Syracuse University Dick Clark LA Sports Reflection

Going to Los Angeles for the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program as a student interested in sports media was arguably the best decision I could have made for myself. Whenever I talk to other Newhouse sports students, they say that they don’t want to leave campus because of all the opportunities like ACC Network or WAER Radio that they’d miss out on. However, I’d make the argument that by not coming to Los Angeles, you’re missing out on a whole other world of opportunities that isn’t possible in Syracuse.

Los Angeles is home to a number of professional sports leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. During my time in LA, I got the chance to go to Lakers games and Angels games and get a first hand look at what a professional sports broadcast looks like. For those who are interested in going into sports production you’ll have the opportunity to not only be in those rooms but also meet the professionals within them.

The opportunity to go to these games with all the behind the scenes access came from my Sports Production course, which was taught by Jeff Proctor. If you know Professor Stomski at all and how amazing she is as a teacher and advocate for you as an upcoming professional in sports media, Professor Proctor is cut from that same cloth. He has extensive knowledge of both the on-air and behind the scenes aspect of a broadcast, and has an expansive rolodex of media members, former athletes, and executives alike that he has no problem sharing with his students. Maybe the only downside is that he’s a Georgetown alum, but we forgive him for that now that he’s working for Syracuse.

Professor Proctor’s course helped develop my on-air presence, my understanding of producing sports on television, and my connections within the industry. One ongoing assignment he had in his class was to interview professionals in the sports industry. Initially, he connected us with people he knew to interview, one of the first assignments he gave me was to interview NBA Champion Metta World Peace. However, eventually he challenged us to find our own people to interview. Because of that, I was able to interview two journalists that I have watched on television growing up: ESPN’s Mina Kimes and Ramona Shelburne. It was one of the coolest experiences to interview some of my earliest inspirations in sports journalism, and that’s all thanks to Professor Proctor’s class.

Another one of the sports courses out in LA is Sports Media Pitch. It’s taught by Professor Olivia Cheng, the senior director of marketing and brand engagement for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic games. Her class teaches marketing skills, how to work with reputable brands, but most importantly, how to promote and advocate for yourself. A large chunk of the class was about how to pitch yourself, not only within sports media, but life in general. Especially if you’re someone who wants to be on camera for your career, this class will teach you how to consistently and authentically present your best self.

Even outside of classes, you can still find Orange all over Los Angeles. There are countless numbers of alumni located on the West Coast, many of them Newhouse graduates and are still in the industry today. One example is Dave McMenamin, ESPN’s Los Angeles Lakers beat reporter. He’s just one of many alumni that are out in Los Angeles who have no problem taking time out to speak to the next generation. During my class trip to the Lakers game, we met up with McMenamin and spoke with him for about 15 minutes prior to the game. Even after that, he gave out his contact information so we can reach out whenever we need him. Just like that, we are connected with a high-level sports journalist working at ESPN. Only during this semester in LA could that have happened so seamlessly.

This semester in Los Angeles has been the highlight of my three years so far at Newhouse. I can’t wait to get back on campus to take advantage of all that’s there and see friends, but the sacrifice to go across the country for a semester was easily the best decision I’ve made.