Helping Student-Athletes Look to the Future

Temple Athletics teams up with espnw to provide educational advice to female athletic students to prepare them for the future.

In an effort for inspiration, Temple University Athletics Department and espnW hosted a Campus Converations this past Tuesday at the Howard Gittis Student Center for female student-athletes. 

Temple alumnae athletes and ESPN talent spoke to a room full of female student-athletes ready to learn about their futures. The event was set up through in-depth panel discussions and breakout sessions.  

Jessica Reo, the executive senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator, who was in part of setting up the event felt that it would be a great opportunity for the young athletes. 

Reo said, “I think we were very excited to bring espnW to campus for our student-athletes. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for them to learn about what it’s like to go out into the real world.” 

From Left to Right: Lauren Procopio, Lise DeAndrea, J.P. Abercrumble, Dr. Kamali Thompson & Marsha Cooke pose for a picture at the espnw campus conversations.

The special guests of the night were led by ESPN analyst Monica McNutt, who served as the moderator for the panel. 

Each alum expressed how their lives developed after graduating college and moving on to their careers. The goal was to educate, prepare and motivate the students on what they need .   

Lise DeAndrea, Temple grad and founder of Customer Service Experts Inc., shared her experiences of figuring out her career path while in school.

“My first internship was in market research unrelated to my major. I was so focused on broadcast journalism. My whole ride at Temple and on a pivot I found the professor that really inspired me and it was a whole different area of market research and that’s what I do today. ” 

The conversations that developed over the night gave many of the young athlete’s insight into how the world is and how to perform professionally. 

Temple alumnae hoped that sharing their experiences would help the students considering they were once in their shoes. 

Reese Woods, a Media and Communications major at Klein College, expressed how important it was for her to hear from the panelist and feels comfortable about moving on into the real world.

“I really enjoyed my experience at this event. I was very appreciative of the opportunity to pick these panelists’ brains. And I really liked how we got some intimate time with some of them to get everything out of them and I honestly think I can walk away with a lot of new information.”

Networking was one of the big topics that each panelist encouraged the athletes to remember when moving on into their career path 

“A support system for you as you move forward into your career life and that’s going to be friends, it’s gonna be family, it’s gonna be former teammates. It’s going to be people in the business world that are there to help you and to support you” Lise DeAndrea said. 

The night ended with the young athletes fully informed and ready for what the future provides them. 

Marsha Cooke, Vice President and Director for ESPN Films, left the students with a few words of wisdom and what she continues to stand by today. 

“My motto has always been never say no to an opportunity because you just don’t know what it may have in store for you” she said. 

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