From classroom to clubhouse: Mizzou PRSSA students create NIL plans for Tampa Bay Rays prospects
From left: Mizzou students Sophie Pfal, Emily Gerhart, Bradyn Johnson and Carter Waghorne present their research-based plan book developed for Tampa Bay Rays 2023 first-round pick Adriana Santana.
This spring, the Missouri School of Journalism’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter took its name, image and likeness (NIL) work to the major leagues. After two years of working on NIL initiatives with Mizzou Athletics, PRSSA students got the opportunity to team up with the Tampa Bay Rays to create NIL plans for some of the organization’s minor leaguers.
The collaboration with the Rays came about thanks to J-School alumna Samantha Bireley, BJ ’23, assistant director of baseball operations for the team and a regular guest speaker in Professor Jon Stemmle’s public relations class.
“Sammie was one of the first students I taught when I started as a professor, and we’ve kept in touch over the last decade as she’s moved up through the Rays organization,” said Stemmle, PRSSA faculty adviser. “We’re always looking to provide new experiences for our PRSSA students, and doing NIL plans for some of the Rays’ minor leaguers seemed like a wonderful opportunity.”
Ashley Rodio, PRSSA president, said the chapter is looking to connect with more minor league teams to create additional hands-on opportunities for students.
“I think this opens up a great door for PRSSA, and a lot of our students really loved working with a professional team,” Rodio said. “We want to start offering more experiences for students like me, who may be repeating this program.”
The experience creating NIL playbooks began in 2023 with Mizzou Athletics, and PRSSA has created plans for dozens of student-athletes since then. Working on these projects often gives students direct insight into industry-simulated work and offers learning opportunities as soon as they arrive on campus.
“Getting to learn the basics of strategic communication, PR and branding so early definitely gives you a jump-start when it comes to doing research for other types of projects in the future,” Rodio said. “I started when I was a sophomore. I definitely feel like it helped me when I went into those types of classroom projects.”
Along with the jump-start to their professional ambitions, these NIL projects provide a chance to think outside the box in terms of how to show the entirety of an athlete—not just what happens on the field.
“A lot of the playbook is looking into different kinds of strategy and branding ideas, not just social media,” Rodio said. “Of course, it’s such an important skill … but when you have a unique individual, how do you brand them as something not just an athlete? How do you step outside the box?”
PRSSA member Carter Waghorn, along with his team, worked with Rays minor leaguer Adrian Santana. Waghorn said the experience with the Rays had a greater emphasis on research compared to his first-semester experience working with Mizzou track athlete Alicia Burnett.
“Compared to working with collegiate athletics, our project focused on how Adrian could refine his personal branding on his socials and as a pro ballplayer,” Waghorn said. “This experience definitely helped refine my skills in terms of analyzing and problem-solving when it comes to an athlete’s social media presence and branding.”
Updated: June 9, 2025