Syracuse University is positioning itself at the center of a rapidly growing field: content creation. The university officially launched its new Center for the Creator Economy this week with workshops, networking sessions and keynote speakers during ’CUSE Creator Con.
“It is how money flows within social channels, things like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube,” said project coordinator Thomas O’Brien. “It’s how people are able to make income through their own voice, through their own content, through their own messaging.”
The initiative is a collaboration between the Whitman School of Management and the Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Whitman Dean Alex McKelvie said the idea came from watching how students and the marketplace were evolving.
“The idea really came from what we saw was happening in the marketplace,” McKelvie said. “There’s a new generation of creators coming, young people really looking forward to being part of this.”
Jon Youshaei, a creator and former YouTube and Instagram employee, headlined the event. He told students they have access to the same creative tools as some of the biggest names in entertainment.
“The internet, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok has flattened it,” Youshaei said. “The same tools that Beyoncé uses, and Jimmy and MrBeast and all these big creatives use are at your disposal, and you're at this school, building a center that can help you get an edge.”
O’Brien said the new center will offer space and tools for students to learn and collaborate.
“We're going to have a physical center that's going to be opened up next semester, which will be inside Newhouse,” O’Brien said. “It's going to be filled with podcast studios, and it's going to have all of the filming equipment that any content creator can need. And most importantly, it'll be a really great community space where people can collaborate and talk about new ideas.”
The Center for the Creator Economy will open next semester.