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Ferrucci, who studies the intersection of race, gender and sports in journalism, is the faculty director of CMCI’s new sports media minor.

Available to all ����ֱ�� students, the minor is designed to be “as open-ended as possible” so it can complement any major degree, as well as certificate programs in ethnic studies and business, Ferrucci says.

Cross-discipline exposure is critical for preparing students for a career in the sports world, which spans many industries and often requires a diverse skill set.

This is made clear by alumni like Joe Nahra (Jour’91), who trained in journalism, sports administration and law on his way to becoming a legal and business affairs executive at Creative Artists Agency.

“As a journalism student at ����ֱ��, I did a bunch of sports writing and eventually decided to get a master’s degree in sports administration,” he says. “I shifted to event marketing and operations before going to law school and getting into athlete representation with IMG, then the NFL Players Association and now CAA Sports.”

Students have the flexibility and freedom to explore a number of sports-related issues through the minor, including race and gender dynamics, business and economics, health and wellness, inclusion and safety, fandom and rhetoric, and more.

“In my class, we use sport as a lens to look at gender, race, class, globalization and who benefits from the way things are structured,” says Senior Instructor Jamie Skerski, who teaches Gender, Culture and Sport in the Department of Communication. “People talk about sports in a way that is very personal. People are passionate about it.”

Alumni working in the sports industry know that this type of theoretical framework transcends the classroom, often coming into play in concrete ways throughout their careers.

“As far as I know, I was the first female sports editor for the Campus Press newspaper,” says Bonnie Jean Evans (Jour’90), the communications manager for USA Volleyball. “That helped me prepare for what it was going to be like to be a female in the mostly male world of sports journalism and communications.”

Like Evans, students in the new minor can gain hands-on training through a number of student media outlets housed within the college and campus.

Because of Boulder’s prevalent sporting and outdoor lifestyle and its proximity to Denver’s major media and sports market, Ferrucci notes, ����ֱ�� has become a sports hub among national universities.

“We have so much in terms of the breadth of what we can consider sport,” he says. “����ֱ�� is a Pac-12 school with its own culture and sport.”

Lindsay Lew (MJour’98), the assistant director of digital and database marketing for ����ֱ��’s athletics department, agrees.

“We live and work in a market where you can see just about any form of professional sports at the highest level,” she says.

For students interested in sports at any level, this is a big advantage. High-level internships and work-study positions located on and near campus can offer networking opportunities and prepare students to enter an evolving job market.

“I was fortunate to have a two-year sports internship at KMGH-TV in Denver, which provided me with a number of opportunities, including an independent study with the U.S. Ski Team,” Rothman says.

Last year, Rothman and other alumni visited campus for CMCI’s inaugural Sports Media Summit. Sudents had a chance to meet sports notables including Chris Fowler (Jour’85)—a host and play-by-play commentator at ESPN who previously hosted College GameDay—a�Ի� Jim Gray (Jour’81)—a reporter and commentator with Showtime, Fox and Westwood One Radio who has worked with ESPN, NBC Sports and CBS Sports.

Students should capitalize on their time at ����ֱ�� as much as possible, alumni say, as these programs can build the foundation for a future in sports.

Reflecting on the advice he would give to himself as a college student, Sean Aronson (Jour’99), vice president and director of broadcasting and media relations for the St. Paul Saints, says, “I would tell him to take advantage of as many opportunities as you can. Immerse yourself in everything. Talk to as many people as possible.”

Learn more about the sports media minor course requirements and electives »