CSC Voices: Why We Belong is provided by the CSC Inclusion Committee

Belonging, Representation, and Building Pride

Host Dawnisha Franklin interviews Pearllan Cipriano, sports information director at Bard College, about her path into athletic communications, her understanding of belonging, and her advocacy work. Pearl describes belonging professionally as trust and confidence from administrators and coaches, and personally as feeling supported and able to be her authentic self as an Asian, bisexual, international woman. She discusses challenges in a male-dominated field, being misjudged for looking young, and the added pressure of H-1B sponsorship requirements. Pearl shares that Bard’s support, LGBTQ+ colleagues, and chosen family helped her feel at home, and explains how research, CSC connections, and grants helped her navigate barriers. She highlights inclusive storytelling, heritage-month features, theme games, and campus collaborations, and co-founding CSC Pride in 2024 to create a safe space, education, and resources. Her message: don’t shrink yourself to belong.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:16 Pearl Career Journey

01:20 Defining Belonging

01:31 Identity and Barriers

03:42 Finding Belonging Moments

05:02 Navigating Sponsorship and Bias

06:47 Supporting Student Identity Groups

08:26 Mentors and Leadership Style

10:11 Launching CSC Pride

12:34 Campus Impact and Inclusion Wins

14:47 Proudest Moments in the Work

16:04 Events That Build Belonging

17:55 Resources to Add Next

18:41 Final Advice and Closing

(Times will be adjusted with more recent edits)

CSC Voices, Beyond the Scoreboard host: Trip Durham, 2D Consulting, LLC

Guests: 
• Greg Seitz – Jacksonville State University, Vice President for Athletics
• DeWayne Peevy – DePaul University, Senior Vice President & Director of Athletics

Recap: This episode examines how backgrounds in sports communications inform effective athletic leadership. Greg Seitz and DeWayne Peevy discuss their respective career paths, emphasizing that skills like clarity, timing, and audience understanding are essential for modern athletic directors. They share strategies for navigating major organizational shifts, such as Jacksonville State’s transition to the FBS level and DePaul’s positioning within the crowded Chicago sports market. Ultimately, the conversation highlights how strategic communication drives institutional alignment, revenue growth, and brand identity.

Highlights:

• Seitz attributes his 33-year tenure at Jacksonville State to a deep sense of purpose and a strong connection to the local community.
• Peevy explains how DePaul embraces its identity as "Chicago’s team" by partnering with professional franchises to differentiate its brand.
• Both leaders agree that their communications background allows them to lead with empathy for staff while maintaining high standards for messaging.
• Jacksonville State’s move to FBS required transparent communication to manage expectations and build trust among donors and fans.
• The guests advise aspiring leaders to master their current craft while proactively learning about budgeting, compliance, and revenue generation.

CSC Voices: Why We Belong is provided by the CSC Inclusion Committee

Balancing College Athletics Careers and Parenting: Support Systems, Schedules, and Being Present

Kendrell Watkins hosts the CSC Voices “We Belong” podcast with inclusion committee members Hamilton Cook (MAAC associate commissioner, vice chair) and Drew Dickerson (Atlantic 10 assistant commissioner) to discuss managing family life while working in college athletics. They describe starting their careers with young children, relying on strong support systems (spouses, parents, extended family, neighbors, and colleagues), and adapting to long hours, travel, and constant communication demands. Key challenges include scheduling as children grow older and staying intentional about attending important moments, using technology like FaceTime when travel prevents being there. They share memories of involving kids in the job through Bring Your Child to Workday and tournament help. Their advice to young professionals emphasizes setting boundaries, valuing time with family, communicating, leaning on staff, and remembering most tasks can wait.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:31 Becoming a Dad in Athletics

01:51 Hamilton Early Parenthood

03:01 Drew Starting with Kids

04:05 Kendrell New Dad Reality

05:29 Managing Work Family Demands

09:09 Building a Support Village

13:42 Hardest Part Scheduling

18:51 Missing Moments Staying Present

22:29 Favorite Family Memories at Work

26:47 Does It Get Easier

29:01 Advice for Young Professionals

34:21 Closing Thanks and Wrap Up

CSC Voices, Beyond the Scoreboard host: Trip Durham, 2D Consulting, LLC

Guests:

• Zach Greenwell – LSU The Brand, Deputy AD / Chief Strategy Officer
• Sarah Ramundt – LSU The Brand, Executive Director of Creative Content

This episode explores the strategic unification of LSU’s external athletic units under a single initiative known as "The Brand". Zach Greenwell explains that the project was born from a desire to eliminate professional silos, physically moving diverse teams—including communications, video, and social media—into a shared workspace within Tiger Stadium. Sarah Ramundt discusses her transition to LSU and the philosophy behind her creative process, which focuses on providing deep context to student-athlete stories through video. A central theme of the conversation is the rapid evolution of college athletics due to NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness), requiring administrators to balance new revenue-driven content with the traditional roles of storytelling and historical preservation. Ultimately, the speakers emphasize that while the medium of communication is changing, the core mission of elevating the institution's identity remains constant.

Highlights:

• Unified Vision: "The Brand" was created to unify external departments, moving staff from different buildings into a renovated space in Tiger Stadium to foster collaboration.
• Creative Inspiration: Sarah Ramundt sources content ideas from personal curiosity and the need to explain complex athletic concepts to a general audience.
• The Power of Video: Ramundt describes video as a medium that provides the "context" and "space" around a moment that still photography cannot capture.
• NIL Integration: NIL has become a dominant factor in daily operations, influencing how content is created, shared, and used in the recruitment process.
• Preserving the SID Role: Greenwell maintains that despite technological shifts, the core values of Sports Information Directors—acting as historians and storytellers—are more vital than ever.

CSC Voices: Why We Belong is provided by the CSC Inclusion Committee

Host Dawnisha Franklin interviews Jalen Brandy, an athletic communications assistant at Buffalo State University, about belonging in college sports communications. Jalen defines belonging as feeling meant to be in an industry, discusses personal buy-in to the long, unorthodox sports schedule, and explains professionally adapting to different teams and keeping creativity alive. He shares challenges shifting from a public relations agency mindset and fan perspective to a broader, stakeholder-focused approach. Jalen describes how being a person of color in predominantly white spaces shaped his ability to navigate discomfort and make his voice respected, motivating his move from corporate PR to the college sports world. He highlights Buffalo State’s diverse culture, ways he signals representation through social media and writing, hopes to create a support group for athletes of color, values relationships with student-athletes, and advises listeners to trust their gut when making career changes.

00:00 Meet Jalen Brandy

00:44 What Belonging Means

01:59 Personal vs Professional Fit

04:45 Early Challenges Adjusting

08:15 Identity Shaping Career

11:43 Building Campus Engagement

13:35 Leading By Example

15:05 Visibility Through Culture

17:13 DEI Culture And Traditions

20:53 Support Group Vision

23:10 Proud Moments With Athletes

26:31 Trust Your Gut Advice

28:14 Closing Thanks And Wrap

Session 4

They may not be the most glamorous assignments, but student-athlete bios and coaching staff releases are essential pieces of athletic communications. This session will cover best practices for writing and maintaining bios, crafting effective new hire announcements, and understanding when and why these materials matter for media, recruiting, and historical records. Learn ways to make the process more efficient while still producing accurate, useful content that serves your department and your audience.

Panel: 

• Ken DeBolt (Moderator) – Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Director of Athletic Communications
• Larry Happel – Central College (retired), Athletics Senior Editor
• Conor McCorry – Pepperdine, Director of Athletic Communications
• Vinny Lavalsiti – UCLA, Associate Director of Athletic Communications

Session 3

Creative content is a major part of modern athletic communications – but it doesn’t have to take hours to produce. This session will explore how sports communicators can use tools like Canva and Adobe to build consistent branding while also saving time. Learn tips for creating reusable templates, maintaining a cohesive visual identity, and producing eye-catching graphics quickly for social media, game day, and recruiting. Whether you’re new to design or looking to streamline your workflow, this session will help you expand your creative toolkit.

Panel: 

• Ashley Robbins (Moderator) – UMass Lowell, Associate Athletic Director for Communications & Creative Content
• Maggie Balderstone – Bryn Mawr College, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
• Patrick Murphy – Colorado School of Mines, Athletics Communications Coordinator
• Peyton Thibault – Trinity University, Assistant AD for Multimedia 

Session 2

Join fellow sports communicators for an open roundtable conversation about the parts of the profession that make the long hours worthwhile. From memorable game-day moments to the relationships built with student-athletes and coaches, this session will allow participants to share stories, reflect on what keeps them passionate about the work, and connect with colleagues across the profession. Whether you're early in your career or a veteran, the goal is simple: celebrate the rewarding moments that remind us why we do what we do.

Panel: 

• Sammi Wellman (Moderator) – Riverside City College, Director of Sports Information
• Sophia Anderson – Oberlin College, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
• Jordyn Rochon – UMass Lowell, Director of Communications & Creative Content
• Mike Williams – Illinois State, Associate Athletic Director for Communications

Session 1

When everything feels urgent, how do you decide what actually comes first? This session will focus on practical time management strategies for sports communicators – planning ahead for busy competition days, communicating priorities with coaches and administrators, and preparing for weeks where multiple events demand your attention. We’ll also discuss how to ask for help when you need it, from leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT for a starting point on projects to tapping into colleagues, campus creatives, and the CSC freelance network for support. Walk away with strategies to stay organized, reduce stress, and get through your busiest days with confidence.

Panel: 

• Sedric Granger (Moderator) – University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Assistant Sports Information Coordinator
• Madeline Cummings – Sewanee, Director of Athletic Communications
• Matt Haufe – Marquette University, Assistant Director of Communications
• Clayton Messerle – Corban University, Director of Athletic Communications
• Isaac Ray – Eastern Kentucky University, Director of Athletics Communications

CSC Voices, Beyond the Scoreboard host: Trip Durham, 2D Consulting, LLC

Guests:

• Marie Stroman, American Rivers Conference Commissioner
• Jason Verdugo, UW-Eau Claire Director of Athletics

In this episode of Beyond the Scoreboard, we sit down with UW-Eau Claire Director of Athletics Jason Verdugo and American Rivers Conference Commissioner Marie Stroman to explore how intentional communication, collaboration, and shared vision shape successful athletics programs. Drawing from their experiences in collegiate athletics, they discuss how leadership alignment, relationship building, and clear messaging impact everything from internal culture to external storytelling. The conversation dives into the importance of trust, adaptability, and creating environments where student-athletes and staff can thrive — while also navigating the ever-changing landscape of college sports.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Creating alignment between athletics leadership and communications teams
• The role of culture in driving long-term success
• Communicating through change and uncertainty
• Strengthening relationships across campus and within departments
• Lessons learned from leading and supporting athletics programs