What began as a joke – a parody social media page poking fun at a local police department – spiraled into a high-stakes legal battle and ultimately the subject of “Crime & Parody,” a new documentary co-produced by Elon graduate .

The film will screen at the 28th RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem on Saturday, April 18, at 3:30 p.m. and again on Friday, April 24, at 5 p.m. .

At its center, “Crime & Parody” follows amateur comedian Anthony Novak, whose satirical Facebook page led to a police raid, criminal charges and a broader fight over First Amendment rights in the United States. As the case unfolds – eventually reaching the U.S. Supreme Court – the film expands beyond satire to examine deeper questions around qualified immunity and accountability, weaving in the story of Omar Arrington-Bey, a suburban Cleveland man who died while in police custody, and the lasting impact of police violence.

As a co-producer, Rostick contributed throughout the filmmaking process, from reviewing transcripts and shaping story structure to providing feedback across multiple cuts. Their work with director Will Thwaites evolved over several years, with Rostick helping strengthen the film’s narrative by encouraging the inclusion of additional perspectives that deepen its emotional and societal impact.

“’Crime & Parody’ is an important thought piece wrapped up in a good time,” said Rostick, who was a cinema and television arts and strategic communications double major. “You’ll laugh, reflect, question authority and feel something along the way. At a time when free expression and free speech are being threatened at every turn, the film offers the story of an unlikely hero fighting back.”

The film’s balance of humor and impact is what drew Rostick deeper into the work. Initially attracted to the opportunity to collaborate on an independent project, they said the film ultimately became something more – a chance to move beyond entertainment and contribute to meaningful dialogue.

“This felt like the first opportunity for my work in documentary film to leave a greater impact,” they said.

Rostick, who was an Odyssey Program scholar at Elon, said their foundation in film was shaped during their time at Elon. Through Cinelon, they gained extensive hands-on production experience and developed the work ethic that carried into professional opportunities. This includes traveling to more than 30 shoots nationwide supporting “Children of the Underground,” a five-episode documentary series from FX.

The Elon graduate also credits Nicole Triche, professor of cinema and television arts, with helping define their path. Triche’s documentary course introduced Rostick to the craft and ultimately led them to pursue a career in nonfiction filmmaking – and to an early PBS project that first connected them with Thwaites.

“Crime & Parody” has already built momentum on the festival circuit, premiering at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Montana and screening at the Atlanta Documentary Film Festival, where Thwaites earned Best Director honors.

Now, at RiverRun, the documentary will continue to reach new audiences, inviting viewers to consider not just the absurdity of one man’s arrest, but the broader implications for free speech, justice and accountability in America.

Inspired by real-world stories about the high-stakes race for valedictorian, student filmmakers and spent the past several years bringing to life “Valediction,” a feature-length film set to premiere on Wednesday, April 8, in .

A twisted coming-of-age comedy, this first-ever feature film by Elon �þ���s explores the dangers of apathy and obsession. The screening, scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m., will be followed by an informal reception.

“I think people should be excited for the screening because it’s the culmination of so many Elon students and faculty’s hard work over these past two and a half years,” said Martin, a strategic communications and cinema and television arts double major. “No matter your major, you will almost certainly see a familiar face or two onscreen or in the credits.”

What began as a concept rooted in academic pressure quickly expanded into a genre-bending, feature-length production – an uncommon scope for �þ��� filmmakers. Sherouse, a cinema and television arts BFA major, and Martin collaborated to develop an intricate story and cast of characters, ultimately committing to a longer format to fully realize their vision.

At the center of their story is Sam, played by , an isolated overachiever who fights her classmates tooth and nail for the title of valedictorian. The film draws inspiration from the competition surrounding academic achievement, a dynamic explored in Margaret Talbot’s 2005 New Yorker article that examines how the pursuit of valedictorian status can push students to extremes. Sherouse said he read the article years ago, and the subject stayed with him long after.

“To include everything we wanted in the story, it became clear to us that ‘Valediction’ had to be feature-length, rather than a short film like most Elon productions,” Sherouse said. “We knew it would be a long and arduous process, but worth it to bring this story to life.”

That extended scope also shaped how the story is told. A balance of satire and suspense drives the film’s tone, blending humor with unexpected twists.

“‘Valediction’ is simply a movie that’s meant to be seen by a large audience,” Sherouse said. “There are laughs, scares and shocking turns – a whole emotional rollercoaster that’s best experienced with friends. I guarantee there are some twists you won’t see coming.”

As the premiere approaches, the scale of that effort is giving way to reflection.

Martin expressed pride in what the team accomplished and excitement to share the finished film, while Sherouse acknowledged the mix of anticipation and nerves that comes with completing a nearly three-year creative process.

Produced through , “Valediction” drew on support from faculty across campus.

Assistant Professor of Cinema and Television Arts Kai Swanson served as the project’s primary faculty sponsor, while Director of Technology, Operations and Multimedia Projects Bryan Baker and Assistant Professor of Cinema and Television Arts Youssef Osman provided mentorship and feedback throughout development and production. Baker also assisted with securing equipment for principal photography.

Faculty also stepped into the story itself. Several faculty members appear in the film, including Assistant Professor of Journalism Israel Balderas, Assistant Professor of Classical Languages Tedd Wimperis, Associate Professor of English Scott Proudfit and former journalism professor Susan Ladd – many trying their hand at acting for the first time.

Several mentors praised the students’ ambition and execution in bringing a feature-length film to the screen.

“I had the chance to see a rough cut and was very impressed with their ability, passion and perseverance in completing an entire feature film on their own,” Osman said. “The film is a fun, highly stylized and engaging dark comedy.”

Swanson noted that the project originated as a student pitch and has grown into ESTV’s first made-for-TV movie.

“The students have put an incredible amount of work into this project, from development through production and post,” Swanson said. “It’s a great example of the kind of ambitious, long-form work students are starting to pursue.”

Credits

Roof Rat Productions (creative team)

• Talula Martin – co-director, co-writer, producer, actress
• Hammond Sherouse – co-director, co-writer
• Althea Muldrew – producer
• Katharyn MacDonald – lead actress, associate producer

Crew

• JJ Duckworth – production sound mixer, actor
• Karter Evans – makeup artist
• Lauren Nesbit – costume designer
• Gabi Emerson & B Underhill-Reed – composers

Cast

• Katharyn MacDonald – Sam
• Hope Hynes Love – Eliza (Sam’s mother)
• Jeff Alguire – Dr. Whistler (Sam’s father)
• Grace Minton – Deidre (Sam’s friend)
• JJ Duckworth – Ben (politician)
• Monty Lewis – Henry (student reporter)
• Amelia Brinson – Abe (theater kid)
• Graham Boggess – Nate (jock)
• Ryan Voisard – Charlie (stranger)
• Susan Ladd – Mrs. Garden (psychology teacher)
• Hank Heimlich – Seth (theater kid)
• Talula Martin – Jeremy (theater kid)
• J. Israel Balderas – Mr. Haruspex (principal)
• Jackson Bennett – Patrick (student reporter)
• Maverick Powell – Nora (student reporter)
• Rose Fyffe – Sarah (theater kid)
• Tedd Wimperis – Dr. Franklin (scientist)
• Wrigley Koch – Ms. Burnesse (guidance counselor)
• Scott Proudfit – Dr. Miles (scientist)

arrived at Elon without knowing a single role inside a broadcast control room – not the technical director, not the replay operator, not even how the production itself came together. Four years later, the cinema and television arts major now operates at the highest level, having stepped into an NHL television broadcast.

“Since my first year, I’ve tried to immerse myself in Elon Sports Vision as much as possible, attempting to absorb and learn if 1, this is what I wanted to do, and 2, if I found it fun,” Doherty said. “Ultimately, I fell in love with broadcasting sports.”

That immersion opened the door to a rare opportunity: Doherty served as technical director for a March 12 St. Louis Blues NHL broadcast, managing the live production from a FanDuel remote truck outside Lenovo Center as the show was delivered back to St. Louis. Assistant Professor Max Negin, who worked the same game as a replay operator and editor, said the opportunity reflects just how unique Doherty’s rise has been.

“It’s truly rare for someone this early in their career to work a professional hockey game for a regional network,” Negin said.

Even more remarkable, Negin noted, was how Doherty prepared for the role – �þ��� himself to operate one of the industry’s most complex switchers while learning to manage the pace and precision required at the professional level.

“Learning a very complicated switcher, basically on his own, is something I’ve never heard of anyone doing in my 30-plus years of television,” Negin said. “But beyond the equipment, Philip also was able to build a show and work in a high-pressure environment without making any major mistakes – again, something that seasoned and very experienced TDs don’t do.”

Doherty’s path to that moment was built through hands-on experience and initiative. After gaining early experience with Elon Sports Vision and working as a technical director for Elon football broadcasts, he began building connections that opened doors to freelance opportunities on college football broadcasts across ESPN platforms.

“The biggest thing I learned at Elon isn’t my technical skill, but rather the people skills,” Doherty said. “Building connections and relationships by far has been the most important component. If I hadn’t attempted to talk to people in the real world, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything I have gotten to do.”

Doherty credited a group of Elon mentors and collaborators – including Quintin Brenner, John Spitznagel, Annika Cronin, Patrick Cunningham and Negin – for helping him develop his skills and navigate the industry.

“I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without the people at Elon helping me out along the way.”
– Philip Doherty ’26

Those connections became critical in preparing for his first NHL assignment. After being hired, Doherty reached out to the broadcast’s director in advance, studying materials and workflows so he could step into the truck prepared.

Instead of focusing on visual flair, he concentrated on the fundamentals – building the elements needed to get the show on air – from sponsored segments to in-game transitions.

By the end of the broadcast, the feedback was immediate. Negin said professionals on site – from crew members to network leadership – were impressed not only with Doherty’s performance, but with how seamlessly he operated.

“Everyone involved said he did a great job and wants him back the next time St. Louis comes to town,” the professor said.

For Negin, Doherty’s trajectory is almost unheard of. “To me, this is like an Elon baseball player jumping from Division I baseball games, and within a year, starting in the major leagues and making an all-star team,” he said.

Now, with his first NHL broadcast complete, Doherty sees it as confirmation he’s on the right path.

“This NHL show only confirmed that this industry is for me, and I am stoked to continue onward,” he said. “I cannot wait to see what comes down the road.”

In December, as Anderson presented the agency’s Gold Bear Award – a peer-driven recognition celebrating employees who best represent the company’s culture and values – he lauded Young’s willingness to take on “massive responsibilities,” commending her ability to “effortlessly power through high-pressure projects.”

“She’s the person everyone turns to for answers and support, uplifting every team she touches and quietly cleaning up problems that aren’t even hers to solve,” Anderson told audience members.

As he concluded and Young’s name flashed across the massive screen behind him, the room erupted in applause – a moment captured in a video Young shared on her LinkedIn page.

The award capped off a standout year for Young, who serves as an assistant producer at TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the global network of agencies responsible for one of the world’s most iconic brands, Apple. Her year included work on major Apple-related projects such as the Mac for �þ��� campaign, the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Dua Lipa’s “Shot on iPhone” tour and Apple TV rebranding efforts.

Reflecting on that work, Young said the experience has been both challenging and rewarding.

“I am so incredibly grateful for these experiences and the amazing, incredibly talented teams behind them,” she said, noting how meaningful it was to be part of such high-profile, creatively ambitious work.

Young’s path to TBWA\Media Arts Lab began at Elon, where a DEI in Hollywood class helped shape her professional direction. Encouraged by former Elon faculty members J. McMerty and Rachel Ramist, she applied for and landed an internship with the Television Academy. That experience, along with her participation in the Elon in LA program, led her to move to Los Angeles after graduation. Once on the West Coast, she first worked as a personal assistant, then as a production coordinator at a social media marketing company.

As Young began thinking about her next step, a recruiter from TBWA\Media Arts Lab contacted her about a production coordinator role in the agency’s broadcast production department. During interviews, she learned that her internships – especially with the Television Academy and RadicalMedia – helped her stand out. She was offered the position and later moved into her current role, where she supports lead producers to ensure projects run smoothly from start to finish.

As part of her work, Young organizes security plans, tracks creative assets, coordinates meetings with production companies, and supports communication among producers in editorial, finishing and mix. Her goal, she said, is to make sure every project has what it needs to succeed.

Working at a global creative agency has reshaped how Young views storytelling. She said she was surprised by how much care goes into even the shortest pieces of content. Creative teams analyze work frame by frame, fixing even the smallest details before releasing it into the world. Seeing that process firsthand has made her more aware of the thought, precision and responsibility behind creative work.

When she learned she had received the Gold Bear Award, Young said she felt grateful more than anything else. “I consider myself lucky to work with the teams I have,” she said. “The whole production team is a bunch of rockstars, not to mention our creative department and account teams. To be recognized by them makes me feel like I am doing something right.”

As she reflects on her journey from Elon to one of the world’s most influential creative agencies, Young emphasizes the importance of attitude, effort and openness to opportunity. Her advice to current Elon students is simple: say yes often and show that you are willing to work. Some of the best projects, she said, come from teams who are fully committed to making something great – and who bring a positive attitude, even when things get stressful.

“What I’ve found in internships and entry-level roles is that folks who show that they are passionate and team-oriented seem to do well,” Young said. “When I first started at MAL, the people who stood out to me, who had clearly left their mark on the agency, were those who were team players, focused on supporting others and achieving the best final result.”

Elon News Network earned 11 awards during the National College Media Conference hosted by the Associated Collegiate Press in San Francisco, March 5-7.

The awards contest included hundreds of entries from college media outlets from across the country. Below is a list of the Elon winners.

• Finalist – Online Pacemaker | Staff |
• 2nd Place – Best of Show Broadcast | “ENN Tonight” |
• 2nd Place – Best of Show Newspaper | The Pendulum |
• 4th Place – Best of Show Digital Newsletter | Elon News Network Weekly Newsletter |
• 6th Place – Best of Show Website |
• 6th Place – Best of Show News Story | Lilly Molina and Charlotte Pfabe |
• 10th Place – Best of Show Sports Story | Benjamin Berfield |
• 8th Place – Best of Show Feature Story | Charlotte Pfabe |
• 6th Place – Best of Show Newspaper Design | Sarah T. Moore |
• 7th Place – Best of Show Broadcast News Story | Anjolina Fantaroni | “
• 10th Place – Best of Show Broadcast Sports Story | Monika Jurevicius | “

Elon students attending the National College Media Convention conference included Evan Cooper ’28, Trista Panagakos ’28, Megan Walsh ’28 and Nolan Williams ’28. They were accompanied by Kelly Furnas, senior lecturer in journalism and ENN adviser.

ENN is a student-run news organization covering �þ��� and the broader Alamance County community. It includes The Pendulum newspaper, “ENN Tonight” broadcast, elonnewsnetwork.com website, as well as social media accounts, podcasts and newsletters. regardless of their experience level, major or year in school.

The School of Communications community gathered March 5 in Snow Family Grand Atrium for the third annual Spotlight on Inclusive Excellence, an interactive event highlighting projects and initiatives advancing inclusive storytelling and media practice.

The program featured table conversations where attendees moved throughout the space to engage with students, faculty and staff about ongoing initiatives and projects.

Take a closer look at our Spotlight on Inclusive Excellence with our .

Assistant Dean Vanessa Bravo opened the event by emphasizing that inclusive excellence remains a core priority within the School of Communications and across �þ���.

“Inclusive excellence is deeply important to us,” Bravo said. “These values have always mattered and will continue to matter.”

Throughout the program, attendees explored a range of subjects, including work by student organizations, projects from Live Oak Communications — the school’s student-run communications agency — student journalism and research efforts, faculty scholarship and coursework connected to the university’s Advancing Equity Requirement.

Other discussions focused on topics such as women in sports, student research featured in academic journals, and projects examining how communications and media can amplify diverse voices and perspectives.

Bravo said the event helped the school community better understand the breadth of inclusive excellence initiatives taking place across the School of Communications.

“This is a great opportunity to learn about the many diversity-, equity- and inclusion-related efforts happening throughout the School of Communications,” she said. “From student organizations and faculty research to journalism projects and alumni work, these efforts demonstrate how our community is engaging these issues in meaningful ways.”

“The discussions highlighted how quickly the communications landscape is evolving — and why questions of equity and representation remain central to that change,” said Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism and chair of the Inclusive Excellence Committee. “Our students, faculty and alumni are actively examining how media systems shape who is represented and whose voices are heard.”

Bravo thanked the faculty members who organized the event through the school’s Inclusive Excellence Committee, including Ahearn, Young Do Kim, Sydney Nicolla, and Lee Bush, as well as the students, faculty and staff who hosted conversations during the program.

More than 130 students gathered in Snow Family Grand Atrium on March 3 for the Communications and Sport Management Meet & Greet, an event designed to connect Elon students with industry professionals, internship opportunities and career insights.

Hosted in partnership with the Student Professional Development Center and the School of Communications, the event brought together employers from across the communications and sport industries. Representatives from organizations including APCO, Capitol Broadcasting Company, Carolina Core FC, SportsMEDIA Technology and the Burlington Sock Puppets met with students interested in exploring career paths and building their professional networks.

For photos of the Meet & Greet, visit our .

A defining feature of this year’s event was the strong presence of Elon alumni, who participated both in person and virtually to mentor current students and share insights from their professional journeys.

Alumni representatives included Shanna Van Beek ’12 of APCO and Laker Figueroa ’25 of the Burlington Sock Puppets, who attended in person, as well as Jack Taylor ’21 of Golin, Catherine Nester ’22 of The Walt Disney Company, Lexie Flood ’21 of Edelman, Luke LeSourd ’13 of NFL Films and Elena Kyriakos ’18 of NBC Universal, who joined virtually to connect with students.

Ryan Taube, associate director of corporate and employer relations for the School of Communications, said the event’s alumni participation added a meaningful dimension.

“What made this year special is the number of fantastic alumni who participated,” Taube said. “Our alumni always want to give back to current students, and this networking opportunity provided them a chance to speak about their current roles and how Elon prepared them to be successful in a competitive job market.”

In total, 138 students attended the event, engaging in one-on-one conversations with employers about internships, entry-level roles and career preparation. The event was coordinated with support from Ross Wade, Amber Moser, Alison Doherty, Kameryn Taylor and Taube.

Participating organizations – In-Person

APCO
Burlington Sock Puppets
�þ��� Greensboro
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.
Carolina Core FC
�þ��� – Athletic Department
�þ��� – Isabella Cannon Global Education Center
�þ��� – Office of Alumni Engagement
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
SportsMEDIA Technology (SMT)

Participating organizations – Virtual

Columbus Blue Jackets
Edelman
NBC Universal
Golin
NFL Films
The Walt Disney Company

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

“When I was in high school, I was looking at schools, knowing that I wanted to go into communications,” Tobe said. “I 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 Elon 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 Elon 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 Elon Phoenix Weekly, and by his second year, he and his roommate were producing.

“Being involved in Phoenix Weekly gave me a lot of confidence,” he said. “There 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.”

“I’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,” 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 expertise.

“One thing that I also recommend is utilizing the community,” he said. “I think that a lot of people underestimate the connection that Elon and Burlington have. I worked at Ace Speedway, a racetrack 40 minutes from campus. I was the communications intern, and I did that for a summer, and it was a great experience that not many Elon students know about.”

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

“To 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,” he said. “At 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.”

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.

“I was able to go to Las Vegas and help out with the summer league tournament, which was incredible,” he said. “I’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!”

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 “another cog in the machine.”

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.

“We 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,” he said. “The 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’t have to be the case.”

The agency 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’s Super Bowl, which starred Guy Fieri and aired during the game’s second quarter. The ad centers on Guy Fieri becoming “Justaguy,” a boring version of himself. After using Bosch appliances, “Justaguy” transforms back into his exciting counterpart, Guy Fieri. The ad was a major success, even winning the “Readers’ Choice Best Ad” award from Ad Age.

“I 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.”

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

“We can fast forward, we can skip, we can go on a streaming service, we can pull out our phones and look at something else,” he said. “Because 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 that everyone is on their own path, and it’s 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.

The event, scheduled from 4:20 to 5:30 p.m., will feature a dynamic speed-rotation format, allowing attendees to engage in a variety of discussions in 15-minute intervals. Faculty, staff, students and alumni will lead conversations exploring how their work advances access, representation and belonging in the communications and sport fields.

This year’s table topics reflect the breadth of the school’s work – from health literacy and neuroinclusive communication to religious diversity, brand activism, student journalism and the influence of algorithms on movie audiences. Other sessions will spotlight �þ��� research, alumni leadership and student-driven initiatives that aim to build a more connected and representative community.

“Reaching underrepresented people is the through-line for so much of our work in the School of Communications,” said Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism and chair of the Inclusive Excellence Committee. “These presenters demonstrate how dynamic our field is, and how tapped in Elon students, faculty and alumni are to these changing systems and the ways they impact equity in communications.”

Complimentary beverages and snacks will be provided.

For more information, contact Ahearn at lahearn@elon.edu.

Table Topic Discussions and Presenters

1. Engaging All Audiences Through Neuroinclusive Communication Practices
   James Holsinger, Executive Director, Koenigsberger Learning Center
2. Live Oak Communications: Rooted In Community
   Hal Vincent, Associate Teaching Professor, Strategic Communications
   
3. Understanding is Power: What is Health Literacy and Why Does it Matter?
   Julie Lellis, Professor, Strategic Communications
4. The Politics of Play: Race, Gender, and Power in Sport
   Lindsay Pieper, Assistant Professor, Sport Management
5. Diversity in the Age of Algorithms
   Sowjanya Kudva, Assistant Professor, Cinema and Television Arts
6. Exploring Religion in a Diverse �þ��� Community
   Anthony Hatcher, Professor, Journalism & Max Negin, Assistant Professor, Cinema and Television Arts
7. Faces of the Future: Undergrad Research on the Cutting Edge
   Maddie Bauman ’26 & Halli Harwood ’26
8. Friend or Faux: The Role of Authenticity in Brand Activism and Advocacy
   Shanetta Pendleton, Assistant Professor, Strategic Communications
9. Alumni Spotlight: A Journalistic Voice for Justice and Clarity
   Robin Adams Cheeley ’81
10. Unity in Communications: A Student Initiative to Build Diverse Community
11. International Student Spotlight: Navigating Across Cultures
    Ethan Wu ’27 & Bernardo Vargas-Lopez ’26
12. Student journalists: Challenging Inequity in the Real World
    Estella Hoye ’27 & Cassie Weymouth ’26

Live sports may be the last true mass audience in media – 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 – 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 – from digital media to NIL to legalized sports betting – 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 – and the emergence of artificial intelligence – Davis emphasized that the fundamentals of storytelling endure.

“There is still an appetite, particularly in the world of sports, for compelling programming and good storytelling,” 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 “mass disruption,” 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’ 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.

“Become 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,” Davis said.

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

The first panel, “League TV Rights Strategy in a Shifting Media Landscape,” 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’s last true mass audience driver, Kosner made the stakes clear: “You can’t be in the advertising business going forward, if you’re not big in sports,” 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 – such as the NFL, NBA and major college football – continue to command escalating fees, while mid-tier and regional properties face growing pressure in an increasingly selective marketplace.

The second panel, “Tech Companies, Streaming and Sports Content,” 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 Elon alumnus Alex Day ’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, 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.

“There’s 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,” Day said, encouraging students to differentiate themselves in a crowded digital landscape.