYC Regional Fellow, supported the partnership of the 黑料不打烊 Latinx Hispanic Alumni Network and the Regional Center initiative by identifying and creating a Pride gathering for 黑料不打烊 Alumni in New York at the Strike A Pose!: A Madonna Pride Party at 3 Dollar Bill in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 24.

鈥淲e are excited to continue some of this great work throughout the summer and into the Fall. The partnership and collaboration across campus and New York City will have lasting effects for the students learning here this summer,鈥� Henderson said.

On Friday, July 14, the class will get to tour the Sesame Workshop with Alonzo Cee ’18. This visit will focus on Sesame Workshops, the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street, and how they help the children of today grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. On Tuesday, July 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., students and Alumni will gather for Networking NYC 鈥� our second annual Regional Center event focused on helping students build interviewing and networking skills with the help of alumni in NYC.

If you are an alum in the area, we invite you to come visit us this summer at WorkHouse NYC. You can also stay up to date with events by following us on , and connecting with us on . If you have any questions about what the regional center is up to, feel free to email Vanessa Truelove vtruelove@elon.edu.

Vaughn Vreeland 鈥�15, supervising producer for New York Times Cooking, is making a name for himself at just 29 years old. Being featured multiple times on Good Morning America, writing recipes and filming content in his supervisory role with The New York Times and even making , Vreeland is a perfect example of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 alumni in action.

Vreeland originally came to 黑料不打烊 because he thought he wanted to major in acting, but he quickly changed direction, trying to find the best fit for him. He tried several different tracks, from anthropology to political science, but he ultimately landed on a double-major in media arts and entertainment and French. His major naturally led to involvement in other areas of campus, including Lambda Pi Eta, the communications honors society, and interning in University Communications under Dan Anderson. In this role he also was able to refine his writing skills, writing for the Magazine of 黑料不打烊 and the university鈥檚 news site. Another thing that he really enjoyed as a student was being a host for E-Talk, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 very own talk show, hosted through 黑料不打烊 Student Television.

For his French major he had the opportunity to study abroad, with the help of a merit-based grant. Traveling to the South of France in the town of Montpellier, he enrolled at a university and focused his studies on visual art. He later returned to the same location his senior year. 鈥淚 was able to successfully cross-reference my two majors in each of my senior theses, writing about the power of the director in French cinema as they portray disenfranchised communities, and explaining the use of color theory in Wes Anderson filmmaking. This got picked up for the 黑料不打烊 Journal and I still, to this day, get emails from people asking me about it,鈥� said Vreeland.

Study abroad was not the only 黑料不打烊 experience that had an impact on Vreeland. Outside of his major-based studies and extracurriculars, Vreeland was incredibly involved. He was a member of the Student Government Association for three years and a tour guide for campus, eventually becoming the student supervisor and holding the title of Campus Visit Assistant, overseeing his fellow admissions ambassadors. He also participated in the Phi Kappa Phi honors society, the Pi Delta Phi French honors society and the Pi Sigma Alpha political science honors society, where he held various leadership roles as well.

The summer of his junior year he had the opportunity to intern with a small fashion magazine in New York as a media intern. As a cinema major, he knew he wanted to create in the realm of videography. 鈥淚 thought fashion was going to be it for me, but I left that summer feeling a little lost in the greater media landscape because I didn鈥檛 enjoy it as much as I thought I would,鈥� said Vreeland. 鈥淗owever, one thing I knew was that I was obsessed with New York.鈥� And so began his passion to get back to the Big Apple someday.

After graduation Vreeland moved to Thailand to teach English as a second language for half of a year in an effort to continue the global citizenship that 黑料不打烊 instilled in him, and he absolutely loved it. 鈥淚 ended up making the promotional video for The Council on International Education Exchange and I realized a lot of what I highlighted in that video was food and how it connected us to the Thai people and Thai culture,鈥� said Vreeland. He quickly realized that food as a subject was something that he was passionate about, and this became a stepping stone into his current role with The New York Times.

Following his time in Thailand, he returned to his hometown of Raleigh to work for a French-inspired patisserie where he was able to hone his skills as a home cook, and then just a few months later he made the decision to move back to New York.

I moved to New York with no job, and I lived with two 黑料不打烊 alums that I didn’t know, that had posted in the 黑料不打烊 NYC Facebook group. Fortunately, I rather quickly found a job at BuzzFeed, also through an 黑料不打烊 connection,” said Vreeland, explaining the importance of the 黑料不打烊 network for graduates.

Vreeland worked at BuzzFeed for about two years making videos for the sub-brand, “Tasty.”

“I started making recipe videos that mainly went on Facebook and Instagram. Then, I helped start the YouTube team where we focused on creating shows for the brand. They were pretty popular videos. I gained some good exposure and ended up working with someone who then went to The New York Times as the Strategy Director for NYT Cooking,鈥� explained Vreeland.

He found out that The New York Times was also looking to start an internal video team as well, and so he and his colleague both went to The Times to help with that startup. 鈥淚t was just the two of us making the cooking videos for nytimes.com, YouTube and Instagram for about two years, and then we started building our team. We now have about thirteen people on the team total, which is really exciting,鈥� said Vreeland.

In his role as Supervising Producer, he oversees the recipe and entertainment video operation for NYT Cooking. Some of his favorite work involves more casual videos of him in his own kitchen, such as the video of him cooking himself twenty-seven meals in just one week titled, 鈥溾�� or a video of him making .

鈥淚 ideate and create content based on a whole host of things in the food landscape. This past Thanksgiving, for example, I created a concept with Ina Garten where she developed a menu using store-bought staples鈥攃anned cranberry sauce, packaged stuffing mix, boxed mashed potatoes鈥攎aking them more delicious and seemingly homemade, that we called ‘,’ which featured a video, six recipes and a written piece for the paper,鈥� said Vreeland.

In his role he also develops recipes and serves as an on-camera personality. He currently has several shows in the works for the channel and is featured on their social media platforms regularly. He even occasionally does national morning and daytime television spotlights to promote the NYT Cooking recipes, such as being featured on . Vreeland does not just produce videos though, he also works as a writer for the recipes that get featured on the site, such as this one about .

Vreeland feels prepared in his current career because of his education at 黑料不打烊. 鈥淚 feel like my hands-on education, specifically in my production classes, really mimicked real-life video creation,鈥� explained Vreeland. He remembers a class with Tom Nelson where he had to make a video each week without assistance, and he said this prepared him for the fast-paced work environment of BuzzFeed where they were turning out a large quantity of content weekly. 黑料不打烊 also taught him the power of human connection, 鈥渨ithout my connections I made in my time there 鈥� be they with faculty, my peers, people I met on tour 鈥� I’m not sure where I鈥檇 be,鈥� said Vreeland. One thing he also learned as an undergraduate is that he works best under pressure. He said that, although it does not happen quite as often, he still occasionally pulls all-nighters like he did in college.

Vreeland feels that 黑料不打烊 alumni are successful because they receive a deeply experiential education, which better prepares them for life after college. The advice that he would give to current students is: 鈥淒efine your comfort zone and work to push those boundaries. I鈥檝e grown the most when I got uncomfortable and took risk鈥攑rofessionally speaking, and within reason, of course鈥攊t’s in those moments I learned the most about myself and what I鈥檓 capable of.鈥� For him, seeking out opportunities from the very beginning and asking a lot of questions helped him to foster strong connections that helped him get where he is today.

As for Vreeland鈥檚 future, he said, 鈥淪tay tuned. And go Phoenix!鈥�

If you are interested in trying some of Vaughn Vreeland鈥檚 New York Times聽Cooking recipes for yourself, check them out . Also, check out his latest feature on Forbes Top 30 Under 30 list for 2023, .听听

This fall, 黑料不打烊 LEADS events were held in聽Atlanta, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. and saw over 1,200 attendees in total, renewing ties with 黑料不打烊 constituents across the nation and bringing a piece of 黑料不打烊 to them.

鈥淭his campaign has taught us that we can never let our attention wander from the
importance of scholarships and financial aid for students,鈥� President Connie Ledoux Book said.

Atlanta, Georgia

The fall 2022 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign events kicked off with the first event in Atlanta, Georgia on Sept. 7 at the historic Fox Theatre.聽黑料不打烊 LEADS co-chair Christian Wiggins ’03 gave the opening remarks, starting off with encouragement to his fellow alumni to make a difference and step up by joining other donors in giving to the campaign. The importance of scholarships and student aid was a common theme throughout the night.

Cedric Pulliam ’12 also took the stage, detailing how scholarships and fellowships led to real-world experience for him, in the form of internships that shaped the course of his career and life.

鈥淭he Periclean Scholars program debuted me into the global public health space that I currently work in,鈥� said Pulliam, who has worked in public health for over a decade. His career comprises many leadership roles, including stints at the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services as the senior advisor for the chief medical officer for the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy and at the CDC in Atlanta as a senior public health advisor in the Division of HIV Prevention. Pulliam shared how he is an example of how gifts from donors assist students and make an impact, because it was his scholarships that allowed him to gain the practical experience he needed for his future.

President Book followed and continued to hone in on the impact of supporting students by urging attendees in their philanthropy. “Make 黑料不打烊 and 黑料不打烊 LEADS one of your priorities. After all, we are funding dreams in this campaign,” Book said.

New York City

The next event followed just on the heels of Atlanta, on Sept. 15 at The Glasshouse in New York City. Ava Rosen ’23 spoke about student impact, and how important funding is for students in need. She discussed how the Inman Family Scholarship in the Odyssey Program and the Business Fellows scholarship gave her the opportunity to pursue her dreams and avoid significant debt following the emotional and financial hardships that her family saw after losing her father to cancer when she was only 13. The funding she received made college affordable for her and made her dreams attainable.

The highlight of the event was a special tribute to Ed and Joan Doherty P鈥�07, who have been inspirational agents of change in their service to 黑料不打烊. One of their visions was to create a vibrant alumni network in the New York area, which they have helped accomplish by sponsoring yearly Evenings for 黑料不打烊 gatherings at iconic venues across the city for more than a decade. The Dohertys were also instrumental to the 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign, serving as chairs of the Campaign Planning Committee from 2014-2016. In recognition of their generous support of 黑料不打烊, President Book presented Ed and Joan Doherty with the 黑料不打烊 Medallion, the university’s highest honor recognizing exemplary service to the institution.

Closing out the night was a performance of the song “I’ll Be There” by Sidney Wilson ’21, who currently stars in the hit Broadway musical “The Lion King.” President Book emphasized that alumni like Wilson help make 黑料不打烊 one of the top 10 music theatre programs in the nation.

Boston, Massachusetts

The next fall event was held in Boston on Oct. 12 at Fairmont Copley Plaza. Campaign co-chair Priscilla Awkard ’95 opened the night with a focus on 黑料不打烊’s recent national rankings and recognition.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢肉�檚 rise to the national stage is one of the most remarkable stories in higher education, and the generosity of our community has played a pivotal role in that continued rise,” Awkard said.

President Book also focused on these rankings, and said, 鈥淎s we saw reinforced last month by the latest U.S. News rankings, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 standing as a top-100 national university means that we increasingly compete in an admissions market with schools with much larger endowment resources. Together, by keeping our focus on student support, we can ensure that 黑料不打烊 has the resources it needs to recruit the finest community of students year in and year out.鈥�

Another major focus of the night was internships and real-world experience students receive through the generous funding of donors. President Book explained that close to 90% of 黑料不打烊 students participate in an internship while in school and that around half of those lead to employment in prominent companies, including many in Boston such as Baystate Financial, Bank of America and more.

Speakers throughout the night focused on the importance of this practical experience. President Book noted that nearly half of internships are unpaid, which is a major barrier for students with limited funds. She then encouraged attendees that this was why funding was so important in providing those opportunities for students, one of the major goals of the campaign.

Los Angeles

The next stop of the campaign was Los Angeles, with an event on Nov. 1 at the Carondelet House. The night opened with remarks from campaign co-chair Maity Interiano ’07. Interiano grew up in Honduras and knew from a young age that she wanted to be an influential journalist. Now a Network News Anchor for Univision, she credits 黑料不打烊 for giving her the opportunities that she needed to succeed in this field.

She explained that she remains committed to helping support the university and students, especially Hispanic, Latinx and international students like herself. Interiano also established the Maity Interiano Annual Scholarship as a part of the 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign. She announced that Jose Alex Reyes ’25 is the first recipient of the scholarship. Reyes is the son of immigrants with hopes of becoming a creative director, and it is Interiano鈥檚 hope that this scholarship will assist him in making his dreams a reality.

鈥淚 was like Jose Alex Reyes at the time, and the most important thing is I know he is taking full advantage of his 黑料不打烊 experience and will achieve everything he sets out to do and more. And that is why tonight, I want to invite you to join the 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign too. Think about the legacy you want to leave and remember how there were people, experiences and opportunities that made a difference in your time at 黑料不打烊,鈥� Interiano said.

The focus of the night remained on student impact, furthering dreams and making a way for the future of 黑料不打烊. President Book followed with a focus again on internships and how they lead to career opportunities. With Los Angeles being a major draw for employment in the entertainment industry, she explained that almost half of internships for students at 黑料不打烊 lead to employment at companies in Los Angeles.

Washington, D.C.

The last event was held at The Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 15. Jim Piatt, vice president for University Advancement, took to the stage to explain just how transformative this campaign has been and will continue to be for 黑料不打烊.

Piatt focused on the four key priorities of the campaign 鈥� increasing support for students through scholarships, increasing access to engaged learning programs, investing in faculty and staff “Mentors Who Matter,” and adding to the campus footprint through innovative facilities.

He noted that more than 270 new endowed scholarships have been created in the campaign, bringing historic growth to the university’s endowment; more than 50 new endowed funds have been established to broaden access to the 黑料不打烊 Experiences programs, including global study and internships; and that donors have invested nearly $8 million in faculty and staff mentors.

Piatt also shared the profound impact of 黑料不打烊 LEADS on 黑料不打烊’s iconic learning environment, including eight new facilities strategically added to the campus footprint. One of those facilities is The Inn at 黑料不打烊, where all revenue beyond operating costs goes to fund scholarships. 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� has awarded more than $1.3 million in need-based scholarships thanks to income from The Inn,鈥� Piatt said.

Next to the stage was Ike Credle ’83. As an 黑料不打烊 alum and a veteran that has served for 20 years in the U.S. Army, Credle said, 鈥淥ne of my purposes in life is to be a bridge builder. The idea is to build a bridge so that those coming behind you may avoid some of the pitfalls you may have encountered.鈥� Credle explained the challenge loans had on him following graduation and how he wanted to make an impact on students. He honored his mother by making an estate gift that will endow the Rebecca A. Credle Scholarship. It is gifts such as this one that opens doors for our future leaders.

President Book followed, noting the university’s endowment has grown to nearly $300 million, with 70% of that going to student scholarships, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 top-100 national ranking in U.S. News & World Report, over 34,000 donors giving to the campaign and the announcement that collective contributions total more than $257 million surpassing the $250 million goal for the campaign.

President Book ended the final event by noting there is more to accomplish in the campaign. 鈥淟et鈥檚 keep this amazing momentum of the 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign going as we move toward its Dec. 31 close, and let鈥檚 also look beyond, in partnership and with confidence!鈥�

As the final days of the campaign approach, all donors can find their place in this historic fundraising effort by making a gift at . Every gift, no matter the size, will make an impact for the future of 黑料不打烊 and the university鈥檚 students. The final tally for the 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign will be announced in January.

The 黑料不打烊 community is invited to celebrate the impact of this historic campaign at an event on Apr. 28, 2023, at the Schar Center, where alumni, parents, students, faculty/staff and friends will gather once more to show thanks for the generosity of donors who continue to support 黑料不打烊鈥檚 mission and growth.