Syracuse University names Ryan Schram to lead creator economy center

Syracuse University has appointed veteran media and advisory executive Ryan Schram as inaugural executive director of its Center for the Creator Economy, which launched last fall. The move comes as the university expands a new creator economy minor and broadens the center’s role in research, partnerships and student training.

Why it matters: - Syracuse University is trying to position itself as an early leader in creator economy education, a field the school says is reshaping how content, audiences and businesses are built online. - Ryan Schram brings industry experience from media, talent, technology and advisory roles, giving the center a practitioner-led perspective as it scales. - The center’s expansion adds another interdisciplinary path for students interested in content creation, digital entrepreneurship and related business models.

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 jointly led by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. - Schram thanked Chancellor J. Michael Haynie for creating the center.

The details: - The Center for the Creator Economy is described as a first-of-its-kind academic center on a U.S. college campus. - The center combines strengths in entrepreneurship, media, communications, athletics and digital infrastructure. - Schram will oversee the center as it expands academic programs, research and industry partnerships. - Schram said Syracuse has built the first academic center for the creator economy and wants to become a global authority on curriculum, research and rankings in the space. - Schram’s career 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. - Most recently, Schram was managing partner at Particle Wave, a boutique advisory firm focused on the creator economy. - Schram 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 vision, industry experience and an entrepreneurial mindset to the role. - Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School of Management, said the creator economy is one of the fastest-evolving sectors of the global economy and that Schram’s experience will help shape future business and creative leaders. - The center enters its second year with expanding programming and positive momentum. - Syracuse University is launching a creator economy minor this fall. - The minor is designed to help students build careers in content creation, digital entrepreneurship and the practitioner ecosystem shaping the online economy. - Electives for the minor include a Name, Image and Likeness class from the David B. Falk College of Sport and Music Industry Marketing and Media from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. - Center programs and academic offerings are open to students from all schools and colleges at Syracuse University. - Goldman Sachs Research estimates nearly 50 million people globally work as full- or part-time creators and says the sector could be worth $480 billion by 2027. - The center’s physical home at Newhouse opened this spring. - The space includes collaboration and programming areas. - New podcast production booths are slated to open in the fall.

Between the lines: - Syracuse University is building the center around a cross-school model, which signals an attempt to treat creator economy skills as a university-wide priority rather than a niche media offering. - Schram’s background in operations and advisory work suggests the university wants the center to be shaped by industry execution, not just academic theory. - The timing of the appointment aligns with the launch of a new minor and the opening of dedicated facilities, suggesting Syracuse is moving from concept to fuller rollout.

What's next: - Schram will begin leading the center on Aug. 3. - The creator economy minor launches this fall. - New podcast production booths are expected to open in the fall. - The center is expected to continue expanding its programs, research and partnerships as it enters year two.