VCU helps athletes find their creative voices with Adobe Creative Cloud

For many, sports and art are viewed as opposite ends of the spectrum. But Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) celebrates the importance of creativity in supporting the next generation of athletes and professionals in the sports industry. Whether they’re thinking creatively about new plays, preparing themselves mentally to compete and train, or attracting fans or other athletes to teams, creativity and art can play important roles in helping people succeed in sport.

VCU embraces the idea of preparing students for future careers through harnessing cross-disciplinary experiences and innovation. As an Adobe Creative Campus, all students can obtain Adobe Creative Cloud licenses for free, giving them access to powerful, industry-standard creative apps. By promoting art and creativity for athletes, VCU gives students tools to succeed throughout their sport careers.

Creativity in sport leadership

The VCU Center for Sport Leadership trains the next generation of leaders in the sport industry. Its highly acclaimed 12-month graduate program is one of the best in the industry, and educators are constantly on the lookout for ways to better prepare graduates for changes in the sport industry. That’s why lessons including Adobe Creative Cloud apps have become a core part of the curriculum.

“What we’re hearing from alumni in the sport industry is that even basic competency with Adobe apps gives them a leg up,” says Greg Burton, director of Communications and Engagement at the VCU Center for Sport Leadership. “We don’t need them to be the next generation of graphic designers, but we want students to have the ability and confidence to create content that helps them communicate ideas, market activities, and become indispensable to their employers.”

Students in the Master’s Degree in Sport Leadership program regularly use Adobe Express, Photoshop, and InDesign to create presentations, develop social media posts, and make graphics that help them promote sporting events for partner organizations. Adobe Premiere Rush is another favorite for students who are often working away from the office, whether they’re filming a match or interviewing athletes after an away tournament. They can quickly edit and post video from their phones without needing to find a computer.

“We love working with Adobe Express,” says Burton. “It’s a fantastic product that helps our students solve problems in their industry: namely creating very polished, branded visuals anywhere and very fast. With Adobe Creative Cloud apps, we empower our students to become storytellers and help them get their dream jobs.”

Encouraging self-reflection through art

Life as a student athlete can be stressful. Ron Johnson, former student athlete and current assistant professor of Art, saw art as one way to help athletes build creative skills and find a productive outlet for their feelings.

“We talk about physical exercise all the time, but not mental exercise,” says Johnson. “Creativity is a great way to promote critical thinking and wellness in all students, but I find it particularly helpful for athletes.”

Through his company, The Abstract Athlete, Johnson and his business partners create a space where athletes and artists can learn from each other through artistic expression. His Arts and Athletics course brings that concept to VCU students. He teaches artists, athletes, and students from all disciplines to embrace both their physical and creative sides by finding inspiration through activities such as going on walks or engaging with readings around topics such as mental health.

While students are encouraged to work in any medium that speaks to them, from poetry to painting, many create digital art using Adobe Creative Cloud. Using Photoshop and Lightroom, they edit photographs that speak to them. Some use Audition to edit audio recordings or Illustrator to create original graphics.

“I’ve had student athletes email me in the middle of the night to tell me how they doodled to relax themselves when they couldn’t sleep before a big day. Or artists can find inspiration from athletes who understand how to promote themselves to find audiences,” says Johnson. “To me, artists and athletes aren’t two separate things. We want to put them in boxes, but all I see are ways that they can learn from each other.”

Developing multi-disciplinary skills

VCU continues to find new ways to help students find their voices. As an example, working with the VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation, a center for multi-disciplinary education at VCU, Center for Sport Leadership graduate students and alumni used Express and Adobe Portfolio to reflect on the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Every student has a need for creativity, not just art and design students,” says Andrew Ilnicki, director of Digital Innovation for the da Vinci Center. “Students that develop skills in multiple disciplines become their own tripod, better able to support their goals. I see a lot of student athletes in our programs. They want to develop storytelling skills to develop a personal brand, convey strategy, and market their teams. They’re a great reflection of what’s so magical about VCU.”

Read more about VCU and their work as an Adobe Creative Campus here.