Engineer a Future You’ll Love: Q&A: With The College Tour Star Cedric Harris
By Mizzou Engineering I April 25, 2023
As an information technology major and student videographer, Cedric “Cj” Harris is used to being behind the camera. Recently, though, he stepped into the spotlight to star in the University of Missouri’s episode of The College Tour.
In the episode, Cedric discusses his undergraduate experience as a Mizzou Engineer, including how he has incorporated extracurricular activities into his degree. You can see him operating Spot, the robotic dog from Boston Dynamics, with Assistant Professional Practice Professor Kristofferson Culmer and taking photos between The Columns on the Francis Quadrangle.
We asked Cedric to talk to us about his experience filming The College Tour and time at Mizzou.
Please Introduce yourself
My name is Cedric “Cj” Harris, and I’m an Information Technology major originally from Memphis, TN (but Saint Louis is a second home). I spend most of my free time taking photos and shooting videos. I am currently a producer and photographer for the University’s Joint Office of Strategic Communication and Marketing (JOSCOM) as well as a Photographer and Videographer for the Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity.
What’s your most memorable Mizzou Engineering experience?
Ireland [study abroad] is for sure at the top of that list. Being immersed in a different culture, and seeing so much of such a beautiful country was breath-taking. A close second is conducting research in the Spot lab and being able to watch it perform on Farout Field during halftime.
Why did you want to participate in The College Tour?
I feel that it provided me a great opportunity to showcase how special and unique a student’s experience could be here at Mizzou. Coming into college, I didn’t know the things I’ve accomplished were possible. I’ve genuinely enjoyed every minute of my time as a Tiger and I want other students and especially potential students to know that Mizzou and college in general is so much more than classes, homework and dressing up your dorm room. There are real opportunities to grow as a person and prepare yourself for whatever type of life and career you want.
What was your favorite part of working on The College Tour?
Filming with the crew was super fun. It was weird being on the other end of production and being in front of the camera for once. It made me take a step back and appreciate how special it is to be in a production of this scale and how much of a collaborative effort it is on everyone’s part.
What would you tell a 17-year-old high school student about Mizzou Engineering?
If you think you can do it, go do it. If you don’t know how to get it done, ask. I promise it’s possible. There’s no idea in college that is too big. There are people, resources, funding and many other types of support for any experience you want to have as a student. From research to study abroad, there are resources to help you accomplish your goals. Just be sure to have goals in place and never be afraid if they change. Just keep asking questions.
What advice would you give freshmen to succeed in the College of Engineering?
Find a way to get your work done sooner rather than later. Whether you study alone, in groups, through YouTube, or with a tutor, be realistic about how you need to accomplish your work. The opportunities will always be there. But you can’t accomplish anything if you’re not a good student.
What do you love about being a Mizzou Tiger?
Mizzou has helped me grow in every aspect of life. The students are amazing, the campus is beautiful and there’s no shortage of exceptional leadership. It’s a place that makes me feel like I can conquer the world, and also gives me everything I need to do it. M-I-Z!
Z-O-U! Thank you for sharing.
Watch Cedric on The College Tour here!
Texas A&M To Host ‘The College Tour’ Watch Party On May 1
By Texas A&M University Division of Marketing and Communications I April 27, 2023
Courtesy
Texas A&M University is celebrating its recent appearance on the Amazon Prime Video series “The College Tour” with a public screening and premiere party at Brookshire Brothers’ Stage 12 on May 1 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
The hour-long episode, which is available to watch now at thecollegetour.com, explores traditions, academics and student life at the nation’s largest public university through the eyes of 20 A&M students. Monday’s premiere will give the A&M community a chance to recognize those students and their stories, said Kelli Hollinger, director of visitor experience for Texas A&M’s Undergraduate Recruitment and Outreach office. The event will also include appearances by the Aggie Yell Leaders and Texas A&M mascot Reveille X.
“It’s going to be a fun environment with time to mix and mingle, grab some popcorn and learn more about our celebrity students,” Hollinger said. “By hearing experiences from many different students from many different walks of life, the episode will make you proud to be an Aggie.”
Susan Ballabina, Texas A&M’s chief external affairs officer and senior vice president for academic and strategic collaborations, said the diverse group of interviewees provided an excellent cross-section of A&M’s student body, representing a large swath of the university’s colleges and schools, as well as its many avenues for student involvement.
“The Aggies featured in this episode highlight the vast opportunities and resources available at Texas A&M,” Ballabina said. “Their stories allow former students to connect with their shared experiences and prospective students to dream about their future at the university.”
The episode will also highlight many of Texas A&M’s most iconic locations and programs, giving prospective students an inside look at the everyday Aggie experience. It will be free to watch on Amazon in late May.
“The College Tour platform features a unique array of colleges and universities worldwide,” said Barbara Mendoza, senior associate vice president of marketing and communications. “With streaming available on their website and Amazon Prime Video, high school students anywhere can use it as a college exploration resource. We saw this as an opportunity to highlight Texas A&M on a global scale.”
Hollinger said she expects current students will be excited to cheer on their friends and classmates who represented Texas A&M on the show. Those featured in the episode are as follows:
- Parker Wagner, a mechanical engineer senior from Austin, Texas
- Kaiya Burden, an engineering freshman from Houston, Texas
- Grayson Winchester, a business honors senior from Fort Worth, Texas
- Kaitlyn Harris, a global arts, planning, design, and construction senior from College Station, Texas
- Javier Lopez, a mechanical engineering senior from Monterrey, Mexico
- Sima Dib, a biomedical engineering sophomore from Beirut, Lebanon
- Harrison Wissel-Littmann, an industrial and systems engineering senior from San Antonio, Texas
- London Marchman, a university studies biomedical sciences senior from Fort Worth, Texas
- Lauren Gudalis, a sport management senior from Lexington, Kentucky
- Isaiah Thomas, a business honors and finance junior from Houston, Texas
- Reham Selim, an industrial distribution senior from Houston, Texas
- Kenner Taylor, a business honors and finance senior from Houston, Texas
- Lindsay Dominguez, a biomedical sciences junior from Rhome, Texas
- Jacob Mathiasmeier, a business honors senior from Katy, Texas
- Kenya Rodriguez, a recreation, park and tourism sciences junior from Harlingen, Texas
- Zoe Leung, a forensic and investigative sciences sophomore from Long Island, New York
- Kim Nguyen, a management senior from Houston, Texas
- DeVante Love, a performance studies graduate student from Sacramento, California
- Sarisha Mendoza, an allied health junior from McAllen, Texas
- Chandlier R. Richmond, an industrial and systems engineering junior from Mansfield, Texas
The screening and premiere party are free and open to the public. Brookshire Brothers and its Stage 12 venue are located at 455 George Bush Dr. West in College Station, directly across from E.B. Cushing Stadium. Guests are encouraged to RSVP at tx.ag/TheCollegeTourPremiere.
Catch a Sneak Peek of an Episode of ‘The College Tour’ Featuring Texas A&M
By Katie Aupperle, KBTC First News at Four I April 25, 2023
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) -There is a show on Amazon Prime that helps tell the story of what life is like on college campuses across the country called “The College Tour”.
“This is an Emmy-award winning, eight-season series on Amazon Prime,” said Kelli Hollinger, Director of the Aggieland Visitor Center. “It offers prospective students a chance to get an inside look into what college campuses are like.”
On May 23, a new episode will air featuring Texas A&M University.
“This will feature 20 students’ stories from leaders across campus, students who have engaged in research, others have participated in the arts,” Hollinger said.
Ahead of that, there will be a premiere event in College Station at Stage 12 to give you a sneak peek.
The watch party will begin at 5:30 p.m. on May 1.
Hollinger says you can expect a maroon carpet and maybe some special guests from campus.
Copyright 2023 KBTX. All rights reserved.
Lamar College Tour Cast Hits the Red Carpet
By Kim Bent, Beaumont Enterprise I April 24, 2023
Two rental cars brought nine of the 10 cast members to the venue, where LU and Big Red, family, friends, administrators and others gathered to welcome their entry upon a red carpet laid outside the Henry Iles Building, with members of Lamar’s band heralding their arrival.
Lamar students who comprised the cast of the university’s upcoming episode on Alex Boylan’s The College Tour reality television series got the star treatment during a preview party Thursday night at the Price Auditorium.
Two rental cars brought nine of the 10 cast members to the venue, where LU and Big Red, family, friends, administrators and others gathered to welcome their entry upon a red carpet laid outside the Henry Iles Building, with members of Lamar’s band heralding their arrival.
Freshman Emily Smith’s family held bouquets of flowers and signs with her photo in their hands as they joined the line of guests applauding the cast’s entry.
President Jaime Taylor was first in line on one side of the red carpet greeting, shaking each student’s hand as they arrived.
“This is such an exciting day for us,” said Taylor, who applauds the university’s marketing department for its creativity in getting Lamar University on a stage that reaches well beyond the predominantly Southeast Texan student population.
RELATED: The College Tour filmed on campus last fall
That was a sentiment shared by nearly all of the student cast members, who discussed why they tried out for a spot on the show and how it has impacted them during a panel discussion that followed the episode preview.
The discussion was led by 2007 Lamar University communications graduate Joshua Yawn, owner of Joshua Productions. Yawn got his broadcast start at LUTV in college and is currently the corporate host for Nissan.
It’s a path to success that was forged through his academic and experiential opportunities at Lamar, “and these students are on the same path,” he told the crowd.
“Several months ago, these ten talented students got together. They went through a whole lot to get here and they worked very, very hard” to produce what would become Lamar’s statement to the world of college seeking students, Yawn said.
RELATED: Lamar’s distinguished art school alumni
They wrote their own scripts, chose their own wardrobes, filmed three-minute segments that ultimately took far more than three minutes to shoot.
Jacob Murphy said he thought he would “roll in, do my three minutes then be back home taking a nap or eating pizza.”
As a member of Lamar’s Soul of the South marching band and other campus groups, he was no stranger to being in front of a camera or in front of a crowd.
“But when that camera rolled, I forgot my entire script. We had to take a 10-minute break so I could remember what my name was,” Murphy recounted.
There were also interruptions by passing traffic and Beaumont’s endless trains.
RELATED: Lamar’s new Flowserve Lab benefits students and local workers
Over an hour later, his segment with the film crew, which included director Daren Woolsey, a lighting technician and two additional film crew members, wrapped up.
Murphy wasn’t the only one to grapple with a moment of sudden “stage fright” when the cameras started rolling.
Zaid Mohammed had a similar experience, but “they were really willing to work with us and make it comfortable,” he said.
The cast member who had the easiest go of the filming side was senior Alexis Miller, who is a broadcast major and has been part of LUTV and other campus media.
“My filming experience was a breeze, because I do this all the time,” she said.
RELATED: Lamar student wins top state award
Being part of the show added a layer to Miller’s broadcast experience that will benefit her as she moves on in the workforce after graduating this May, and definitely helped in landing a spot on a Lamar University commercial that aired during the Super Bowl in February.
Fellow senior Hannah Norwood said her experience with the show helped as she faced interviews at potential medical schools – schools she’d researched in part by watching their episodes on the College Tour.
Norwood said she learned so much about professionalism and marketing through her exposure to Lamar’s communications department.
Her first medical school interviews were “intimidating, but later in the process after I did this, the College Tour was a huge conversation point,” she said.
Not only was she more confident in her communication skills, but being part of the show made her stand out from the crowd.
RELATED: Lamar’s Welcome Center gives the campus entry a facelift
It also created more interest for Lamar among those school administrators.
“At the end (of the interview), they’d say, ‘send more Cards, because this was wonderful,’” Norwood said.
Landon Richard, who is pursuing his master’s degree in business with a focus on leadership, got a similar boost in his future through doing the show.
“I’m beyond prepped for the future. I’m already employed and in a leadership role at my two jobs while pursuing my MBA,” he said.
The show still helped him with his communication skills, which are especially vital to those in leadership roles. The skills helped him land an internship at ExxonMobil working in public and government affairs.
However, being part of the College Tour cast means more than a chance to be in the spotlight or get a leg up for the future. It’s also a chance to highlight the school that has put each of the students on their respective paths for the future.
RELATED: Lamar State College Orange breaks ground on new facility
As Boylan said in the episode opening, “Lamar University has a story (people) want to hear.”
It’s a story that Mohammed didn’t fully appreciate until becoming part of the cast. As an engineering major, he was impressed with the labs and research opportunities available as early as his freshman year, but his experience with other parts of the university were limited.
“Doing this, I saw so much of other departments and students, and I realized how well-rounded this school is,” Mohammed said. “We’re not so well known beyond here, but at the end of the day, medical, law and business schools know Lamar because of the students and alumni. We can tell people now to check out the episode and learn more.”
The diversity and campus opportunities were highlighted by each of the cast members, whose segments focused on a range of topics, including the school and city’s history, dormitories and campus life, financial aid and support systems like Lamar’s Stars Program and multicultural groups.
Cast member Stephanie Barron founded the Lamar Hispanic Society, which she highlighted in her spot, as well as her involvement with the Reaud Honors College.
RELATED: Lamar professor brings history lessons to life
The diversity and campus organizations like Barron’s, along with collegiate scholarships for low income students and counseling for first-generation college students, was a major help to freshman Antonio Maldonado.
He’s not only a first-generation college student, but also a first-generation high school graduate within his family, who emigrated from Mexico 10 years ago. He spoke about being inclusive on campus, stressing that “being involved on campus has to be a big part of college experience.”
Barron agreed, saying that “getting involved is key to doing good here.”
And through their experience with the show, the 10 cast members have gotten involved on a level none even considered when first setting foot on campus.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, (and I’m a senior, so) why not go out with a bang?” Miller said. “I can’t wait until Lamar is huge and I can say I was a part of that.”
Melancon also believes the show will help Lamar’s student population grow.
RELATED: Lamar President’s year in review
As a campus tour guide, she was used to showcasing Lamar to visiting students and parents. Yet, the show will reach those who aren’t already setting foot on campus.
“We’re a hidden gem. Many people don’t know what we have to offer, and now they will,” Richard said. “This was an amazing experience, and I’m honored to be a part of the voice of the university.”
As proud as the cast members are of Lamar, the university is equally proud of them, Taylor said.
“You were chosen because you’re the top students at this university – the kind of students we want to represent us. You are the pride of the university,” he told the cast. “I hope this will attract more students like you.”
‘The College Tour’ Stops at Landmark
By Chris Mays, Brattleboro Reformer I April 13, 2023
PUTNEY — Landmark College will be starring in an episode of a show aimed at giving prospective students and other viewers a real glimpse into college campuses.
“The College Tour” filmed at Landmark College this week for an episode on its ninth season. The series is free on Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms.
“Each episode tells the story of a different institution across America through the lens of its students,” said Alex Boylan, host and executive producer.
Boylan said his group felt Landmark College had “a fascinating story to tell,” as it caters to students who learn differently and provides the full college experience with sports, internships and study abroad programs. Students at the college might be diagnosed with dyslexia, attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder, autism or executive function challenges.
More than a year ago, the show came on Landmark College’s radar as “a great way to showcase” the school, said Mark DiPietro, vice president for marketing and communication at the college. DiPietro and Mike Stefanowicz, vice president for enrollment management, attended a conference last September in Houston, where they met Beth Cohen, a senior producer of the show.
“We started talking about featuring Landmark College on the show, and after a few months of discussions, worked out the details for their visit to campus,” DiPietro said. “We’re thrilled to highlight our student stories and the uniqueness of Landmark College to a global audience.”
DiPietro described Boylan and the entire production team as “a joy to work with.”
Kristopher Radder Brattleboro Reformer
Each half-hour episode of “The College Tour” takes about six months to plan and create. Five days are spent filming on each campus.
The idea for the show came to Boylan about four years ago when his niece was trying to figure out where to go to college and he was helping her look at the options. He noticed traveling to different states could be challenging and costly for prospective students.
Boylan, a former winner of CBS’s “Amazing Race” who also hosted the PBS series “The Chef’s Table” and “Animal Attractions,” said he wanted the show to share the message of the colleges and campus culture with a global audience. His crew prioritizes featuring a diverse group of institutions, and partners with the schools to cast students and film locations.
“It’s a huge team on both sides that need to come together to make this episode,” he said. “And it’s going to be fantastic.”
Boylan expects the episode will be released to Landmark College to share in about two months then it will be put on thecollegetour.com and streaming platforms.
“It’s like a rolling launch, because it kind of never ends,” he said. “And we’re still very good friends and work with institutions from season one that are still using their episode in some capacity or another.”
Boylan said the series and its related web services have become “best friends with about 60,000 high school counselors across the country.” He thanked Landmark College and Putney, describing the community as “so warm and welcoming.”
For the ninth season, his crew also will be visiting Sarah Lawrence College in New York, Texas Lutheran University and Seton Hall University in New Jersey.
Missouri Theater premieres MU edition of ‘The College Tour’
By Avery Grosvenor, KOMU 8 Reporter I April 11, 2023
COLUMBIA – Entering a new chapter in life can be daunting, but the TV series, “The College Tour,” is trying to take away some of that stress from new college students by telling universities’ stories using student voices.
In the series’ eighth season, the University of Missouri got to take part in the show.
“The students we have involved here, the experiences that they talk about and the opportunities that they preview, are going to absolutely entice more Tigers to come to Mizzou,” Victoria Shore, a sophomore at MU who was featured on the show, said. “I’m really excited that ‘The College Tour’ [MU] episode is showing everyone all of that.”
On Tuesday, the Missouri Theater hosted the episode premiere which features MU. Mizzou’s 55-minute episode is among 14 other schools featured in season eight, according to the series’ website. The show’s pilot episode aired in November 2020, according to Amazon.com.
The MU students who were featured on the show had a red carpet moment Tuesday. They posed for pictures, selfies and interviews outside of the Missouri Theater.
Even Truman the Tiger was there.
“People are streaming video at unprecedented rates, and it’s important to be where your audience is,” Jaime Morgans, Director of Marketing for the university, said. “The goal of ‘The College Tour’ was to give families of prospective students that inside look of what it’s like to be at Mizzou.”
The project took nine months to complete and is more than about increasing enrollment at MU, Morgans said.
“It’s also about the general Mizzou vibe and Mizzou love out in the community,” Morgans said. “[It’s for] our alumni, for people who just love Mizzou and want to know about what we’re doing.”
When Shore’s not in the classroom, she is a tour guide for Mizzou’s “Tour Team.” She told KOMU 8 News that getting to know a college’s campus helps prospective students make a conscious decision, even if they take a virtual tour.
“Students sit at home in high school and they’re really nervous about college,” Shore said. “But I know that by viewing ‘The College Tour’ episode right in their living room will make them picture themselves at Mizzou.”
MU’s episode will be available on Amazon Prime on May 23, according to Morgans.
“Once they step foot on campus, once they see what Mizzou has to offer, all of those fears are really qualmed,” Shore said. “It is so inviting, there’s so much Tiger spirit here. I feel like it really does just make them excited more than anything.”
UW-River Falls to Be Featured on ‘The College Tour’
By Leader Telegram I March 14, 2023
RIVER FALLS — What makes UW-River Falls a special institution?
That question will be answered in a season seven episode of “The College Tour,” a television series streamed on Amazon Prime and Amazon Freevee, as well as other streaming services like Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV, the university announced.
The UW-River Falls episode of “The College Tour” will also be available on the university’s website at https://www.uwrf.edu/admissions/the-college-tour on March 22.
UW-River Falls will be the first UW System institution to be featured on “The College Tour.”
“The student stories told during ‘The College Tour’ can bring awareness to our distinctive programs and exceptional academic outcomes,” UW-River Falls Chancellor Maria Gallo stated in the news release. “Viewers can see firsthand why UW-River Falls has been recognized as one of the best universities in the Midwest. It will bring our special Falcon community to a much wider audience.”
The host and executive producer of the series is Alex Boylan, who at 23 won the CBS series “The Amazing Race,” and spent the last 20 years as an award-winning onscreen personality and producer, the university stated. He won an Emmy as a producer of “The Steve Harvey Show” and was named one of Ed Tech Magazine’s Top 30 IT Higher Education Influencers to Follow in 2022.
According to the university, the episode features 10 students discussing a variety of topics they are familiar with, including campus life, academics, housing and dining, sports and student organizations, all intended to give viewers a complete picture of the UW-River Falls experience.
“We wanted to showcase what sets us apart from other campuses,” stated Cathy Leaf, UW-River Falls marketing manager.
One of the participating students, Isaac Roehrig, a junior from Brillion, said he appreciated the opportunity to experience all that goes into a production like “The College Tour.” The film crew helped him feel more at ease during the process, he stated in the news release.
“Standing in front of several cameras can be quite intimidating, but there were several of the marketing team staff members there to make sure I felt comfortable,” Roehrig stated. “The process flew by, but was so much fun to experience.”
UW-River Falls recently completed a new branding effort, Leaf said, and the insights gleaned from that process helped direct the subject matter included in the show.
“We also selected stories that align with our core institutional values, such as sustainability, inclusion, and others,” Leaf added.
Roehrig and other students chosen for the taping wrote their own scripts, Leaf said, and memorized them for the taping. “The College Tour” crew was on campus for a week doing the taping, Leaf said, adding: “The crew was great. I’ve worked with many in my years in marketing and they were top-notch.”
Leaf said publicity surrounding the show will bring UW-River Falls to the attention of more prospective students.
“We know that prospective students like to see and hear from students who are living and learning here,” she told the university.
Roehrig said he hopes that is the case.
“I am so eager to share my UWRF story and so thankful that ‘The College Tour’ gave me the platform to do this,” he stated.
‘The College Tour’ Will Showcase the Roadrunner Community on March 22
By UTSA Today I March 14, 2023
MARCH 14, 2023 — Next week, UTSA will make its debut on the Amazon Prime Video series “The College Tour.”
Created by award-winning producers and hosted by Emmy-nominated storyteller Alex Boylan, each episode of “The College Tour” highlights one university through the stories of its students. UTSA is one of more than 80 universities and colleges that have been featured to date. The UTSA episode will air beginning March 22.
“For high school students trying to decide where they want to attend college, traveling to visit different campuses can be expensive and time-consuming, which may hinder students from considering schools that are farther away from home,” said Lynn Barnes Jr., UTSA senior vice provost for strategic enrollment. “By partnering with ‘The College Tour,’ we now can show prospective students and high school counselors across the nation and the world what life-changing opportunities are available here at UTSA, through the eyes of Roadrunner students who are seizing those experiences to create their bold futures.”
“We now can show prospective students and high school counselors across the nation and the world what life-changing opportunities are available here at UTSA”
The episode is split into 20 segments—one for each featured student —allowing Roadrunners from a variety of majors and backgrounds to illustrate life at UTSA from their unique viewpoint. Each segment also focuses on a different aspect of the UTSA experience, ranging from campus life and student activities to career-engaged learning and research excellence.
The students starring in the episode were selected through a video audition process, and filming took place in September 2022 at various locations across the Main, Southwest and Downtown campuses.
The following Roadrunners comprise the student cast:
- Chloe Barnes (senior, geography and environmental sustainability)
- Joshua Barron (senior, electrical engineering)
- Miranda Boggan (junior, psychology)
- Angelica Cordero (sophomore, psychology)
- Canaan Eggers (sophomore, computer science)
- Juan Ramirez Garcia (senior, music studies)
- Gisele George (graduate, physics)
- Jesus Guillen Jr. (senior, electrical and computer engineering)
- Farah Hamed (senior, finance and management)
- Maren Kitogo (senior, kinesiology)
- Erica McFarland (senior, public health)
- Esteban Mejia (senior, mechanical engineering)
- Jenelle Millison (senior, computer science)
- Madeline Morales (senior, environmental science)
- Kaitlyn Page (senior, marketing)
- Emily Perez (junior, microbiology and immunology)
- Daniel Phillips (junior, cyber security)
- Amanda Salas (senior, multidisciplinary studies)
- Maria Wilhelm (doctoral student, educational leadership)
- Rashad Wisdom (senior, cyber security)
UTSA leaders and members of the student cast, along with their friends and families, enjoyed an on-campus screening last month. Swapping out the typical red carpet, guests walked the UTSA orange carpet, enjoyed music and refreshments, and watched the one-hour episode in the Student Union Retama Auditorium at the UTSA Main Campus. A panel of cast members also screened the episode for prospective students and their families at UTSA Day last month.
“Being a part of ‘The College Tour’ was an amazing experience for our UTSA team of students, staff and faculty who worked in front of and behind the camera to produce the show, and we are excited that soon everyone will have the chance to see the final product,” said Barnes.
Along with the main episode, Boylan also spent time with UTSA President Taylor Eighmy and Director of Freshmen Recruitment Ana K. Rodriguez as part of the Coffee With the President and Ask Admissions miniseries. In these brief episodes, Boylan gets additional insight from Eighmy and Rodriguez about UTSA’s admissions process, financial aid, life in San Antonio and other topics relevant to prospective Roadrunners.
“San Antonio is such a special place. It’s the seventh-largest city in the US, but the city is so welcoming, it really feels like a family,” said Boylan. “The same thing is true for UTSA: from the moment our crew stepped foot on campus, we felt like honorary Roadrunners.”
EXPLORE FURTHER⇒ Watch the episode now on Future Roadrunner⇒ Learn more about The College Tour
“UTSA also is one of fewer than two dozen universities that are designated both as a Hispanic-serving institution and a Tier One research university, and it was evident from our time on campus that the university is really leveraging that distinction, as well as its many partners across San Antonio and Texas, to create one-of-a-kind opportunities for its students. We’re so excited about sharing the UTSA story with the world.”
“The College Tour” will be available on Apple TV and other streaming platforms, in addition to Amazon Prime Video.
‘You Are the Author of Your Story’
Communication alumna finds success as TV producer
By Kayleigh Rahn, University of Ilinois Urbana-Champaign News I March 3, 2023
From the College of LAS to “Survivor” to college campuses across the country, Lisa Hennessy (BA, ’91, speech communication) believes she found her passion at the crossroads of storytelling and traveling.
As executive producer for “The College Tour,” streaming on Amazon Prime, Hennessey helps tell stories of campuses – including Illinois in Season 1 – through the experiences and stories of its students.
“I am a firm believer in working harder than anyone else and following your passions,” she said. “You are the author of your story – make it a great one!”
Occupation: TV executive producer
Describe a typical workday. Also, what is an example of the most interesting aspect of your job?
In 2020 I co-created and executive produced a TV series called “The College Tour.” We film 50-plus episodes a year, so my days greatly vary. Often, I am on a plane heading to a new campus in America. We work with each college and each student to help tell an authentic story. The story of the college is told through the students’ lens.
In hindsight, what about college best prepared you for your life and career?
I was the social chairman of my sorority and learned to love producing events, which lead to producing TV. I didn’t have that ah-ha moment until I moved out to LA. It happened when I heard about a new show that included all the things that I was passionate about – teamwork, sports, travel, and storying telling. I hustled my way to get an interview. Got the job. I was employee number four in a production company that became a global powerhouse – Mark Burnett Productions. We produced shows like Survivor, etc.
How did your major prepare you for your career?
It helped me learn to communicate, that is the key to any career.
What do you like best about your work?
I love telling stories and traveling the world! Whether it’s telling a story around the campfire to telling stories globally through TV – it’s the glue that holds us all together.
Describe your proudest achievement.
My first Emmy nomination in 2000 (for Eco-Challenge: Borneo).
Editor’s note: This LAS@Work profile is part of a series that features College of LAS alumni and their careers. Visit here to read more.