Amazon Prime’s ‘The College Tour’ to showcase St. Vincent College
By Herald – Standard I November 16, 2023
“The College Tour,” an Amazon Prime original series that showcases select colleges and universities throughout the nation, will feature St. Vincent College in its 10th season.
The show spent the entire first week of classes filming on the campus of the Westmoreland County college.
The unscripted series showcases individual colleges and universities through the perspectives of current students. This show is hosted by Alex Boylan, an Emmy-nominated producer who won CBS’s second season of “The Amazing Race.” Boylan’s inspiration for the series was personal, driven by witnessing his nieces’ challenges in navigating the college search process, constrained by financial considerations. This was the catalyst behind his decision that higher education needed its own television series. “The College Tour” has now surpassed over 100 episodes and enables viewers to virtually tour campuses they might otherwise not have gotten the opportunity to explore.
In the upcoming season, St. Vincent College in Latrobe takes center stage in a 30-minute episode, with 10 students and alumni sharing their individual stories as Bearcats. It will be the last episode of the season, and is expected to debut this winter.
Production Crew from ‘The College Tour’ Wraps Up Filming on WNMU Campus
By Linda Brown, Desert Exposure I November 17, 2023
A production team from the hit Amazon Prime TV show “The College Tour” wrapped up a week of filming on the campus of Western New Mexico University on Friday, Nov. 10. The show was in town to film ten WNMU students telling their unique Mustang stories.
The series introduces its audience to colleges and universities across the country. Each episode of “The College Tour” focuses on a single college or university and is hosted by Alex Boylan, who won CBS’s “The Amazing Race” at age 23 and has gone on to have a highly successful career both in front of and behind the camera.
The concept for the “The College Tour” was inspired by Boylan’s niece, who, several years ago, was deciding where to attend college but could not afford to take numerous trips around the country to find the right match. “So few students . . . have the resources to travel wherever they want and check out campuses,” said Boylan.
He noted that it is ideal if a student can physically visit a college campus, but for those that cannot, “The College Tour” serves as important middle ground. “If you can’t get to campus, you can get a really good feel” from the show, he said.
“We are so blessed to be in a country where we have some 2,400 four-year colleges and another 900 community colleges,” noted Boylan, “so the breadth of higher education across this country is super exciting. Being able to travel this country and celebrate this and tell the stories is incredible.”
Boylan said that he was surprised to learn how few secondary students go on to pursue higher education. “Education works,” he explained, noting that studies have shown how higher education improves income and reduces unemployment, “We should be celebrating that, and we should be encouraging our youth to go [to college].”
The WNMU campus visit was the apex of a months-long production process that will result in a 30-minute episode of the show to be aired in spring 2024. WNMU is the first university in New Mexico to be featured on “The College Tour.”
Prior to the crew’s visit, there was a two-month pre-production process that involved both the team from “The College Tour” and various WNMU offices working together to cast the show, scout filming locations on campus, prepare students for filming and guide them through writing their own scripts for the episode. “We have them write the first draft of their script because we want to stay true to their authentic story,” said Boylan.
Following filming on campus, approximately two more months will be spent in production before the episode fully starts to take shape, according to Boylan. The distribution process adds additional time before the episode is aired. In the spring of 2024, the episode will air not only on “The College Tour” website, Amazon Prime, Tubi and similar streaming services, but it will also be distributed to numerous high schools nationwide to be shared with students looking for their best college match.
This was Boylan’s first trip to southwestern New Mexico, and he described the natural setting of WNMU as “spectacular.” “That probably is the number one thing that stands out to me” about the university, he said. He also noted that he was impressed by how well WNMU serves multiple demographics. “
“This institution [understands] that there are different demographics of what students need,” he said, noting that in addition to traditional arts and sciences courses, WNMU offers career-readiness programs through both traditional academic paths and through the Department of Community and Workforce Development.
Asked what he most enjoyed about hosting the show, Boylan responded, “The learning process [is what] I really enjoy. To me, it is not about what works or what is perfect; it is about the times that are challenging or you weren’t expecting that makes it great.”
“You never know what is going to happen in production . . .That is the exciting part,” he said.
UP to be featured in ‘The College Tour’
By Netty Jurriaans, The Beacon I November 17, 2023
Camera crews on campus made for an entertaining week before fall break for students and faculty on The Bluff. But more entertainment is soon to come as UP will be featured on the 11th season of “The College Tour” airing this May on Amazon Prime Video.
“The College Tour” first premiered in 2020 and three years later has featured over 100 college campuses in their 10 seasons.
The show aims to offer students who are unable to visit these campuses in person a comprehensive understanding of them. It offers a visual of campusand an in-depth look at the culture and student experience that defines each institution.
“How do you find your tribe, your vibe, those intangibles, the culture of the place?” host and Executive Producer of “The College Tour” Alex Boylan said. “That’s where the college tour was born. The whole idea was like, ‘how is there not a show where you could sit back on your mobile device or TV and just watch real students telling real stories about their campus?’”
Boylan was inspired by his niece during her senior year of high school when she was struggling to pick a school. He realized that due to finances and time it’s impossible for students to experience every university they might be considering. With an extensive background in reality TV, Boylan knew this show would benefit all students grappling with the difficult decision of where to attend university.
With the show’s target audience being prospective students, UP sees this as a marketing opportunity. All universities featured on the show pay to be in it. Vice President of Marketing and Communications Michael Lewellen declined to reveal how much UP paid but believes it will raise UP’s profile and ultimately increase enrollment.
“It’s within normal advertising and marketing costs,” Lewellen said. “It’s not anything unusual or beyond what we would normally spend as part of our overall marketing and advertising budget. The platforms that they bring is what makes the investment worthwhile and then, of course, the production and the fact that we get to show off our students.”
Conversations with “The College Tour” team began three years ago. Due to COVID and changes within administration, UP held off on moving forward until they felt it was the right time. According to Lewellen, the visibility that comes with this feature is very important and the addition of President Robert Kelly was vital to UP’s episode.
“It’s opportunities like this that don’t come along very often,” Lewellen said. “I think that’s part of the reason why we wanted to take advantage of it.”
The vision finally came to life beginning this past August when students received an email with information about casting. Each candidate sent in a two minute video talking about their experience at UP. Casting was a joint effort between UP’s team and “The College Tour’s” team, looking for candidates with unique and important stories to tell.
With over 30 applications, the final casting was only 10 students: Ian Thompson, Denver Backus, Laya Duguid, Israel Osorio, Zora Richardson, Julia Thomas, Allana Gladman, Oliver Jeppe, Kieurstyn Camacho and Darius Newman.
“We had some students that were nominated by faculty and staff,” Lewellen said. “So it was not easy to choose those 10, which I think is a good problem to have.”
First-year political science major Allana Gladman is one of the 10 students selected to appear. As someone interested in a career in television, Gladman saw this as an opportunity to boost her resume.
“This is a way to get my face out,” Gladman said. “It might be a small thing but at least it’s something.”
“The College Tour” was on campus filming Gladman and the other nine students for only five days, allotting around two to four hours for each student. The production process for one episode takes about six months. The pre-filming process takes about four months — coordinating, casting and script writing — and post-production takes about two months.
According to Boylan, the students are the main authors of the show’s scripts, with only minor input from the marketing and production teams. The show’s core purpose is to share the authentic stories of these students and inspire others who can relate to their experiences to consider applying to the institution.
“We really feel like we’re standing up for higher education because there’s a little bit of a narrative out there that college isn’t worth it,” Boylan said.
Boylan believes that “The College Tour” brings a personal and unique perspective to not only UP but to higher education in general — with benefits across the board for students and the visibility of institutions for marketing purposes.
“It really is designed as something that is going to raise UP’s profile both nationally and even internationally,” Lewellen said. “We’re going to get a chance to show off the beauty of The Bluff while showcasing our students and, of course, the UP experience.”
Netty Jurriaans is the Community Engagement Editor for The Beacon. She can be reached at jurriaan25@up.edu.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story inaccurately stated that the episode will air on Amazon Prime Video in February 2024. The episode will actually air in May 2024.
‘The College Tour’ features Northwest Florida State College on Amazon Prime
By Patt O’Donnell, News WKRG5 I October 31, 2023
NICEVILLE, Fla. (WKRG) — “The College Tour” features Northwest Florida State College in season nine of the series produced by Emmy-nominated producers on Amazon Prime.
The show gives the viewer a look at schools across the country from the perspective of students. It serves to help connect young students with higher education institutions across the country.
“It is an honor that NWFSC was chosen to be featured on The College Tour TV Series,” NWFSC President Dr. Devin Stephenson said. “It’s a testament to the dedication and exceptional talent of our students, faculty, and staff. This is an opportunity for our institution to share its commitment to excellence in education and innovation, and we look forward to sharing our story with a broader audience.”
NWFSC is the foremost educational institution in the region, has two campuses, five education centers and a range of online and dual enrollment options.
“NWFSC offers students an extraordinary experience, and we’re so excited to share that on The College Tour,” show host and “The Amazing Race” winner Alex Boylan said. “Choosing which college to attend is a monumental decision, and this episode gives prospective students a first-hand look at what makes this school so special.”
ABAC ‘College Tour’ episode debuts on Amazon Prime
By Moultrie Observer I October 31, 2023
TIFTON — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is one of 14 colleges in the country featured in Season 9 of “The College Tour,” which debuted on Amazon Prime Video earlier this month.
Each episode of the show focuses on a single college, including campus life, academics, housing, sports, activities and more. Life at ABAC is told in 10 vignettes featuring students who provide an inside look at what it is truly like to be a Stallion.
“We are thrilled to be featured on The College Tour so people around the world can get an idea of what makes ABAC unique,” said Public Relations Director Chris Beckham. “Our students did a phenomenal job telling their stories. The passion they have for their school is evident and it’s easy to see how their time on campus transformed their lives.”
The show’s Emmy-nominated production team spent a week at ABAC during February filming segments for the show. Alex Boylan, winner of CBS’s “The Amazing Race,” hosts the show and was impressed with what his team found in Tifton.
“ABAC offers students an extraordinary experience, and we’re so excited to share that on The College Tour,” he said. “For students, choosing which college to attend is a monumental decision, and this episode gives prospective students a first-hand look at what makes this school so special.”
Students participating in the show and their field of study Tifton’s TJ Acree (Education); Warner Robins’ Alecia Dumas (Livestock Production); Germany’s Alex La Sala (Rural Community Development); Fitzgerald’s Daniel Montiel (Business); Climax’s Miracle Rogers (Rural Community Development); Perry’s Bryce Roland (Agricultural Communication); Baconton’s Sara Shiver (Nursing); Irwinville’s Laura Wiley (Music); Hazlehurst’s Karli Williams (Biology); and Middleburg, Fla.’s Caitlynne Youmans (Agricultural Communication).“I think The College Tour will open a lot of people’s eyes about what ABAC has to offer,” Beckham added. “Because the students featured have different interests, different schools of study, and were involved in a variety of activities, viewers will be able to see why ABAC is thriving and continuing to grow.”
The College Tour episode can also be seen www.thecollegetour.com.
The College Tour Captures the Exciting Opportunities Awaiting All Students in Higher Education
By Yahoo Finance l I October 17, 2023
New Season – Now Available on Amazon Prime Video – Brings Colleges Directly to Viewers, Highlighting the Vibrancy and Inclusivity of Modern College Life.
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The highly-anticipated 9th season of the award-winning series The College Tour, from Emmy-nominated producers Alex Boylan, Lisa Hennessy, and Burton Roberts, continues to be the ultimate college search resource with its intimate look at American colleges and universities all told from the perspective of actual students. Hosted by The Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, The College Tour is a one-of-a-kind show that gives families the freedom to explore all options in higher education without the burden of travel costs or logistics.
“Season 9 truly showcases the diversity and support found on today’s college campuses. From students with autism and learning disabilities to adult learners seeking to advance their education, aspiring doctors, and passionate filmmakers and writers, this season proves that finding the right school can make all the difference,” said host, co-creator, and executive producer Alex Boylan.
Although each school featured this season has its own distinct identity, they all embrace a comprehensive approach to preparing their students for success. Whether it’s through innovative learning environments, career connections, or internship opportunities, these institutions are dedicated to helping students thrive both on and off campus.
Majors explored across this season’s diverse landscape include:
- Business Administration
- Life Science
- Civil Engineering
- Literature
- Livestock Production
- Animation
Featured universities include:
- Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
- New York Film Academy
- Northwest Florida State College
- American International College
- University of Illinois Chicago
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- Landmark College
- Santa Ana College
- Texas Lutheran University
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Weber State University
- Seton Hall University
- Los Angeles City College
- Cerritos College
“There are so many pathways to success in higher education. It’s not always about where your journey starts; it is about the people on the journey who help you along the way to achieve your goals. Every school this season reminds us of the importance of a supportive academic community,” Boylan added.
ABOUT:
The College Tour is a groundbreaking TV series that takes the viewer on an intimate journey through campuses across the country, telling each school’s story through the diverse lens of its students. Hosted by The Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, The College Tour brings equity to college readiness by providing a platform to access comprehensive and meaningful information regarding higher education anytime and anywhere, free of charge. The College Tour is available on Amazon Prime Video and on www.thecollegetour.com.
The College Tour Captures the Exciting Opportunities Awaiting All Students in Higher Education
By The Daily News l I October 17, 2023
New Season – Now Available on Amazon Prime Video – Brings Colleges Directly to Viewers, Highlighting the Vibrancy and Inclusivity of Modern College Life.
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The highly-anticipated 9th season of the award-winning series The College Tour, from Emmy-nominated producers Alex Boylan, Lisa Hennessy, and Burton Roberts, continues to be the ultimate college search resource with its intimate look at American colleges and universities all told from the perspective of actual students. Hosted by The Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, The College Tour is a one-of-a-kind show that gives families the freedom to explore all options in higher education without the burden of travel costs or logistics.
“Season 9 truly showcases the diversity and support found on today’s college campuses. From students with autism and learning disabilities to adult learners seeking to advance their education, aspiring doctors, and passionate filmmakers and writers, this season proves that finding the right school can make all the difference,” said host, co-creator, and executive producer Alex Boylan.
Although each school featured this season has its own distinct identity, they all embrace a comprehensive approach to preparing their students for success. Whether it’s through innovative learning environments, career connections, or internship opportunities, these institutions are dedicated to helping students thrive both on and off campus.
Majors explored across this season’s diverse landscape include:
- Business Administration
- Life Science
- Civil Engineering
- Literature
- Livestock Production
- Animation
Featured universities include:
- Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
- New York Film Academy
- Northwest Florida State College
- American International College
- University of Illinois Chicago
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- Landmark College
- Santa Ana College
- Texas Lutheran University
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Weber State University
- Seton Hall University
- Los Angeles City College
- Cerritos College
“There are so many pathways to success in higher education. It’s not always about where your journey starts; it is about the people on the journey who help you along the way to achieve your goals. Every school this season reminds us of the importance of a supportive academic community,” Boylan added.
ABOUT:
The College Tour is a groundbreaking TV series that takes the viewer on an intimate journey through campuses across the country, telling each school’s story through the diverse lens of its students. Hosted by The Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, The College Tour brings equity to college readiness by providing a platform to access comprehensive and meaningful information regarding higher education anytime and anywhere, free of charge. The College Tour is available on Amazon Prime Video and on www.thecollegetour.com.
Amazon Prime TV series ‘The College Tour’ films episode on EICC
By Gannon Hanevold, Quad- City Times l I October 18, 2023
Anational television show is visiting Eastern Iowa Community Colleges this week.
Amazon Prime TV show “The College Tour,” hosted by former “Amazing Race” winner Alex Boylan, is filming a 30-minute educational episode on EICC.
“The College Tour” started in 2020 when Boylan’s niece was undecided on where to go to college. She wanted to see as many universities as possible, so Boylan conjured up a show that makes that possible. And since then, “The College Tour” has shared ten seasons worth of episodes on more than a hundred colleges and universities of varying sizes.
From Fairbanks, Alaska, to Jacksonville, Florida, each episode shares some background information on the college’s specialties and history. It also shares stories from real students.
On the Clinton, Quad-Cities and Muscatine campuses this week, filming started on Monday, with “The College Tour” featuring ten different EICC students from different backgrounds. There are students who are currently enrolled in high school, some who are pursuing degrees online and others who are adults re-visiting higher education.
The ten students featured wrote their own scripts, with the help of EICC’s promotions and marketing team, led by associate director for marketing and communications Johnna Kerres and marketing coordinator Griffin Wagner.
Kerres said they had over 30 students apply to be in the show. While holding auditions and workshopping scripts, Kerres said they sought to emulate the varied experiences of EICC’s student body.
The opportunity to be on the show came up this summer, when the crew from “The College Tour” reached out, interested in shooting at a college in the region. For Kerres, who once studied toward a career in broadcast television, it seemed like a perfect chance to showcase why EICC is nicknamed “the community’s college.”
“We serve a wide variety of people, and this is just a great way to tell our story and really highlight our students,” Kerres said. “They’re the heart of what we do.”
Boylan, who filmed his stand-ups against the Mississippi River in LeClaire Park on Tuesday, said what makes “The College Tour” worth it is knowing he’s helping to make higher education more accessible. That’s why he’s made it a priority for the show to feature schools of all sizes in all parts of the country.
“We want to increase the amount of high school students going off to higher education,” he said. “That looks different for everyone — we all got different paths, but there is a path.”
Boylan said post-production on episodes typically takes around two months, and there is no timeline yet on when the episode on EICC will be released. But once it is, Kerres and Wagner said they’re eager to share it with students and faculty.
UT Dallas gets its shining moment on ‘The College Tour’
Forbes’ top-ranked university in North Texas featured in an episode on Amazon Prime Video.
By Kent Best, Dallas Morning News l I October 18, 2023
The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) is ready for its close-up.
The university is being featured on an episode of the now-streaming Amazon Prime Video series The College Tour, allowing the school to reach a global audience. Such a program is a first for the growing university in Richardson, home to almost 31,000 students and dozens of national rankings.
The College Tour, which has produced segments on other notable universities such as the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, the University of California, Davis, and Tulane University, follows 10 UTD students on a 30-minute tour of the university’s campus and several of its academic programs. Along the way, viewers get a taste of UTD’s unique culture, along with its modern campus and connections to its namesake city of Dallas.
Created by three founders of Texas Instruments more than a half century ago, the university has moved well beyond its beginning as a single building in the middle of a prairie. Forbes recently ranked UTD the No. 1 university in North Texas — public or private — and among the top 100 of all universities nationwide.
Well known for its STEM focus and with a growing presence in the arts, UTD is a Carnegie R1 research university that has 24 academic programs nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report. The university also is known for attracting students who are seeking a college home where they can pursue a variety of interests. The new episode prominently features this aspect of UTD.
“The College Tour provides a great opportunity for us to show prospective students what makes UTD special,” says UTD President Richard C. Benson. “Our students are multidimensional, and we embrace that. We like to say that UTD is unlike any other university. Viewers of our episode will get a chance to see that difference for themselves.”
Ingrid London, UTD’s assistant provost for admission and enrollment, says she anticipates the episode to be especially helpful as prospective students and their families hear from current students about life on the college campus they’re considering.
“These are first-person accounts of life at UTD from the students who live it,” says London, a UTD alumna. “Our students define our institution, and this episode provides a great way for prospective students and their families to explore UTD.”
Alex Boylan, the host and creator of The College Tour, says he quickly noticed the exceptional nature of UTD when his team filmed the segment on campus in May.
“We had an awesome time at UTD,” Boylan says. “The campus, faculty, staff and students at UTD were smart, engaged and clearly in love with their university. I loved the variety of their stories and their common focus on learning without boundaries. From the president on down, the UTD difference shined brightly during our week on campus.”
The students featured in The College Tour auditioned for their spots by submitting a video of themselves talking about why they chose UTD and what they’ve gained from the university. Each of the students wrote their own scripts. No teleprompters were used.
Students in the show include Thomas Otten, a business analytics graduate student from Cedar Park; Sarah Ahmed, a healthcare studies junior from Frisco; Paul Micus, a chemistry senior from Waco; Kara Curtis, an international political economy senior from Gunter; Willie Chalmers III, a computer science senior from North Las Vegas; Jose Marquez, a mechanical engineering senior from Allen; Maria Williams, a neuroscience junior from Coppell; Rohan Springer, an accounting junior from Plano; Anahi Leon, a psychology senior from Dallas; and Troy Murray, a marketing senior from Las Vegas.
“Being able to work with The College Tour team was like a dream,” says Williams, who chose UTD after considering UT Austin, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and Reed College in Portland, Oregon. “I was nervous about having professional cameras and filming equipment pointed at me, but the team made the shooting experience so seamless and fun, and I enjoyed being with them. The entire thing was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Murray, who considered UCLA, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine before choosing UTD, says he hopes prospective students from around the world will see themselves pursuing their higher education at UTD. “I have no doubt that this project will increase UTD’s global awareness and encourage many more bright minds to become Comets themselves.”
In addition to Amazon Prime Video, The College Tour UTD episode is available at solar.utdallas.edu/TheCollegeTour. There, viewers also can watch two web exclusives: “Coffee with the President,” an interview with President Benson, and “Ask Admissions,” an interview with Assistant Provost London.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges to be featured on TV show ‘The College Tour’
By Joe McCoy, WQAB – ABC I October 17, 2023
RIVERDALE, Iowa — Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is getting a special opportunity to showcase itself on the world stage. It’s part of the TV show, “The College Tour,” hosted by Alex Boylan, the winner of the Amazing Race Season 2.
“It’s so important to have community colleges,” Boylan said. “The goal of each episode is to tell the story of that specific institution through the lens of their students and bring that story to life.”
The show’s conception began when Boylan’s niece was touring colleges. She was unable to tour all the colleges she wished to because of financial restrictions.
“I can still hear like it was yesterday. My older sister was like, ‘Izzy, we don’t have money to travel all across the country looking at every school you want to,'” Boylan said. He wanted to bring the college tour experience into the living rooms of prospective students and alleviate the financial burden.
10 students at Eastern Iowa Community College are being highlighted, including Bradley Thiessen-Cooper.
“I’m a non traditional student,” Thiessen-Cooper said. “So I actually graduated high school in 2007 and I took a little bit of time off, took my own path through life, and then my husband encouraged me to go back to school in 2019.”
Bradley is also the Executive Assistant for Resource Development at EICC, helping other students gain scholarships. He graduates from EICC in December and will attend St. Ambrose University next fall to begin his bachelors degree.
“It takes community to get the student through school,” Thiessen-Cooper said. “And that working together, building up students, we also build our community up. I hear a lot of people say that the best investment that you can make is in yourself, and it’s totally true.”
The 30 minute episode will air in May on Amazon Video and Tubi.