Olivia Cheng '12

Meet Olivia Cheng ’12! A proud Syracuse alum who turned her dream of working in the sports industry into reality. Today, Olivia plays a key role on the Organizing Committee for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Her time at SU, filled with hands-on learning, inspiring faculty, and countless opportunities, helped shape the vision and drive behind her career.

What was your major/degree?

Public Relations and Sports Management

How did your experiences at SU shape your career?

Syracuse gave me the opportunity to learn, practice, and explore what my career path became. I dreamed of working in the sports industry and now I’m working at the Organizing Committee of the LA28 Games. The endless opportunities, speaking engagements, clubs, and passionate faculty helped me create a vision for my life.

What was your first job after college?

I worked as a sales manager at Macy’s and eventually transitioned into a marketing role at a sporting goods store, all while pursuing my dream job to do marketing in the sports and entertainment industry.

What has been a major highlight of your career thus far?

Among many many many highlights - One of the proudest highlights of my career thus far is being able to hire every single person on my team, as we work towards the Road to the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games.

How have you stayed connected to SU?

I taught two semesters for SULA on Sports Media and continues to find ways to mentor and support any faculty or students who may want my advice.

What is your favorite memory of Syracuse University?

My favorite memory of Syracuse University is writing that first tweet on behalf of @Cuse to represent Cuse Athletics and remembering how nervous I was about people’s reactions to my tweets. It’s a core memory that keeps me excited about the power of social media and storytelling.