Game-Changing Program

A high school student on the cusp of the college search process sits in his bedroom in upstate New York, laptop open, future wide with possibility. He knows what he wants: a degree in sports media and a campus beyond his home state but close enough to stay connected to family.

He types six words into the search bar: best sports media schools in pa. Among the results is a name he’s never seen before: Susquehanna University. Curious, he clicks.

What stands out surprises him. A program built specifically for careers in sports media. Alumni landing roles with major media outlets and professional sports teams. With each click, Susquehanna begins to feel less like a search result and more like a school he could already picture himself attending. 

More than a decade earlier, the university’s Department of Communications set out to build a program for students just like Marquis Frias ’28 — students who wanted more than theory, more than observation and more than a seat in the press box. When Susquehanna launched the sports media major in 2015, its goal was simple but ambitious: give students the skills to tell compelling stories, both on-air and behind the scenes, and the confidence to step into a competitive, fast-moving industry. 

“A sports media education has to reflect the reality of the profession,” explains David Kaszuba, associate professor of communications and director of the sports media program. “We’ve put together a curriculum that gives our students a foundation that enables them to excel in a challenging and constantly evolving field.” 

That foundation begins as early as the first semester, when most students take at least one course specialized for sports: reporting, announcing, production, feature writing and media relations. They also layer on coursework in digital media, public speaking and analytics. 

At Susquehanna, the classroom provides the playbook and weekly live productions supply the pressure, pace and unpredictability that turn students into professionals. 

“When sports are in season, our students complete three to six live broadcasts of athletic competition every week,” Kaszuba says. “Each one is a lesson in teamwork, precision and adaptability in a real environment.” 

Lessons play out in real time on nationally streamed River Hawks games via the FloSports live and on-demand platform. Through required practicums, volunteer roles or as one of the two dozen paid positions in the athletic communications office, students rotate through roles as on-air announcers, sideline reporters, directors, camera operators and producers, gaining a clear understanding of what it takes to deliver a polished broadcast. 

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“We put first-year students on the sideline and behind a camera as early as possible. It’s the fastest way to help them understand the expectations of this profession.”
Daniel Graham, Director of Athletic Communications

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Michael Lipscomb ’26 and Xiomara Washington ’26 in digital production class

“When the Landmark Conference signed with FloSports in 2023, it added to our digital landscape and pushed Susquehanna’s program to a new level,” says Daniel Graham, director of athletic communications. “We had the infrastructure and technology in place, and it’s the students’ professionalism that ensures every River Hawks broadcast is worth watching.” 

Susquehanna’s facilities and equipment rival those of much larger institutions, according to John Foltz ’73, a lecturer in communications who built up and maintains the department’s student-run video production studio. Kaszuba also credits Foltz for often providing support to students during weekend broadcasts.  

“We put first-year students on the sideline and behind a camera as early as possible,” adds Graham, who oversees all digital aspects of the River Hawks’ NCAA programs. “It’s the fastest way to help them understand the expectations of this profession.” 

Aside from producing the livestream, students flex their journalistic muscle on game day by taking stats, writing recaps and columns, interviewing players, and managing social media content. Some who specialize in photography and videography use their talents exclusively to run a team’s socials for game promotions and highlights, and player interviews. 

In any given week, sports media majors produce Coach’s Corner and River Hawk Spotlight — ESPN-style shows highlighting Susquehanna coaches and student-athletes. They find additional on-air and production experiences at The Quill student newspaper and 88.9 WQSU-FM, Pennsylvania’s most powerful student-run radio station. Others host sports talk shows or help produce PA Pigskin Preview, an award-winning live remote broadcast from a nearby Buffalo Wild Wings that brings students face-to-face with local coaches in front of a community audience. 

“Our size gives students a real advantage,” Foltz says. “They can get involved as much and as early as they want. We have first-year students directing live broadcasts and sophomores mastering equipment. They are truly prepared for life after graduation.” 

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That preparation is evident in the program’s growing list of alumni successes. 

Though the major is only in its 10th year, several graduates directly launched into jobs with organizations like ESPN, Major League Baseball, the National Football League and professional sports teams — with some earning Emmy Awards early on. 

When the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights raised their Stanley Cup banner in 2023, Aleksandr Washuta ’21 captured the moment on camera. The ceremony coverage later earned an Emmy Award for special events programming. 

“I get to create videos for an arena crowd of 18,000,” Washuta says. “Sometimes I’ll be shooting a game and see their live reactions to videos I helped create. It’s a special feeling.” 

Washuta credits Susquehanna with giving him early access to meaningful, hands-on experiences — and the freedom to learn through trial and error. 

“It allowed me to make mistakes early on,” he says. “The only way to get better is to keep doing it.” 

Washuta isn’t alone in earning a statuette so early in his career. Within two years of graduating, Kirsten Hatton ’19 landed a job at ESPN, was promoted and won an Emmy for her work on SportsCenter. The former WQSU sports director is now an ESPN content producer and credits Kaszuba and WQSU General Manager Dawn Benfer for their mentorship and connections. 

GOING FOR GOLD

Susquehanna University sports media alumni who have earned Emmy Awards:

• Kirsten Hatton ’19 (ESPN)
• Jack Imburgia ’23 (Princeton University)
• Andrew Porzio ’18 (ESPN)
• Aleksandr Washuta ’21 (Vegas Golden Knights)

For Brendan Alvino ’24, he was working with athletic communications within the first two weeks he arrived on campus. A summer internship with the Miami Dolphins sharpened his production skills, and after graduation he joined the New York Jets before becoming manager of video and creative services for USA Swimming, the organization responsible for selecting U.S. Olympic teams. 

Outcomes like these are no accident. They reflect a program designed with purpose — to connect classroom learning and real-world sports media experience to networking opportunities either with professional organizations or with Susquehanna alumni who are pursuing careers in the industry. 

Every December, Kaszuba takes students to the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings, where they attend workshops, connect with industry professionals and begin building the relationships that lead to internships and jobs. Throughout the year, students visit organizations such as Bleacher Report, the Hershey Bears and the Harrisburg Senators, and tour Lincoln Financial Field thanks to communications alumnus Brian Papson ’99, vice president of marketing for the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Students also connect through the Association for Women in Sports Media and events such as Susquehanna’s annual Sports Career and Networking Fair, which draws professional teams, production companies and national organizations.

“These opportunities have been vitally important,” says Brai Tate ’27, a sports media major who completed an internship with Perfect Game USA. In addition to her courseload, she has expanded her photography and videography skills, managed social media content and produced podcasts — all while serving as sports director for WQSU, co-producing River Hawk Spotlight and working as an athletic communications assistant. 

“I’ve had a great mix of hands-on experiences and classroom learning,” Tate says. “It’s helped me build practical skills and confidence that I can step into the professional world after graduation.” 

As the sports media program continues to mature, it is evolving alongside the industry. Last year, Susquehanna introduced two distinct tracks: one emphasizing audio and video production for students pursuing broadcast or streaming careers, and another focused on writing and social media strategy for aspiring reporters or in-house team content creators. Practicum work in both tracks ensures every student graduates with a professional-level portfolio of published and/or digital experiences.  

“Regardless of track, our students know how to tell a story,” Kaszuba says, “and consistent with a liberal arts education, they understand that ethical behavior, professional standards and meaningful relationships matter.” 

“I’VE HAD A GREAT MIX OF HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES AND CLASSROOM LEARNING. IT’S HELPED ME BUILD PRACTICAL SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE THAT I CAN STEP INTO THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD AFTER GRADUATION.”
BRAI TATE ’27

Only three semesters into his college career, Frias is already building an impressive portfolio. He writes and edits for The Quill, works for athletic communications in various roles, and co-hosts Roommate Rivals, a sports podcast now in its third season with over 30 episodes. 

“What I learn in the classroom shows up immediately in what I do outside of it,” Frias says. “In my Sports Reporting course, we focused on AP Style, which I use every day as sports editor. In Sports Statistics, we tracked a basketball game — which prepared me to take stats during River Hawks games as a student employee. It all connects.” 

Before heading to college from his upstate New York home, Frias couldn’t have known that at Susquehanna, he would have early exposure to industry professionals who help him better understand where his sports media degree can take him. 

“Hearing from people like ESPN’s Karl Ravech and Sunday Night Football’s Melissa Stark [in one of my classes] was incredibly eye-opening,” Frias says. “They do exactly what I’m interested in — at the highest level.” 

Looking ahead, Frias knows he wants to work for a major media company like ESPN, FOX or CBS. “I just don’t know yet if that’s as a writer, commentator or analyst. And that’s OK, because I’m getting hands-on experience in those areas every day,” he says. 

Frias recognizes that as his professional-level portfolio continues to expand, his future will start to take shape. 

“I’m excited for my next opportunity,” he beams. “Getting involved is the best way to prepare for a future in sports media, and every experience I’ve had at Susquehanna feels like it’s building toward something great.”