Syracuse names Ryan Schram inaugural creator economy center director

Syracuse University has tapped veteran media and commerce executive Ryan Schram to lead its first-of-its-kind Center for the Creator Economy, which launched last fall and enters year two with a new minor and expanded programming. The move aims to strengthen student preparation for a fast-growing sector that universities and employers are still learning how to serve.

Why it matters: - Syracuse University is trying to position itself as a national leader in creator economy education, research and industry training. - The center’s expansion could influence how colleges prepare students for jobs in content creation, digital entrepreneurship and audience-driven business. - Goldman Sachs Research estimates nearly 50 million people globally work as full- or part-time creators, and the sector could reach $480 billion by 2027.

What happened: - Syracuse University named Ryan Schram the inaugural executive director of the Center for the Creator Economy. - Schram will start Aug. 3. - The center launched last fall and is led jointly by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. - Syracuse described the center as a first-of-its-kind academic center on a U.S. college campus. - Schram thanked Chancellor J. Michael Haynie for the vision behind the center.

The details: - Schram is a veteran industry leader and strategic advisor focused on content, commerce and creativity. - His role includes guiding the center’s growth as it expands academic programs, research and industry partnerships. - Schram’s background spans more than 25 years across public and private companies. - He was named a Top 10 Global Chief Operating Officer at the 2023 OnCon Icon Awards and a Top 101 COO by Boardroom Media in 2022. - Schram most recently served as managing partner at Particle Wave, a boutique advisory firm focused on the creator economy. - He spent 13 years at IZEA, including 12 years as president and COO. - Before IZEA, Schram was group vice president at Merkle, formerly HelloWorld/ePrize, and held roles at Westwood One and iHeartMedia. - Mark J. Lodato, dean of the Newhouse School, said Schram brings the vision, industry experience and entrepreneurial mindset needed at a pivotal moment. - Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School of Management, said Schram’s practitioner perspective will help prepare future business and creative leaders. - The center’s physical home at Newhouse opened this past spring. - The space includes areas for collaboration and programming. - New podcast production booths are slated to open in the fall. - More information is available through Syracuse University’s social channels.

Between the lines: - Syracuse is pairing academic branding with industry experience to make the center more credible to students and employers. - Schram’s appointment suggests the university wants the center to move beyond a campus program and toward a broader authority on curriculum and research. - The interdisciplinary minor signals that Syracuse sees the creator economy as bigger than media alone and tied to business, sports and music.

What's next: - The creator economy minor launches this fall. - The center will continue expanding courses, electives and programming open to students across the university. - Schram will oversee the center as it builds partnerships and develops its profile in the field. - Syracuse plans to add podcast production booths to the Newhouse center space in the fall.

The bottom line: - Syracuse University is betting that a practitioner-led center can turn creator economy studies into a defining academic niche.