AlumKnights Magazine
May 2019
Mazzone committed to Rutgers University in the fall of 2012. Mazzone felt that Rutgers was the opportunity for him to be successful academically and athletically. “I was a big fan of Rutgers Lacrosse my whole life. I watched them growing up when I was a kid. Head Coach, Brain Brecht, has really changed the program around. I wanted to help this team on the national stage, so Rutgers was the best opportunity for me,” Mazzone said. Coming in as a freshman in September 2013 Mazzone knew exactly what he wanted to study. He had a strong passion for writing, so Journalism and Media Studies was the perfect fit for him. He declared his major during his second year. “I have been dedicated to sports for the majority of my life, so I really wanted to study something involving sports. Coming to Rutgers and studying Journalism and Media Studies with a concentration in sports was one of the best choices I have ever made. I knew Rutgers had great academics, so I really felt like I got the best of both worlds picking The State University of New Jersey,” Mazzone said.
college. There were some weeks where I was going to bed at 3 a.m. every night because I was studying. Academics were important to me. I put just as much effort into my academics as playing on the field. I just wanted to overall best student-athlete experience I could get and I did,” Mazzone said. Five months following graduation Mazzone was offered a one-year deal with the Ohio Machine in Major League Lacrosse. The 3rd Round Pick and 22nd overall was determined to take his career to the next level.
During Spring 2019 training camp Mazzone will compete for a spot on the official roster to claim his spot of the team. After a successful collegiate career in a top lacrosse program, Mazzone is prepared to play at the professional level.
“Mazzone was a reliable midfielder. He came in to the program determined. During his time on the team I could always count of Mazzone to make great plays. He was a top performer in the classroom as well,” Brecht said.
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By Lessly Delcid
Building in Antigua, Guatemala
The Rutgers Journalism and Media Studies major focuses on creating well-rounded students in the areas of ethics and politics, and trains them to understand the social and economical dimensions of the media. The class, “Media, and Struggles for Democracy in Central America”, teaches all of these elements, and also puts them to play in a foreign country, as students do the work of journalism in areas of need. In this class, the country of Guatemala is the classroom, and the people and their culture are the books. This class is a part of the newest Global Media Specialization in JMS. In addition to the in-classroom courses at Rutgers, the specialization offers courses that travel and practice journalism in Italy, France, England, and Guatemala. Launched by Mary D’Ambrosio, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, and Associate Professor Regina Marchi, the specialization is rapidly growing as more and more students become interested studying and practicing media in foreign countries.
The men’s lacrosse team was a talented team with a lot of success. Rutgers Athletics entered the Big Ten Conference during Mazzone’s time at Rutgers. Mazzone was a member of the team when they were ranked number one in the country in 2017.
“Being a student-athlete is like having a full-time job in
Diving into the exploration of media in a foreign country, with Regina Marchi
“I have only ever dreamed about playing lacrosse in the major leagues. I cannot believe it became reality. I give all credit to Coach Brecht, his staff and everyone at Rutgers who helped me get to this next part in life,” Mazzone said.
“I knew Rutgers had great academics, so I really felt like I got the best of both worls picking The State University of New Jersey.”
Student-athletes have demanding schedules. Between class, practice, film, weights, studying and tutoring, student-athletes are always on the go. The Four-Time Academic All-Big Ten Honoree did not let a busy schedule affect him.
Guatemala: A Classroom
Mazzone helps the Rutgers lacrosse team to a 15-10 win over the University of Delaware. Credit: Garrett Steffe
Regina Marchi is the Program Director for the Guatemala study aboard course and lived and practiced journalism in Guatemala for almost five years in the 1990s. Inspired by her time there, Marchi chose Guatemala for several reasons, including its geographical proximity to the US, low cost of living, and its status as a developing country. In making a comeback to a place she once called home, Marchi says, “I have many memories from when I used to live there. It is a beautiful country, filled with mountains, jungles, volcanos, Mayan ruins, and historic architecture.” Marchi continued,“It is also a culturally diverse place. In addition to Spanish, there are 22
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