Michael Cowan’s work for one of the field’s most prominent international gatherings coincides with new collaborations in silent film scholarship, music, and performance at the University of Iowa.

Fueled by the confidence he built as a University of Iowa student, Ty Schmit made a play in 2017 to join Pat McAfee’s fledgling media enterprise as an intern. Now he produces the retired football player’s daily sports show, which recently was acquired by ESPN.