Fresno State Athletics
Mason Attends NCAA Summit
4/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
April 12, 2011
FRESNO, Calif. - 
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With great anticipation, Kelly Mason drove down to Los Angeles on the morning of day one of her first day at a life-changing prestigious summit.
"I did not quite know what to expect from the summit, but I knew that it was run by the NCAA and it was about sports and entertainment," Mason said. "The only explanation I had heard about it was that it was a summit with current professionals in the sports media field and we were going to be able to listen to them speak."
Mason is a Fresno State undergraduate student-athlete less than two months away from earning with bachelor's degree in mass communication and journalism.
She just finished her fourth and final season in a Bulldog volleyball uniform. After 12 years of playing school and club volleyball, she is ready to step forward into the next chapter of her life and pursue her lifelong passion of sports and new interest in sports media.
Only six student-athletes were selected from the west coast, including Mason, and the rest of the athletes were mainly from the Midwest, South and East Coast. The quality, yet diverse group of college upperclassmen, with different sports backgrounds, majors and Divisions were all brought together by their shared enthusiasm for sports media.
To learn more about the sports media industry, Mason had applied for the exclusive spot at the 2011 NCAA Inaugural Sports and Entertainment Summit that was held in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 4 and 5.
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With over 350 student-athlete applicants across Division I, II, and III, Mason was one of a select 100 that were accepted, based on her impressive resume and career objective.
The participants received advice from a variety of professionals that worked in social media, sports marketing and events, sports writing, television and radio sports reporting, as well as the music and motion pictures industry.
The student-athletes heard from an array of speakers featuring J.A. Adande of ESPN, Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated, Shelly Smith of ESPN, music producer Harvey Mason who produced the soundtrack for the movie "Dreamgirls" and worked with Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and many more over the years, and Shannon Gans, whose company New Deal Studios creates major motion picture visual effects including Academy Award-winning "Inception."
The main goal of the summit involved offering the future leaders an insight about the realities of working in the sports media industry.
The two-day summit consisted of panel discussions, round-table sessions with groups of 10 athletes and one professional, and two-hour breakout sessions discussing the topics of sports marketing and business, print media and television, and music and sports radio. The summit also included a community service event where the athletes were grouped with teens from the greater Los Angeles area to play icebreaker games and build bikes to give away to children in need.
"The community service event was one of the most memorable parts of the whole summit," Mason reflected. "It was so great to have to opportunity to bond with these kids as well as the other student-athletes. It was an enjoyable and rewarding experience that positively impacted all the participants."
| I attended the summit hoping to gain knowledge and opportunities, and that was exactly what happened.
- Kelly Mason, Class of 2011 |
The summit also allowed the student-athletes to ask questions and interact with the sports media professionals on a more personal level. Some of the main elements emphasized at the summit were networking and making connections with peers as well as the professionals. Student-athletes were encouraged to discuss any questions, goals and dreams with the professionals.
In order for the student-athletes to apply to the summit, they had to be a junior or senior, and the majority ended up being seniors.
"A small handful of the seniors had their paths set, but for many of the student-athletes they attended the summit to figure out their path," Mason noted. "The quality of the professionals that attended was very evident, but what was even greater was the fact that they were so willing to help and give advice. The professionals shared stories of how they got started and what they did to get to where they are now."
For Mason, these moments were extremely helpful. Before the summit, she had some ideas of what to do and where to go, but the Temecula native gained a much clearer vision of what she wanted to do after the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"With graduation only a few months away, I was starting to get that overwhelmed feeling that many seniors get," Mason added. "I attended the summit hoping to gain knowledge and opportunities, and that was exactly what happened. I soaked up everything that I could and took advantage of the fact that I was making first impressions and great career networking and connections. I received incredible advice and assistance. I now have a clearer idea of the path I want to take in my career."
The NCAA staff partnered with the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission (LASEC) to put on the event. The LASEC is a non-profit organization that hosts, plans, coordinates, and retains major sporting and entertainment events that positively impact the LA economy. Some of their most recent work was with the NBA 2011 All-Star game and the 2011 Grammy Awards.
"The NCAA summit was truly an amazing experience and I'm extremely happy that I was one of the selected to attend," Mason said. "I have set great new goals for myself and continue to be very motivated to keep working hard. My internship is helping me get hands-on experience and knowledge I need to further pursue my career."
By interning in the Fresno State Athletic Communications Department, Mason has combined her love for sports with her undergraduate option of public relations.
While she is done with her eligibility, Mason still maintains that same driven mentality that she had on the volleyball court.
Mason is moving forward on her newly paved path by applying for summer sports media internships to gain more knowledge and hands-on experience. Her goal is to work for in-house for a professional sports team.
For more information on the LASEC, visit www.lasec.net
