Wiley and Columbia University will grant scholarships to Columbia University’s Online Sports Industry Essentials Program for underserved youth.
NEW YORK, NY (January 19, 2017) – Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS) and Qubed Education today announced a partnership with former All-Pro NFL Star and Columbia University alumnus, Marcellus Wiley, to extend access to the Sports Industry Essentials program, an online program designed to support aspiring sports industry professionals to discover and explore the various career opportunities available to them within the global sports industry. The Sports Industry Essentials program is produced by the globally-ranked Columbia University Master in Sports Management program.
As a recognized ESPN broadcaster and sports analyst, Marcellus Wiley has always been an advocate for career exploration and education as a path for career advancement, particularly for underserved groups. As part of the partnership, students under the age of twenty-one will have the opportunity to be considered for full and partial scholarships to the Sports Industry Essentials program by submitting an essay on why they desire to pursue a career in the sports industry, while students older than twenty-one will have the opportunity to apply for partial scholarships.
“Finding ways to pursue a career you love and excel is critical in today’s society. And, the growing sports industry is exploding with opportunities for advancement—my journey from Compton to Columbia University, and then from the NFL to ESPN is a perfect example of that,” said Wiley. “The Sports Industry Essentials program offered by Columbia University opens doors into the sports industry for many people across the world and I personally share Qubed’s mission to provide quality education programs that help individuals pursue their career passions.”
“Marcellus has established himself as a leader in media, sports, and business,” said Rob Kingyens, Qubed President and CEO. “And, we share the same mission to impact individuals through aligning passions and education. We believe partnering together for this program with Columbia University, and as a company, is a great way to make the greatest social impact through online education.”
"The sports industry is experiencing dramatic change, driven by digital technology and globalization. This program explores those new frontiers, making them accessible to aspiring sports professionals," added Vince Gennaro, the Director of Columbia's Sports Management program.
The six-course, online program features lessons from an extensive network of Columbia University faculty as well as sports industry professionals from the National Football League, National Hockey League, Nike, FC Bayern Munich, and others. Enrollees can take the courses at any time, along with the opportunity to earn a statement of completion certificate from Columbia University.
For students interested in enrolling in the program, please visit: http://sie.sps.columbia.edu/marcellus
For organizations interested in partnering with the program, please send an email to: partners [at] sie [dot] sps [dot] columbia [dot] edu (partners[at]sie[dot]sps[dot]columbia[dot]edu).
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About Columbia University
Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.
About Marcellus Wiley
Marcellus Wiley has been a broadcaster and analyst for ESPN and ESPN Radio since 2007 after a 10-year NFL career. He was selected with the 22nd pick of the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft out of Columbia University by the Buffalo Bills. After four seasons with the Bills, he played for the San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars. He was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2001, as a member of the San Diego Chargers. A native of Compton, Calif., Wiley played college football at Columbia University, helping the Ivy League program improve from a 2-8 record his freshman year to 8-2 his senior season. He earned first team all-conference honors numerous times and was named an All-American in 1996. Wiley graduated from Columbia University in 1997 with a bachelor of science degree in sociology. In 2006 Wiley was inducted into the Columbia University Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2013 he was inducted into the Ivy League Hall of Fame. Wiley is frequent speaker and panelist around the country on education and societal issues.
About Qubed Education
Qubed Education is an education technology company based in New York City whose mission is to empower the next generation of talent to find their passion and build a career doing what they love. Qubed strives to deliver on this mission by partnering with top-tier universities and world-class global brands to provide students with unparalleled online educational experiences and inspiring career opportunities.
