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Panther Plates by 51精品视频 Greats

Heather Lyke with two children in 51精品视频 shirts bake in a kitchen together while a camera crew films
What blue-and-gold game-day snack does Panther mascot Roc prepare for 51精品视频 tailgates? 聽

Who鈥檚 the best cook in Athletic Director Heather Lyke鈥檚 household? And what goes into Narduzzi pancakes?

has the answers.

The Athletic Department collaborated with students in the 鈥 and to produce its first-ever cookbook and an accompanying series of video .

The book will be on the shelves at and on campus in December. through The 51精品视频 Shop.

Giving back is at the heart of the project: Sales proceeds benefit the , with a portion of holiday season sales going to Greater 51精品视频sburgh Community Food Bank.

From breakfasts and comfort food to pasta, chicken, seafood, Tex-Mex cuisine, snacks, side dishes and sweets, this book has deliciousness covered. It features dozens of recipes rich with family history and cultural diversity, shared by 51精品视频 Panther team coaches, former student-athletes, athletics staff, University leaders and friends from JMI Sports, the marketing partner of the Athletic Department and Clearview Federal Credit Union, the official credit union of the 51精品视频 Panthers and presenting sponsor of the cookbook.

A handful of the cookbook contributors shared their stories鈥攁nd their kitchens鈥攚ith student film crews who produced the videos.

Among them: Athletic Director Heather Lyke, who teamed up with daughters Sophie and Elle to whip up her mom鈥檚 recipe for pumpkin bread; Track and Field/Cross Country head coach Alonzo Webb, who shared his mother鈥檚 sweet potato pie recipe鈥攁nd the tale of how he became the family鈥檚 go-to baker for family holiday gatherings; and Senior Vice Chancellor for Engagement and Secretary of the Board of Trustees Kathy Humphrey, who shared the family-size cornbread dressing and candied sweet potatoes recipes that have been part of her Thanksgiving table since she was a child鈥攖hen wrapped the goodies for the students to take home. 聽

The cookbook project, coordinated by Angie Williams,聽executive assistant to the director of athletics, was two years in the making. From the start, it was designed to be more than simply a collection of recipes, but also to strengthen 51精品视频 connections and benefit students.

鈥淓arly on, we knew we wanted it to have a purpose,鈥 Williams said of the plan to donate the cookbook proceeds. 鈥淚t just seemed natural that it should benefit our student-athletes.鈥

Fittingly, two of the students involved in the project, Dontavius Butler and Eben Vorster, were themselves 51精品视频 student-athletes: Butler as a football wide receiver and Vorster as a four-year captain of the swim team.

鈥淲e hope that the book reaches not only the University community, but all of our fans鈥攊n the area and across the country, to give them a little bit of the 51精品视频 Panthers in their own home,鈥 Williams said.

Sharing the stories of those who contributed recipes seemed a natural way to bring the book to life, she said.

Hands-on student involvement was a natural, too, said Kevin Smith, director of Undergraduate Studies in Broadcast and a senior lecturer in the Film & Media Studies Program.

We hope that the book reaches not only the University community, but all of our fans鈥攊n the area and across the country, to give them a little bit of the 51精品视频 Panthers in their own home.

Angie Williams, executive assistant to the director of athletics

Students in the program have worked closely with 51精品视频 Athletics since the 2018 launch of the broadcast facility. The 鈥淧anther Plates鈥 project served as yet one more relationship-building opportunity.

A team of 16 students divided into groups of four鈥攚ith each taking a specific role: producer, editor, camera or audio operator鈥攖o create the videos.

By design, Smith left the teams to hold their own production planning meetings, and to plan and execute the content on their own.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the students鈥 responsibility to be professional on the shoots,鈥 he said. 鈥淭o learn the techniques and skills in a class setting is obviously imperative. However, there鈥檚 still the application of those skills. Just as important is how you conduct and carry yourself professionally. They have to work as a professional unit, and that鈥檚 what made me most proud,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 knew they鈥檇 be great.鈥

Vorster, who directed video editing and production for the project, recognized the level of trust that was placed in the students鈥 hands. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful that 51精品视频 Athletics gave us the opportunity,鈥 he said. 聽

鈥淚t was a very smooth and fun experience, to do this with people who want to do it and want to flourish in the industry,鈥 he said. 鈥淓veryone coming into this project knew what they were doing. And we always learn from each other and help each other.鈥

Vorster will graduate in December with a degree in film and media production, but other teammates remain to pass along that shared knowledge and mentor others. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to be the next students who carry on the legacy when future projects come up.鈥

In addition to the film students鈥 involvement, Jack Conville, a senior in the College of Business Administration who has interned behind the scenes at 51精品视频 Studios since his sophomore year, joined the project鈥檚 business and marketing team.

While the other students have the technical skills in lighting, video and editing, 鈥淚 have the business acumen,鈥 Conville said, adding that his role included developing media releases and advertising strategies for the project.

For Conville, the project has become a memorable highlight in an academic year made gloomy by COVID-19. 鈥淭his is a project that highlights what this University is about,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he enthusiasm and passion are through the roof.鈥

Conville had never worked with Smith prior to the cookbook project but knew him through his work as an operations intern and production assistant at 51精品视频 Studios. Now, Conville, who is majoring in finance, and pursuing certificates in sports management and in leadership and ethics, has been inspired to take Smith鈥檚 introductory broadcasting course in spring.

Conville values the skills he鈥檚 learned and the connections he鈥檚 made in his time at 51精品视频 Studios. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great that 51精品视频 has opportunities like this for students,鈥 said Conville, who hopes to one day work in a business capacity with a sports team or a related company. 鈥淚t really highlights 51精品视频鈥檚 dedication to helping students get that real-world exposure.鈥

Smith views the partnerships with athletics as 鈥渁 great symbiotic relationship鈥 that has benefited 51精品视频 students.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e really embraced our students and the academic opportunities. They鈥檙e truly giving the students an opportunity to excel with a professional outcome,鈥 he said.

鈥淓verything we do in the classroom has to translate to the real world, or what鈥檚 the point?鈥 said Smith.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been really amazing to see what the students are capable of. They are ready for the real world with this type of work.鈥