Event - Educating the Next Generation: Building Brands On and Off the Court During the NIL Era

Educating the Next Generation:

Building Brands On and Off the Court During the NIL Era

February 26, 2025 @ 1 PM EST

About this Event

In July 2021, a seismic shift occurred in collegiate athletics: the introduction of name, image, and likeness (NIL). This change has opened unprecedented opportunities for collegiate athletes to profit from their personal brands, mirroring the practices of professional athletes and influencers. This session will share research on how women’s basketball players are embracing these new opportunities and leveraging social media to build their personal brands. By analyzing their strategies and experiences, we’ll explore practical applications for teaching personal branding in the modern digital age.

Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka

Washington State University

Speaker

Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka is an assistant professor of practice at the Edward R. Murrow college of Communication at Washington State. She teaches public relations and personal branding courses. She has over 10 years of experience as a content producer and strategic communicator specializing in digital advertising and social media. Her research focuses on brand communication in women’s sports and influencer culture. As co-founder of the oral history podcast Starting Line 1928, she documents women distance running pioneers. Hawkins-Jedlicka holds an M.A. in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin.