story by Max Clifford
Sport Administration Graduate Student
Former NFL player and sports radio personality Mike Golic Jr. made a guest appearance in Assistant Professor Allison Smith’s graduate sport communication course on Oct. 2.
Golic is the latest in Smith’s series of guest speakers brought in to discuss the sport media industry with her class.
Students in this course have heard from several industry experts on game reporting, podcasting and public relations, among others. Each speaker has prepared a presentation ranging in content from technical to biographical, with time for students to pose their own questions.
Golic’s presentation, which was conducted virtually, followed his journey from professional football and his work with ESPN to his current roles as a podcast host for DraftKings and an on-air college football analyst for CBS Sports.
When asked about the message he hopes students take away from his presentation, Golic said he wanted to emphasize the importance of being a good teammate. “The easiest thing about this industry is to treat people the right way and think of every show/broadcast as a team,” he said. “Be a leader, share the ball and help everyone win.”
Since graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2013, Golic has returned to the classroom setting for similar guest lecturer appearances. He said that Georgia State students were particularly engaged during his presentation, noting that he was “impressed by how thoughtful and curious the whole class was” and that their questions helped steer the conversation in the right direction.
Golic listed his father Mike Golic Sr., his former boss Justin Craig, Jon “Stugotz” Weiner and Robin Lundberg among those who helped him develop as a professional and a creative. He says that by sharing his journey and advice with students, he hopes to pay forward the support that got him to where he is now.
“I’m no expert,” he said. “But if my experience helps anyone feel a bit more comfortable in this industry, then I consider that a win.”
The sport administration program is housed in the College of Education & Human Development’s Department of Kinesiology and Health. The program offers a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Sport Administration, a Master of Science in Sport Administration and a Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a concentration in sport administration. The M.S. program is currently ranked No. 12 in the U.S. by Sport Business International. The sport administration program is home to the Center for Sport and Urban Policy and the Rankin Cooter Bureau for Sport Business Research.
For program information, contact [email protected]. For the latest information, follow the program on Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram at @GSUSportAdmin.