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• CSC Mentorship Program
by Shawn Medeiros – Endicott College Director of Sports Information
The purpose of the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Mentorship Program is simple: growth.
Whether a mentee is learning more about the intricacies of the industry — or a mentor is creating better leadership habits — the partnership between both parties provides undeniable benefits when there is cohesion in the mentee/mentor relationship.
Troy Garnhart (mentor) and Matt Brooks (mentee) have executed this to near perfection.
Brooks had plenty of goals going into the program this year, but the marquee directive was eventually finding his way back to his alma mater (more on that later).
With that information in hand, Garnhart wasted little time creating the structure of the duo’s newfound partnership right out of the gate.
“The mentor program has been great," said Garnhart. "I highly recommend it for both roles. It has been awesome to work with Matt and see the challenges facing young people in our profession. It’s helped me with the younger folks in our office to see how they are handling some of the same things. Matt and I have really connected, and it’s been a joy to work with him and see how he is progressing. He is a rising star in our business and, if I have helped him in any way, that’s awesome. I think I get as much out of each session as he does. I’m excited to see a young person with Matt’s passion for our business and it's comforting to know that he is going to be a mainstay in the business.”
Garnhart, the Associate AD for Communications (FB primary) at Air Force, has been at the Academy since 1989.
Some may say Garnhart knows what it feels like to work at their dream job every day.
Video calls/meetings commenced quickly to connect the two on a personal level, topics were curated for each discussion including some of the following items: fostering proper learning environments for interns, job interview prep, and post-interview breakdowns, among other talking points.
Garnhart and Brooks (previously at Utah Tech, again more on that later) also established check-ins via text and email exchanges; the important theme here — staying connected because the relationship mattered on both ends.
Now, Brooks has landed his dream job — with help from Garnhart — at his alma mater, Oregon State.
Long days, late nights, and everything in between, Brooks would be remiss to not show gratitude to his family, friends, and mentors alike while being forever grateful to Steve Johnson and the rest of Utah Tech Athletics Department for allowing him to work alongside some of the best this business has to offer.
Troy Garnhart pictured working at the NCAA tournament.
Here’s a deeper look at how this mentor/mentee pairing helped pave the way for dreams to become reality, in Brooks' own words.
How has your experience with your mentor, Troy Garnhart (Air Force) gone so far?
MB: Having Troy’s experience and expertise only a call/text away has been huge as I’ve navigated my first year working full-time at the Division I level. From asking questions about leading my own team of interns to managing coach relationships or the hiring process, working with him has been a tremendous help for me this year. I knew I was hoping to be mentored by someone who had a lot of D-I experience in a conference such as the Mountain West or Pac-12, so I’m grateful to CSC for not only allowing me to participate in this program, but also pairing me with someone who fit the mold of the type of SID I was hoping to learn from.
Provide us with insight into how Troy impacted your job search prep.
MB: From the day it clicked that I wanted to be an SID, there was only one place I wanted to work, and that was Oregon State — it was quite literally *the* job, and Troy played a big role in helping me prepare for each step along the way. Ahead of my first interview, we spent some 45 minutes on a Teams call talking about things he would typically look for in a candidate, and we also explored some of the ways in which I could improve my talking points. More than anything, he just kept reminding me to relax, be myself, and let my love of this profession and the OSU community shine through, which was invaluable as I battled the nerves associated with interviewing for a position at my alma mater.
How do you and Troy communicate as a mentor/mentee pairing?
MB: We mainly communicate through video calls on Teams. As situations pop up, we’ll often send texts or emails asking about the other’s availability to set up a time to talk, and then hop on a call and explore the topic. I usually bring 5-10 broad questions about the situation and then we talk through what he’s done in the past or possible things I could try. I’m someone who likes to really analyze things deeply, so these video calls have been the perfect place to do just that while having Troy offer a dose of perspective whenever he sees fit.
What advice would you give to anyone interested in the CSC Mentorship Program?
MB: Sign up as soon as you can. Part of what I love about the Sports Information community is that everybody wants to help each other, and this mentorship program is yet another example of that — there are so many quality SIDs out there who simply want to help. As confident as I am in my abilities, I know that folks like Troy have forgotten more about how to do this job than I’ve ever known, so gaining that perspective has been huge as I take the next step in my career and I encourage anyone thinking about signing up to do so.
What goals have you and Troy set for the remainder of the year?
MB: I don’t think we’ve set any formal goals. We typically try to talk roughly once a month, even if it’s just to catch up, but more often than not we set times to talk after situations arise, and I know that I personally want to continue making the most of the opportunity to be mentored by someone with Troy’s experience.
Any additional thoughts to share?
MB: I’m just grateful to CSC for truly looking through my mentee questionnaire and pairing me with someone who’s a great fit. Oh, and Go Beavs!