Rhoden Fellows

NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference and the Rhoden Fellowship will partner to have two Rhoden Fellows participate in conference operations at The BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 11-14.  The Rhoden Fellowship is a training program for the next generation of sports journalists from historically black colleges and universities.  The program is managed by ESPN The Undefeated’s editor and former award-winning New York Times columnist Bill Rhoden.
 
The Rhoden participants are East Dockery, a student at North Carolina A&T University, and Kevin Parrish Jr., a student at Bowie State University.  Dockery and Parrish will experience all aspects of tournament operations with BIG EAST personnel, with an emphasis on media content and coverage.
 
“The BIG EAST is very excited to support the Rhoden Fellowship at this year’s BIG EAST Tournament,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman.  “We welcome East and Kevin to our conference operations team and hope we can provide them with valuable hands-on experience and a better understanding of what goes on at a major college basketball event.  While at the New York Times, Bill Rhoden covered the BIG EAST Tournament for many years, and we are proud to assist him in this important endeavor.”
 
Dockery is working toward a B.S. degree in media communication.  She already has experience with various student media outlets, including the Aggie Sports Network, and is the creator and host of her own campus interview program, East & Market.  Parrish Jr. is a contributor to the USA Today Sports Media Group and SB Nation’s Bullets Forever, a site focused on the Washington Wizards.  He is working toward a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and journalism.
 
The BIG EAST Tournament has been held at Madison Square Garden since 1983.  It is the longest running college basketball tournament held at the same venue and receives extensive media coverage in the largest market in the U.S.  This year’s tournament will be the 38th at “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”
 
The BIG EAST:
The BIG EAST Conference is an association of ten nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments.  The athletic programs of BIG EAST institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 3,500 student-athletes on over 180 men’s and women’s teams in 22 sports.  Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in seven of the country’s top 36 largest media markets and include Butler University, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University.  For more information, visit www.bigeast.com.