ESU Students Help Bring MLB All-Star Game Moment to Life

With fans around the world watching, a group of East Stroudsburg University sport management majors played a big-league role in one of Major League Baseball's most powerful All-Star Game traditions earlier this month.

During the Midsummer Classic on July 14 at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa., the group of 20 students helped coordinate Stand Up To Cancer's annual in-game tribute to those affected by cancer.

Held during every All-Star Game and World Series Game 4 since 2009, the tribute sees the entire ballpark come to a stop for two minutes of silence as fans, players, and all those in attendance hold up placards with the name of someone they know who is affected by cancer written on them. The campaign is a major fundraiser toward Stand Up To Cancer's efforts to raise funds for cancer research.

The students' job was to help deliver the blank placards to seats throughout the ballpark before the gates opened, ensuring tens of thousands of fans had the opportunity to show their support by participating.

Noah Keen, a sport management major from Downingtown, Pa., hand-delivered placards to over 1,000 seats before joining his classmates at a table where additional cards were available to fans.

"At that table, I heard so many stories and witnessed many different emotions," Keen said. "There were some tears, but also some celebration as some cancer survivors created a card for themselves. As someone who has been affected by cancer in my life, I was able to empathize with them and that made my day completely worth it."

The opportunity was organized by Kyle Brannigan, Ph.D., assistant professor of sport management, through a connection with Major League Baseball and USA Marketing, which partners with the league, Stand Up To Cancer, and MasterCard to host the televised tribute.

"Helping students break into the industry and get to see how cool it is working in sports is my passion, so getting to provide students with this opportunity means the world to me," Dr. Brannigan said.

Opportunities like these were what drew Keen to ESU's sport management program in the first place, he said.

"When comparing ESU's program to other institutions I was interested in, nobody came close to the amount of connections and overall success that I was looking for," Keen said. "ESU had everything I was looking for in terms of a successful department with professors that help you reach your end goal. Participating in events like this has given ESU a great reputation, not only for the students but for the entire sport management program."

In addition to their roles at the All-Star Game, the group also participated in another marketing effort the day before at the Home Run Derby. There, the group helped distribute light-up bracelets for an interactive light show that was held during the event, which was broadcast on Netflix.

Working high-profile professional sporting events like the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby helped students like Vinny Celona, a sport management major from Bangor, Pa., develop even stronger skills in communication, customer service, and working under pressure.

"The experience strengthened my confidence in working in a fast-paced, professional environment and reinforced that a career in sports is what I want to pursue," Celona said. "It taught me the importance of teamwork, adaptability, and attention to detail while also allowing me to expand my professional network."

Brandon Evans, a sport management major from Tobyhanna, Pa., said one of his biggest takeaways was that even a small role in a marketing activation event can make a big impact overall.

"I believe this experience prepared me in great ways for the future, from understanding the importance of even the minor roles within projects, to having a broader aspect of the intricate things that go into making an idea come to life," Evans said.

Adding to the excitement of the experience, this year's All-Star festivities were being held as Philadelphia was featured prominently in the United States Semiquincentennial celebration and as Lincoln Financial Field, located next to the ballpark, hosted World Cup matches.

The fanfare and excitement made for a truly unforgettable experience, Keen said.

"An opportunity like this for ESU students like me is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Keen said.

Additional sport management majors who participated in the events were, Lucas Battison Brook Brittain, Noah Dougherty, Gavin Ehlman, Justin Hill, Kyle Johnson, Maxwell Kochenash, Josh Konya, Gianna Mascaro, Justin Mclendon, Dylan Miller, Kirsten Nelson, Alex Sands, Mason Scott, Thequoan Sebro, Andrew Warzynski, and Jon Wright.

Watch this year's Stand Up To Cancer moment from the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game or learn more about ESU's sport management program.