Gxslab announces Sportsnet Scholarship Recipients

Announced in January of 2020, Rogers Sportsnet, in partnership with the RTA School of Media, the GXSLab, and the Faculty of Communication and Design (FCAD) at Ryerson University, unveiled the Sportsnet Diversity and Gender Equity Initiative, aimed at empowering students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in sport media. Committing $100,000 to provide scholarships to four students (two third year students and two students entering the program), Sportsnet's partnership with Ryerson is continuing the development of diversity and inclusion within the sport media industry.

The GXSLab, in association with Sportsnet, the RTA School of Media, and FCAD, is proud to announce the following recipients of the inaugural scholarship.

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Rania Elhilali

Rania Elhilali

Rania Elhilali

Rania is simply a girl who loves sports! A first year Sport Media student, Rania has channeled her passion for content creation, working for various organizations in a variety of roles. Currently working as a graphic designer with LeafsFansUnited, a writer/graphic designer with the Intermission Sports, and a writer with Unusual Efforts, Rania is continuing to pursue her dream in the sports industry.

Joshua Kim

Rania Elhilali

Rania Elhilali

Josh is a freelance photographer, journalist, author, and podcast host based in Toronto. Currently a first year Sport Media student, Josh's main passion exists in the realm of digital content creation, having worked for the OHL, ECHL, PWHPA, and NCAA before joining Ryerson's creative services team. He is also a regular contributor to The Hockey Writers, covering the Winnipeg Jets, the World Juniors, and the NHL Draft. Josh is also the host of the Get Your Head in the Game podcast, which emphasizes the connection between sports and mental health. Having personalities like Akil Thomas, James Duthie, and Craig Button already on the show, the podcast aims to establish meaningful dialogue surrounding mental health and sport. Moving forward, Josh is looking for additional opportunities within the sports landscape. Please visit his website for a full display of his work.

Ella Bonaldi

Vanessa Catanzaro

Vanessa Catanzaro

Ella is a third year RTA sport media student with a minor in French who is constantly working towards making the sport media landscape a more equal and diverse industry for women. Over the past three years, Ella has co-hosted a radio show and podcast called Girls Got Game which aims to shed light on amazing females in sports while discussing ways to overcome the barriers women may face in this industry. During her time at Ryerson, Ella has been able to hone her skills through roles such as social media coordinator, editing assistant, content contributor, and marketing director with various sport media companies and Ryerson groups. Ella also enjoys working on live sport productions for the Ryerson Rams. In the future, Ella would like to explore more of the production side of sport media, working behind the scenes to ensure a successful broadcast.

Vanessa Catanzaro

Vanessa Catanzaro

Vanessa Catanzaro

Vanessa is a third year RTA Sport Media student who is highly enthusiastic, dedicated to the entertainment industry, and was born to make a difference in television broadcasting. She has a passion for talking to people and dreams of becoming an on air host; hoping to one day host a live talk show in front of a studio audience. She has been working at TLN Media Group since 2018 as a production assistant after being hired to help plan TD’s Salsa on St. Clair. Vanessa is a dedicated Toronto sports fan and appreciates the unifying aspect of sports as a whole. She had the opportunity to embrace a reporter role at a Toronto Maple Leafs game in 2019 and has been heavily influenced by the work of Christine Simpson and Evanka Osmak. Vanessa is an advocate for gender equality and her mission is to evoke a change in sportscasting world-wide.

Welcome to the GXSLab's official website

WHAT WE DO

The Global Experiential Sport Lab

(GXS Lab) is the connection between scholarly research and industry practice in sport and sport media. GXS focuses on the intersection and knowledge transfer between Globalization; Digitization; and Commercialization.

A distinctive emphasis is placed on collaboration between scholars, students, faculty and industry initiatives, to remain on the cutting edge in the world of connectivity and in the ever-evolving sport and sport media industry, and to achieve global status and recognition as a leader in interdisciplinary research design and experience.

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RESEARCHER & INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE

Global Experiential Sport Lab in The Catalyst at FCAD, is lead by

Assistant Professor Laurel Walzak,*

RTA Sport Media, Ryerson University.

*(Award Winning).

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Where thought leadership creates industry impact

VISION:

The Global Experiential Sport Lab (GXS Lab) will be Canada’s leading sport media institute recognized globally for its intersection between scholarly work and industry practice. It will be a global leader in student experiential learning through dedicated mentorship and hands-on collaborations.

MISSION:

The Global Experiential Sport Lab (GXS Lab) is the connection between scholarly research and industry practice in sport and sport media. GXS focuses on the intersection between Globalization; Digitization; and Commercialization. A distinctive emphasis is placed on collaboration between scholars, students, faculty and industry initiatives and experiences, to remain on the cutting edge in the world of connectivity and in the ever-evolving sport and sport media industry

VALUES:

Committing to a culture of diversity and inclusion
Empowering students through hands-on learning experience
Bringing together prominent minds with diverse skill sets
Forecasting and predicting the global sport climate
Collaborating with industry experts