Forever Orange: Seth Quinn ’23
Syracuse University’s Forever Orange Scholarship provides half of the tuition for students who enroll full-time in a qualifying graduate degree or certificate program at Syracuse University. The scholarship is automatically available to all Class of 2024 graduating Syracuse University seniors who are eligible for admission—no separate scholarship application is needed. Graduating seniors who have already been admitted to a qualifying graduate program are also eligible.
Learn more about recent students like Seth Quinn, who’s combining his love of sports with his passion for writing at Newhouse, with the help of a Forever Orange Scholarship.
Seth Quinn
Undergraduate Program: Sport Analytics, ’23
Newhouse Master’s Program: Magazine, news and digital journalism with a specialized sports media and communications track, G’24
What drew you to Syracuse University for your undergraduate studies?
I wanted to study something unique and interesting. I love sports, so naturally, I gravitated towards a sports-related field. I originally considered sport management, but that didn’t sound super compelling. After visiting Syracuse with my older sister, I found out about the sport analytics program. I was intrigued, and given it was the only sport analytics program in the country at the time, it became my top choice quickly and never wavered.
What made you want to pursue a master’s degree?
As I got older, I started lingering between being a math person and a writing person. Sport analytics catered to the math side of me, but after minoring in writing, I wanted to go more into a writing-based field. I heard about Newhouse’s reputation while in undergrad at Syracuse, so that’s where I looked first. When I found out sports writing/journalism was a possibility, I became quickly interested, just as I did with undergrad.
How did you first hear about the Forever Orange Scholarship and how did it play a role in your decision to attend graduate school?
When I was first looking into grad school, I talked to other professors and administrators, and heard about the Forever Orange Scholarship. After doing more research, it seemed like both the program and scholarship made a lot of sense. I would say without the Forever Orange Scholarship, my decision to attend grad school in Newhouse would have been much harder.
What unique features of your graduate program made you want to apply?
The sports track intrigued me first off, but I also saw opportunities to hone skills and learn lots of new things. It would allow me to be more flexible with job opportunities and experiences. Combining that with the reputation of Newhouse and my familiarity with the school from undergrad, applying made a lot of sense.
What moments in graduate school have been the most exciting or defining thus far?
As a student with zero journalism experience, getting thrown right into things during the summer program to learn through experience was both exciting and defining. The first experience I had where I felt like a real journalist was for the second article, I wrote during the summer program for my news writing class. I went to the location of a local charity race and interviewed the family that founded it. After talking with them, I was inspired to run in the race the following day. Being a part of the festivities and not just talking to people about it allowed me to feel like a real journalist. I didn’t think I’d get that type of experience so soon, but I think it prepared me well for the rest of the program.
What advice would you give to students that are in the initial stages of deciding to pursue graduate school?
Taking part in grad school may feel scary, but the reality is it is an investment for the future. You don’t have to do it, but if you want to, just go for it. As long as you make the most of your time there, it should feel satisfying and like a worthy investment. Choosing the right program is important obviously, but what you do once you are in it is even more important. For me, I chose to do a program that was completely different than my undergrad program, so the other thing I’d say is don’t worry too much about what you did in the past. Grad school is a completely different experience and not something that should feel like a replacement or a do-over from undergrad.
For more information on Newhouse School graduate programs, please email nhmasters@syr.edu.