UM students star in ‘The College Tour’ on Amazon Prime

UM students star in ‘The College Tour’ on Amazon Prime

By UM News Service, Lake County Leader I February 9, 2022

Members of an Amazon TV crew film student Nate LaCorte as he shares his experiences as a Griz during filming for the UM episode of “The College Tour.”

University of Montana students take center stage in the latest episode of “The College Tour,” an Emmy-nominated series that showcases college campuses through the eyes of those who know it best: the students.

UM’s 50-minute episode features 20 students sharing their diverse personal experiences as Grizzlies. The episode launches on Amazon Prime streaming services on Feb. 8 and is available on UM’s YouTube channel. UM is the first school in Montana to be featured in the series.

The cast represents in-state and out-of-state undergraduate and graduate students from several majors and student organizations, including:

Arwen Baxter, a recent Rhodes Scholar finalist, musical theatre and English literature major. But she also dabbles in ecology and kayaking.

Grizzly soccer player Camellia Xu is Big Sky Conference goalkeeper of the year and helped led her team to the Big Sky Championship title in 2021.

Military veteran and ROTC Grizzly Battalion member Nate LaCorte moved west from Indiana and is completing his finance degree debt-free.

In just her sophomore year, ceramics student Abbe Watson is president of the Black Student Union, a UM student group founded in the 1970s.

Jesse Storment started by taking her general education credits at Missoula College, and now she’s enrolled in the school’s top-ranked nursing program.

Addie Slanger arrived on campus knowing she wanted to be a journalist. Now, in her senior year, she’s editor-in-chief of the Montana Kaimin.

Zachariah Rides at the Door is keeping Native language and culture alive through his studies in anthropology and Native American studies, and as president of the Kyiyo Club.

Billings native Shea Dolan grew up a Griz and now she’s a pharmacy student and member of the Davidson Honors College.

“We are so proud of these students for sharing their stories of creativity, courage and Griz spirit and we are thrilled that the University of Montana is the first Montana school in the ‘The College Tour’ series,” said Jenny Petty, UM vice president for marketing and communications.

“This episode will give students and families all over the world the chance to see our stunning campus location and learn about life as a Griz.”A film crew from “The College Tour” visited campus in September and filmed student segments over nine days while also collecting footage of campus, the season’s first fall home football game and scenes from downtown Missoula, the Clark Fork River, Pattee Canyon and more.

UM’s episode is included in Season 3 of “The College Tour.” Among dozens of other schools featured in the series are Arizona State University, University of Oregon, Sam Houston State and UC Davis.

“The College Tour” is the brainchild of host Alex Boylan, who was part of the winning team on the second season of the reality TV show “The Amazing Race.” With each episode of “The College Tour,” Boylan takes viewers to a different university to show what campus life is really like, told through the voices of actual students.

“The idea for ‘The College Tour’ TV series came to me from my niece. Because of the pandemic and finances, she wasn’t able to travel to tour colleges,” Boylan said. “So, using our skills as executive producers we created a series inspired by her and millions of other young people who are interested in attending college.”

Find UM’s episode of the “The College Tour” on the UM website, UM’s YouTube channel, “The College Tour” website and mobile app, and Amazon Prime streaming services.

20 UM Students Featured on “The College Tour’ on Amazon Prime

By Peter Christian, NewsTalk KGVO I February 8, 2022

In September, film crews from Amazon Prime’s ‘The College Tour’ were on the University of Montana campus filming segments with 20 different students from all walks of life.

UM’s Director of Strategic Communications Dave Kuntz told KGVO News about the Amazon Prime features.

“Starting today, people can stream through Amazon Prime, or look at your YouTube channel to see that the university is being profiled in a show called ‘The College Tour’, said Kuntz. “It’s a 15 minute episode that highlights 20 students about their experiences here at the University of Montana, and it’s something that we’re really excited about to promote here in the coming weeks. It really gives us a good piece of material so we can communicate both across Montana and across the country about how special things are here at the University of Montana.”

Kuntz explained how the University of Montana was chosen to be a part of the series.

“We’ve been talking to Amazon for about a year now, and in September, they came out for a week to meet with students and shoot these different segments,” he said. “So we’re highlighting students. There’s a Rhodes Scholar finalist and a student studying music and English. We’re also highlighting students who are in our labs and sciences working on some of the vaccine work, as well some of our Grizzly student athletes. So it’s really been a multiple month process working alongside Amazon as they choose anywhere between eight to 12 schools a year to profile on the show which I’ll add is an Emmy nominated show.”

Kuntz said the segments can be used for many years to come to help in recruiting new students to the UM campus.

“One of the really cool things about this partnership is we have access now to each of these segments that make up the episode,” he said. “We’ll use those segments going forward in perpetuity, to really help visually communicate to prospective students about the different opportunities at the University of Montana. So whether it’s studying at the Davidson’s Honors College, or in a pharmacy program or a creative writing program, or being on the Grizzly dance team or the soccer team, we now have these video assets that we can use to really help communicate with students and give them that firsthand experience about what it’s like to be a Grizzly.”

Kuntz explained how our website users and KGVO listeners can access the video from Amazon Prime.

“Folks who have Amazon Prime can go on that video service, and just search ‘The College Tour’ to watch it,” he said. “Or you can just search it on YouTube and the University of Montana, his YouTube channel and we have the segments posted there too. So there’s multiple ways people can watch. We encourage you to jump on and check it out and tell your friends because it really gives a great insight into life at the University of Montana from the perspective of students.”

‘The College Tour’ Amazon show to feature ISU students

By Sean Morrison, Vidette Online I February 8, 2022

Illinois State University will be featured on Amazon Prime’s series “The College Tour” and casting is now open to students.

The director and producers are asking interested students to submit a video under two minutes in length explaining why they are the best student to represent ISU. Submissions can be made here.

The show, which is in its sixth season, will feature 10 students from a variety of majors and activities to highlight the reality of ISU. The production team also worked on reality shows such as “Survivor” and “Undercover Boss.”

Videos should focus on students’ involvement in RSOs, quality of student life and lifestyles, majors and classes, sustainability and civic engagement, etc.

The deadline to submit a video is Sunday. Filming for the show will begin the first week of April.

Boardman graduate to be on Amazon Prime series

By Hanna Erdman, WKBN 27 I February 8, 2022

Boardman college student to be on Amazon Prime series

BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)- Miles Spearman graduated from Boardman High School in 2019.

Right now, he is studying marketing and music with a minor in media production at the University of Cincinnati.

Last summer, he had the chance to be featured on Amazon Prime’s “The College Tour.” The series showcases colleges across the country from the point of view of students.

Miles says his experience was really fun. He got to learn more about other students at the university.

“I was getting to meet these other people that had a total different, you know, Cincinnati, UC experience or college experience. But, you know, it’s cool because now, like, anyone can see those different facets,” Spearman said.

Miles says that seeing all sides of campus life can be beneficial for high school kids looking at different colleges. In his time at UC, he has interned with lots of great places, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Miles says he is excited to watch and share the episode with friends and family.

“You know, we filmed in July so we’re just sitting in anticipation like ‘Oh gosh, that’s going to be in 2022.’ That felt so far away, but now it’s at like tomorrow so we’re super excited,” Spearman said.

The episode Spearman is featured on premieres on Tuesday on Amazon Prime. Miles says that he and his friends will be having a small watch party to enjoy the show.

Amazon Prime series will feature UC

WCPO 9 I February 8, 2022

Amazon Prime series will feature UC

FAU TO BE IN SEASON THREE OF AMAZON’S ‘THE COLLEGE TOUR’ SERIES

By Lisa Metcalf, FAU News Desk I February 7, 2022

FAU will be one of 15 universities featured in season three of Amazon’s “The College Tour” series. The episode will make its debut on Amazon Prime and IMDB TV on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

Learning about Florida Atlantic University from the comfort of your couch has never been easier thanks to Amazon. FAU will be one of 15 universities featured in season three of Amazon’s “The College Tour” series. The episode will make its debut on Amazon Prime and IMDB TV on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

“The College Tour” is a new TV series created by Emmy-nominated and multi-award-

winning producers and tells the story of colleges and universities across the country. From campus life, academics, housing, sports, activities and much more, FAU’s 30-minute episode features 10 students and alumni along with countless faculty and staff cameos, offering an inside look at what it’s truly like being a student at the most diverse university in Florida.  

“Highlighting Florida Atlantic University on ‘The College Tour’ is an exciting way to bring our brilliant educational opportunities and incredible location to potential students everywhere,” said Maura Flaschner, executive director for undergraduate admissions. “Providing access to education is a key component of our mission, so offering this tour on so many platforms provides an in-depth look at the FAU experience for all potential Owls, near and far.”

Series’ host Alex Boylan saw a strong need for creating these ultimate virtual tours to better help high school students during the pandemic learn what colleges across America had to offer.

“The idea for ‘The College Tour’ TV series came to me from my 16-year-old niece. Because of the pandemic and finances, she wasn’t able to travel to tour colleges,” Boylan said. “So, using our skills as executive producers, we created a series inspired by her and millions of other young people who are interested in attending college.”

FAU’s episode can also currently be found on FAU’s YouTube channel.

-FAU-

UC to be featured on Amazon Prime show ‘The College Tour’

The News Record TNR I January 31, 2022

The University of Cincinnati (UC) is set to be featured on an upcoming episode of the Amazon Prime series, “The College Tour,” premiering next week on Feb. 8.Instagram | @uofcincy

The University of Cincinnati (UC) is set to be featured on an upcoming episode of the Amazon Prime series, “The College Tour,” premiering next week on Feb. 8.  

The series, hosted by “Amazing Race” winner Alex Boylan, travels to institutions across the nation to talk to students, faculty and alumni to show viewers “colleges and universities in a way they have never been seen before,” according to its website.

A total of 10 current and former UC students, including Undergraduate Student Body President April Gable, will share their stories on the show. 

“I honestly felt like a UC celebrity getting to work with such a talented crew and friendly student extras,” said Gable in a news release.

The show will also feature two international UC students: Alejandro Diaz, an information systems and finance student from Honduras, and Jasmine Shaban, an industrial design student from Lebanon.

Shaban explained how “political and economic unrest” in Lebanon put her “educational future and potential in a state of uncertainty.” UC offered her a chance to continue school, Shaban says. 

“No matter where you’re from, we’re all united by our love for learning and curiosity,” she said. “UC has truly helped me foster that and it keeps me wanting more. A college education is more than learning skills for a job, it’s learning about yourself and following your intuition, all to make you the best version of yourself possible.”

Additionally, viewers will hear from UC alumni, including Anndréa Moore, the head of product marketing for Meta. 

“Attending UC was a life-changing experience,” she said, adding that her “professional day-to-day closely resembles one of my favorite classes.”

The episode will feature other students and alumni, including Miles Spearman, Camryn Morrow, Bryce Gray, A’Jiana Birchmore, Grace Hertlein and Carlo Bronzie.

UC joins fellow Ohio college Miami University and other nationally recognized schools in taking part in “The College Tour.”

Loyola featured in an episode of The College Tour on Amazon Prime

By Molly Robey, Loyola News I January 28, 2022

The College Tour @LoyolaMaryland | 15 Second Promo

Loyola University Maryland is featured in a Season 3 episode of The College Tour series, which can be viewed on Amazon Prime Video starting Feb. 8.

The College Tour highlights college campuses across the country. The informative series showcases academics, housing, athletics, student life, and locations of higher education institutions around the United States and the globe. Each 30-minute episode is broken down into 10 student-led segments.

“Students often tell me that they knew they wanted to attend Loyola when they visited our campus for the first time, but not every high school student can visit Loyola and Baltimore,” said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola. “We are so happy to have this opportunity to bring some of Loyola’s exceptional students and our beautiful campus into the homes of prospective students and their families to give them a taste of the Loyola education and experience.”

Ten Loyola students—Lauren Bayer, ’23, a history major with a double minor in American Studies and special education; Mia Ferri, ’22, an elementary education major with a minor in special education; Knekiya Harper, ’22, a master’s in clinical professional counseling student; Maria Jaeckel, ’22, a business management major with a minor in digital media; Eleanor “Elli” Kluegel, ’22, a master’s in Emerging Media student who received her B.S. in Biology with a minor in innovation and entrepreneurship from Loyola in 2021; Natalie Labib, ’22, a communication major with a minor in studio arts; Christian McNeill, ’22, an international business major with a minor in communication; Ben Ostrowski, ’24, a communication major; Edmundo “Edik” Pribitkin, ’22, a marketing major with a minor in communication; and Fatima Velasco, ’23, a biochemistry major on the pre-dental track in Loyola’s Pre-Health Programs with a minor in studio arts—share their unique experiences at Loyola in the Season 3 episode.

“The idea for The College Tour TV series came to me from my 16-year-old niece. Because of the pandemic and finances, she couldn’t travel to tour colleges,” said Alex Boylan, former Amazing Race star who hosts and produces the show. “So, using our skills as executive producers, we created a series inspired by her and millions of other young people who are interested in attending college. This series is so fun to produce!”

Many aspects of the college experience at Loyola and campus life are reflected by the varied and unique experiences of the Loyola students featured.

Specific segments in the episode include an examination of Greyhound Nation and Loyola’s focus on cura personalis—care for the whole person; life at LoyolaBaltimoreacademics, both inside and outside the classroom, at the undergraduate and graduate levels; preparing students to be Loyola Ready as they study at the University and beyond; and Greyhounds Athletics.

Loyola is the first Jesuit school and the first institution in Maryland to be featured in the series.

In addition to Amazon Prime, Loyola’s episode will be available for streaming on IMDbTV and The College Tour TV channel on the following platforms: Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Android TV, and most major smart TVs. High school students around the country can also inquire with their high school college counselors about accessing the episode, which will be included in The College Tour Newsletter, distributed directly to counselors at the end of January.           

You can also view the full 30-minute episode on Loyola’s website.

UC takes center stage in Amazon Prime series

Meet the students and alumni behind UC’s episode of ‘The College Tour’

By Jac Kern, UC News I January 19, 2022

The University of Cincinnati is ready for its close-up.

Amazon Prime series “The College Tour,” which highlights colleges and universities around the country, features UC in its upcoming season. UC’s episode premieres Feb. 8.

How to watch

Watch the full episode and learn more at uc.edu/college-tour.

In each episode of “The College Tour,” high school students and other viewers can virtually travel across America for an inside look at colleges and universities. Hosted by “Amazing Race” winner Alex Boylan, each episode of “The College Tour” highlights an institution through the eyes of its students, faculty and alumni, providing prospective students with an authentic look at life on campus.

The College Tour | Teaser Trailer

Filmed in July 2021, UC’s episode is a crash-course in being a Bearcat, starring a few of the university’s best and brightest students and alumni. Some are lifelong Cincinnatians, others are from across the globe. But they’re all excited to show viewers why they’ve called UC home: From its beautiful spaces and state-of-the-art facilities to co-op and campus life.

Meet the UC stars

April Gable ’23Full Gallery 

Major: Communications and Interdisciplinary Studies
Hometown: Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio

As undergraduate student body president and a featured twirler in Bearcats Bands, April Gable has experienced the spirit, rUCKus and excitement that UC’s campus has to offer. She calls the opportunity to appear on “The College Tour” an incredible experience.

“I honestly felt like a UC celebrity getting to work with such a talented crew and friendly student extras,” she says.

In April’s segment, she brings viewers to historic Nippert Stadium, the setting for one of her favorite UC memories: The Bearcats’ 2021 AAC Championship football game.

“After the sold-out crowd of alumni, students, staff and so many others stormed the field, I stood in the stands with the UC Bearcat Bands smiling ear to ear as we played the alma mater and fight songs,” April recalls.

“I have never felt such humbling and overwhelming excitement in my life — I was frozen in time watching a scene from a movie. I couldn’t help but feel overcome with emotion and pure pride that I attend the greatest university there ever is or was.”

Read a Q&A with April Gable.

Miles Spearman, ’23Full Gallery 

Major: Music and Marketing; Media Production minor
Hometown: Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, raised in Youngstown, Ohio

As a high school senior, trumpet player Miles Spearman was accepted to 14 different universities around the nation. What made him choose UC?

“I knew I wanted the whole college experience,” Miles says, “meaning a university that would encourage professional and creative growth, while also allowing me to combine my passions — business and music.”

At UC, Miles says he’s gained the skills to become a competitive candidate for opportunities around the world. 

He’s interned with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, interviewing Grammy award-winning conductors and artists and helping produce free digital concerts. Nationally, he’s worked with JPMorgan Chase & Co. as an Advancing Black Pathways Fellow, where he was introduced to the fast-paced environment of a corporate business. Now, he’s working with the global distribution department at NBC Universal as an international marketing and publicity intern, promoting their world-renowned television shows and blockbuster films across the globe. 

Miles was happy to share his story in “The College Tour.”

“They started by asking us what we thought was most important to share about the University of Cincinnati,” he says. “They leaned into telling an authentic story from the UC student’s perspective.”

Read a Q&A with Miles Spearman.

Camryn Morrow, ’22Full Gallery 

Major: Human Development and Community Engagement
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

Darwin T. Turner Scholar Camryn Morrow found her community at UC in the identity-based centers, offices and student organizations around campus.

“The pride I feel when I walk into these places and can say, ‘This is my home,’ is indescribable.”

Camryn highlights some of these places in her segment, including UC’s African American Cultural & Resource Center and Office of Ethnic Programs and Services, which she says have been “vital spaces” for herself and other students. She even got to bring some of her friends along for the ride.

“I was so excited to be a part of ‘The College Tour’ and have the opportunity to showcase some of the aspects of UC that mean the most to me,” she says. 

“I have witnessed the power of belonging and have thrived in UC environments that promote diversity, inclusion and empowerment.”

Read a Q&A with Camryn Morrow.

Bryce Gray, ’21

Bryce Gray portrait

Major: Organizational Leadership
Hometown: Greenfield, Indiana

When Bryce Gray began looking at colleges in high school, he knew he wanted to leave his small hometown for life in the city.

“I wanted an adventure,” he says. “This was my opportunity to branch out.”

The freshly minted alumnus served as both a campus ROAR Tour Guide and an orientation leader during his time at UC. 

“I remember the college search being an exciting time for me and I wanted to help new students picture themselves at UC and decide if it would be a good fit for them,” he says.

In his segment, Bryce also shares about the volunteer work opportunities he had as a student.

Bryce is now pursuing a career in higher education, he says, “so I can keep impacting the next generation of college students who will no doubt push us all forward!”

A’Jiana Birchmore, ’21Full Gallery 

Major: Criminal Justice and Political Science
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

Recent graduate A’Jiana Birchmore knows UC student life. She’s been active in the African American Cultural & Resource Center and United Black Student Association and served as a mentor and and a campus tour or “ROAR” Tour Guide. 

“More than anything, campus spirit and UC’s sense of community have made me a die-hard Bearcat,” A’Jiana says.

For her segment in “The College Tour,” A’Jiana takes viewers around UC’s Uptown and East campuses, highlighting spaces like Sigma Sigma Commons and the 1819 Innovation Hub.

“I chose UC because it’s a global leader in experience-based learning, offers a top tier education and numerous opportunities post-graduation; and it has provided me with a true home away from home,” she says. “UC ensures that everyone has space to be unapologetically themselves.”

Grace Hertlein, ’20Full Gallery 

Major: Graphic Communication Design and Spanish
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

Grace Hertlein is Cincinnati through and through: It’s not only where she was born and raised, but where she went to college and started her career.

“My enthusiasm for UC has only grown since I graduated in 2020, so I was thrilled to be able to share that with the film crew and eventually with everyone who watches the show,” Grace says.

Grace works at Cincinnati-based consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble as a design manager for fabric softener Downy, alongside some UC alumni, and is even engaged to a fellow Bearcat. So it’s fitting that she spotlights the Queen City in her “College Tour” segment.

“The cast and crew for ‘The College Tour’ worked so hard to bring you stunning views of campus and other beautiful places around Cincinnati,” she says. “It’s so worth watching, even if you’re already a Bearcat.”

Read a Q&A with Grace Hertlein.

Alejandro Diaz, ’22Full Gallery 

Major: Information Systems and Finance
Hometown: Tegucigalpa, Honduras

When Alejandro Diaz first learned about UC, it was love at first sight — or love before sight.

“I actually confirmed enrollment and signed my apartment lease before I ever stepped foot in Cincinnati!”

It was UC’s nationally-ranked programs, such as co-op, that sealed the deal for Alejandro, which is the subject of his “College Tour” segment, “We Rank.” Through co-op, Alejandro has completed two internships working in finance, accounting and investments at local companies.

“These experiences have enabled me to apply the concepts learned in class to a real and professional role,” he says.

“It was an honor to be part of ‘The College Tour,’ an amazing Amazon Prime TV show. The process was very smooth and professional; I felt like an actor being in front of the cameras.”

Carlo Bronzie, ’25Full Gallery 

Major: Economics and Finance
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

UC’s co-op program swayed Carlo Bronzie to stay in his hometown for college; now he’s earning while he’s learning in his own backyard and beyond.

“I was initially hesitant to stay in my hometown because I’ve always wanted to experience other places around the country and across the world,” Carlo explains. Then he learned about co-op.

“I realized that I could have a number of opportunities to do internships out-of-state because experience-based learning is ingrained in the curriculum here. After learning about UC’s focus on co-op and real-world learning, the decision was pretty obvious.” 

In his segment of “The College Tour,” Carlo shares some of his favorite places to work and play on campus, from Langsam Library, McMicken Commons and Tangeman University Center to Center Court, On the Green and the Campus Rec Center.

Jasmine Shaban, ’23Full Gallery 

Major: Industrial Design
Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon

International student Jasmine Shaban says UC found her when she really needed it.

“My home country was met with political and economic unrest that left my educational future and potential in a state of uncertainty,” she says. 

A graphic design major at the time, Jasmine was searching for a program abroad that would open doors for her in the future, and all signs pointed to UC.

Before she knew it, she went from living with her parents to living by herself in a different country — but she was never alone.

“At such a volatile time in my life, UC’s international office was very supportive and considerate,” Jasmine says. “They made the process less stressful and truly made me feel welcomed. I honestly don’t know what I would have done if it wasn’t for their kindness that has even remained consistent to this day.”

“No matter where you’re from, we’re all united by our love for learning and curiosity. UC has truly helped me foster that and it keeps me wanting more. A college education is more than learning skills for a job, it’s learning about yourself and following your intuition, all to make you the best version of yourself possible.”

Anndréa Moore, ’10Full Gallery 

Major: Marketing and International Business
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Anndréa Moore may have graduated more than 10 years ago, but she’s still an active Bearcat — a fact she happily shares in “The College Tour.”

“Attending UC was a life-changing experience,” she says.

As a student, Anndréa combined her analytical and creative interests by studying marketing and international business. She had done a co-op with The Nielsen Company doing marketing research and analytics for consumer goods companies, including Procter & Gamble and Purina. She ultimately joined The Nielsen Company full time as her first job after graduating from UC.

Now the head of product marketing for Meta, Anndréa says UC truly prepared her for her career.

“My professional day-to-day closely resembles one of my favorite classes at UC, the Live Well Collaborative course, which brought together business, engineering and design to build products for the over-50 set,” she says.

What’s Next?

Watch “The College Tour” and learn more at uc.edu/college-tour.

SHOW RUNNER Lisa Hennessy

By Ed Leibowitz, Illinois Alumni Magazine I January 12, 2022

On a crisp, clear afternoon in February 2021, Lisa Hennessy, ’91 LAS, returned to the U of I for the first time since her graduation. Tan and fit, her blond hair bleached by the sun, she looked for all the world like a pure product of Southern California, though she’s Illinois born and raised.

Stepping onto the Quad, Hennessy immediately came face to face with Alma Mater, who greeted her with open, bronze arms. “It was literally the first thing I saw,” she recalls. “This beautiful iconic statue welcoming me to my home.”

For her three-hour, self-guided tour, Hennessy navigated without Google Maps, preferring to find her favorite haunts by memory. “The Quad,” she says, “is a great north star.”

The old KAMS bar had been torn down, though a new one had arisen elsewhere in town. She had no problem finding Weston Hall, where she lived as a freshman, nor her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, where she served as social chair. “I give a lot of credit to that job,” Hennessy says. “Ever since then, I’ve loved planning events.”

You may be among the many millions of television viewers who’ve seen some of Hennessy’s post-college “events.” She is one of the chief architects of reality television, executive producing the groundbreaking show Eco-Challenge and helping to develop Survivor in the 1990s. The following decade, she produced The Contender (in which young boxers competed under the watchful eye of Sylvester Stallone), and served as executive producer of Rock Star: INXS (in which contestants vied to become the next lead singer of the platinum-selling Australian band). During the 2010s, she went on to executive produce Expedition Impossible and The Biggest Loser.

Hennessy’s work has taken her from the South Island of New Zealand to the Patagonian mountains of South America to the jungles of Krabi, Thailand (where a posse of macaque monkeys tried unsuccessfully to steal her two-way radio).

Hennessy tours campus with Matt Wszolek, U of I senior executive of marketing and media, during Amazon Prime’s The College Tour visit. (Image courtesy of Lisa Hennessy)

Her walk across Campustown brought back wonderful memories, but like so many of her adventures, it took place during her regular course of work.

Since September 2020, Hennessy has been spending quality time on the nation’s campuses shooting episodes of The College Tour. Hosted by Alex Boylan, her business partner and co-executive producer, the program streams on Amazon Prime as well as on The College Tour app, and aims to tell a university’s story through the experiences and personal stories of its students.

High school juniors and seniors are the target audience, including those unable to visit faraway universities in person, either because they lack the travel funds, or, more widely over these past two years, because of travel restrictions and campus shutdowns in the midst of a pandemic.

“It’s the series you wish you had when you were looking at schools,” Hennessy says.

In the U of I episode, we meet Kennedy Campbell, a pre-med student who launched a physician-mentoring program, as well as Mike Skibski, a business major who co-developed an app, launched a club for the Rubik’s Cube-obsessed and released his first indie folk album.

Also in the mix is Mihir Vardhan, an engineering student from India who was enlisted by one of his professors to help develop an artificial, electromagnetically actuated animal spine.

The students also talk about their desires and expectations for the future.

Lisa Hennessy is one of the chief architects of reality TV. She produced the entire nine-year run of the groundbreaking Eco-Challenge, considered by many to be the first modern reality show. (Image Ryan Young)

One-way ticket to L.A.

As for Hennessy, life after graduation meant taking an entry-level position in the garbage industry. Her father’s best friend from boyhood headed the Chicago office of Waste Management Inc., one of the nation’s largest waste haulers. “My dad thought it was time for me to get a real job,” Hennessy recalls. “I didn’t have to apply.”

Although she would hardly be getting her hands dirty as an assistant sales coordinator, Hennessy, like all new hires at Waste Management, was required to spend a week riding shotgun in a garbage truck while it made its rounds. She had some interesting conversations with the drivers, while enduring the stench and constant clanking emanating from the rig’s rear.

Sometime during that week, Hennessy had a revelation, asking herself, “What am I doing? I’m not meant to be here.”

Hennessy’s childhood wasn’t particularly adventurous. She was raised in Park Ridge, a Northwestern Chicago suburb, in the same home with a front porch where her mother grew up. “We lived in a really lovely suburban bubble—an all-American upbringing,” Hennessy recalls.

During her time at Illinois, she longed to be part of the global community—to learn about the lives and experiences of people from other continents. After her sophomore year, she became a camp counselor in Maine—which seemed like a pretty exotic locale to her at the time—and where she made friends with staffers from England and Ireland. For her junior year, Hennessy enrolled in the U of I’s Institute of European Studies Abroad and went to Vienna. “That,” she recalls, “really took the blinders off.”

Bowing out of Waste Management, Hennessy left for Los Angeles with a one-way ticket and about $500 to her name. She crashed at a fellow alum’s place for awhile, then moved into an apartment with a roommate. She landed an internship at a PR company where she worked on an anti-smoking campaign during the day, while bartending and waitressing at an Italian restaurant during the evening.

Hennessy (center) with her mother, Linda, and her father, Larry, during the production of Eco-Challenge Borneo. (Image courtesy of Lisa Hennessy)

It was six months after her arrival that her roommate came home with a brochure from a tiny production company that she’d begun interning for. Hennessy picked up the flyer and started reading about a project called Eco-Challenge Utah. Teams would race cross the state’s canyons, cliffs, deserts and lakes at a breakneck pace—canoeing, biking, rope climbing, horseback riding—to the finish line, where the winners would collect a $100,000 prize.

The production company was run by an entrepreneur named Mark Burnett, a former British Army parachute-squad commander who didn’t have a producing credit to his name. Hennessy met with Brian Terkelsen, who was then Burnett’s business partner. He hired her on the spot and told her they’d be flying to Utah together the next morning to do some prep work. But Hennessy told him she’d have to give her current employers two weeks’ notice, so Terkelsen hired someone else.

That next morning, Hennessy drove to LAX and made a beeline to Terkelsen’s departure gate before his 6 a.m. flight to Salt Lake City (such things were possible in the pre-9/11 years). She convinced the Delta rep at the gate counter to hand Terkelsen a postcard when he checked in. The postcard read: “I should be on this flight—not this postcard—but I know I was meant to work with you.”

After that bold gesture, Hennessy had little doubt she’d get the job. “If you knock down the door to get in,” she says, “then look them in the eye and have a smile on your face, it’s hard [for them] not to hire you.” Sure enough, Hennessy was brought on board with Burnett and Terkelsen—which raised the number of total staff to four.

Reality TV is born

The logistics of Eco-Challenge would have been difficult enough for an established studio—never mind capturing the exploits of multiple teams across hundreds of miles of rugged terrain on video without the benefits of cell phones or email. And Burnett’s four-person operation was hardly a seasoned one. “We were just this small production company,” Hennessy says, “and we had to pull things off on that kind of scale.”

Nor could they learn from the experiences of production companies that had made similar shows in the past, because there had never been a show remotely like Eco-Challenge. “We were creating the model,” Hennessy says. “And to do that, we had to be confident and take ownership.”

Hennessy would produce Eco-Challenge for the entirety of its nine-season run. Under her aegis, the field of play expanded across the globe—from Borneo to British Columbia to the entirety of the Kingdom of Morocco, ultimately earning her an Emmy Award nomination.

Eco-Challenge is widely regarded as the first modern reality show—in which competition is fierce, and winning it all involves physical and mental prowess, teamwork, resilience, a little cunning and a superhuman ability to keep one’s composure during situations that would drive most people to the brink of insanity.

That breakthrough show cast the mold for future reality shows that turned Burnett’s little shop into a $500 million company. His follow-up series, Survivor, is a perpetual juggernaut now entering its 21st season.

Hennessy’s more recent work has focused on ordinary people trying to emerge from extraordinarily difficult circumstances. On The Contender, many of the young boxing contestants were striving to bring their families out of poverty. As for the morbidly obese contestants on The Biggest Loser, Hennessy says, “the show clearly gave them a powerful toolkit they could use for the rest of their lives.”

There are also contestants who walk away from their season finales with a desire to break into Hollywood. “A lot of people who’ve competed on reality shows,” Hennessy says, “moved to L.A. because they want to pursue TV.”

Clockwise, top left: Hennessy’s production credits range from Rock Star: INXS (with guitarist Dave Navarro), Survivor (shown with producer Mark Burnett), and Expedition Impossible. (Images courtesy of Lisa Hennessy)

Her current business partners, Burton Roberts and Alex Boylan, are prime examples.

Roberts was introduced to audiences in 2003 as a member of the Drake tribe in Survivor’s seventh season. Voted off the island, he was banished to the Outcast tribe, whom he convinced to vote him back onto the island by promising that he would never lie for the rest of the season. He kept his word, to his detriment, proving himself to be perhaps the most honest contestant in the program’s history.

For his part, Boylan won season two of The Amazing Race—sprinting to victory on a San Francisco bluff and joining his teammate and friend, Chris Luca, in a massive bear hug with show host, Phil Keoghan, after battling their way across five continents and 52,000 miles.

Boylan met Hennessy at a dinner with Roberts in 2011. “From that moment, Lisa and I became fast friends,” he says, “and we’ve been friends for many years.”

Hennessy joined forces with Boylan and Roberts in 2017 to produce DreamJobbing, in which contestants are given the opportunity of a lifetime to pursue their dream careers. In one episode, a college student intent on pursuing a photojournalism career lands a two-week assignment documenting the people, towns and mountains he encounters travelling across Norway. In another episode, a filmmaker who wants to break into the travelogue business is given 10 days to shoot the sights, natural splendor and people of Thailand—spanning Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

Boylan came up with the concept for The College Tour while his niece was looking at schools. “She was able to take one [college-scouting] trip, when she came to visit me in L.A.,” he says. “Then with COVID-19, the journey to figure out where to go to school became a massive challenge for her. I’d never created a show out of a problem. But this was a very simple problem that we turned into episodic television.”

Boylan is at no loss for words to describe what Hennessy brings to their partnership. “Lisa is a powerhouse,” he says. “I don’t know whether there is a more experienced show runner or executive producer out there. And apart from Lisa’s organizational and management skills running big operations, she’s also extremely creative. She always has her finger on the pulse of what the audience is looking for and what’s really going to matter.”

Fighting social media addiction

In 2006, when Fear Factor marched its contestants into a dark pit and then dumped hundreds of rats on top of them, and when The Real Housewives of Orange County began debating the virtues of breast implants and Botox, reality TV was widely declared a cultural catastrophe.

While Hennessy has steered clear of the loudmouth and gross-out programming that often gave reality TV shows a bad name, she believes the negative impact of even the most egregious examples was exceedingly mild compared to today’s dominant cultural addiction.

“Compared to social media,” she says, “it’s not even close.”

In February 2017, Hennessy provided some powerful evidence for that argument when she and Boylan transported five Instagram- and Facebook-addicted millennials to Southeast Asia to film a documentary called Escape: A Digital Detox in Thailand.

Just before boarding the train that would take them into a 10-day adventure through pristine wilderness, a woman in traditional Thai dress confiscated all of their iPhones and Androids.

“Especially among the girls, there’s this false reality,” Hennessy says.

“They’re constantly comparing them-selves against these idealized versions of other girls on social media. And in our show, you could see that pressure being taken off. The young women didn’t have to pose for selfies. They could just be themselves.”

After 10 days of exploring and connecting, the millennials were reunited with their devices. Some were not too enthusiastic about the prospect of plunging back into a social media–saturated existence, where they would once again be obligated to manufacture glorified versions of themselves, and where everything they shared would be scrutinized and judged.

“When they got their cellphones back, they were so confused,” Hennessy recalls. “A couple of them didn’t want to leave where they were—because for the first time in a long time, they got to feel what it was like to be present.”