David B. Falk College of Sport Dean Jeremy Jordan looks at the academics of sport through four lenses: business, human performance, technology and community well-being. Innovation and novel ideas drive all those areas in this first-of-its-kind college to focus on sport-connected disciplines.
With the official launch of the newly reimagined Falk College of Sport, Syracuse University became the first leading research institution in the country to offer a rigorous standalone college aimed at preparing students to drive innovation in and provide leadership for sport-related fields and industries.
“This was a great opportunity to focus on the business and science of sport moving forward, providing opportunities for students to create thought leadership and new knowledge through our work and research,” says Jordan. “Year over year, sport continues to grow. Most recently, the growth of women’s sport has been significant and impactful, and it’s exciting for Falk College because that’s another opportunity for us to work with new and emerging leagues as they grow.”
Jordan stopped by the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast to discuss the changes in Falk College, how the college’s four areas of academic excellence will strengthen its reputation as a global leader and how a multifaceted approach will elevate sport across campus.
Check out episode 180 of the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast featuring Jordan. A transcript [PDF] is also available.
We’ve really been able to broaden what we do in sports—beyond sport management and sport analytics. With our programs in exercise science, nutrition and esports, we have this broad-based approach to how we prepare our students to enter the sport industry, and we also offer great research opportunities.
We have amazing students who are already doing incredible things and will work in impactful leadership roles within the industry, and we have talented faculty and staff. I’m excited about what we’re going to be able to do as we move forward with the growth of the new structure of the college.
We have University leadership, specifically my dean colleagues across campus and in athletics, who are open to collaborations that really elevate what we’re able to do in Falk, creating innovative opportunities for students.
Dean Jeremy Jordan (right) chats with a student during a Welcome Week activity at Falk College. (Photo by Matt Michael)
The four buckets are connected in many ways. The first is the business of sport. We want to continue to drive advancement around what we do in sport from a business perspective, whether it be revenue generation, the changes in college athletics, the fan experience or how we utilize data for decision-making.
The second area is human performance across the lifespan—this idea of how exercise science, human performance and nutrition elevate performance. We focus on understanding how the body works and how we can achieve optimal performance.
The third is sport technology and innovation, how we’re going to utilize technology to continue to be innovative.
The fourth is community sport and wellness, or sport for good, using sport to improve people’s lives and as a tool to engage and promote change in our communities.
We have this focused excellence in the research we do, the education we provide and the innovation we implement. We want to prepare our students for what they need to know and understand for the next 10 years so they can be leaders in emerging technology, analytics, fan experiences and research on health and human performance. We want to have an ecosystem where we have a powerful network of industry partners, alumni and others that can help us grow in these spaces.
If you think about the academic strategic plan at the University, “Leading With Distinction,” one aspect we connect most directly with is the concept of human thriving. That’s our opportunity to help people in society thrive, because sport provides opportunities for leisure and enjoyment beyond the business and science aspects of sport.
Dean Jeremy Jordan (center) meets with students during an event at Falk College. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)
