To be part of ESPN College GameDay, Lexi Link knew she had to be a cut above.

A senior at the University of Alabama, Link jumped at the opportunity in fall 2020 to be a “runner” for College GameDay when the TV program descended on the Tuscaloosa campus. GameDay is ESPN’s signature college football preview show broadcasted live from a different college campus each Saturday.

“Runners” for GameDay handle a variety of tasks like securing food and beverage for the production crew and setting up/taking down equipment.

The application process required a phone interview and follow-up emails, and that’s where the Rubin curriculum, called “Emerge,” gave Link an edge.

Link used Emerge in JCM 484: Capstone Sports Portfolio within the Department of Journalism and Creative Media. The instructor, Dr. Michael Bruce, incorporates Emerge to give his students real-life practice for skills like email writing, networking and interviewing.

Link, who majors in sports media, learned through Emerge how to demonstrate confidence in phone interviews and add a special touch in thank-you emails after the interview.

“Emerge taught me to ask my own questions during interviews rather than just answer questions the employer asks me,” said Link, who is also working on a master’s in sports administration. “And in my thank-you email after the interview, I used the Emerge technique of showing how much I appreciate the career advice the person shared with me.”

The woman who led the interview told Link to always remember the names of the people on your team. Link told the woman in the thank-you message that she found the “name” suggestion to be a great tip.

In Emerge, students learn the smallest details always make the biggest impact.

Listen to Alabama senior Lexi Link explain the value of Emerge for her career aspirations.

“I find Emerge to be a straightforward curriculum with a lot of practical value for my students,” said Dr. Bruce. “Whether the opportunity is with ESPN or any other employer, we want to prepare our students to stand out from the competition by doing all the little things right. Emerge helps us do that.”

Thanks to Link’s strong communication skills, the woman who selected the Alabama senior as a “runner” plans to stay in touch about future opportunities within ESPN.

Link, who would love to work for ESPN one day, believes it’s all about honing her skills every day.

“Emerge puts many of my ideas into motion with a format and structure that helps me look my best.”

Ready to explore Emerge for your students? Request a 30-day free trial here!