IC News

First-year sports media major Andrew Roberts has dreams similar to those of many of his classmates: to become a sports broadcaster, but his journey to that career hasn’t mirrored theirs. 

When he was two years old, Roberts’ parents were told that he might not ever be able to speak. Doctors diagnosed him with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PPD-NOS), one of several previously separate subtypes of autism that were folded into the single diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2013. He has since been re-diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.

That early diagnosis wasn’t going to discourage the Roberts family.

“My parents never really believed that [I’d never be able to speak],” Roberts said. “Over the years we sought out support for me, eventually finding a homebase program. Thanks to services from the New England Center for Children, within one year, I was not only talking, but reading.”

Growing up in Northborough, Massachusetts, Roberts developed a passion for Boston sports, particularly the Red Sox. He served as a junior announcer for a Sox game on NESN in 2009. He later launched a website, Boston Sports Mania, covering Boston’s four major sports teams, among other content.

“It kind of evolved into my career passion and I used it as a way to do experiential posts about all the sports experiences I was getting,” he said. “I would go to events and cover them for my website. It would get me press access to things. People were impressed with what I was writing so they’d keep inviting me back.”

At age 14, Roberts became involved with the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism and found the organization to be the perfect fit for his goals. He was eventually named the first-ever Flutie Fellow. The fellowship helps autistic people pursue career opportunities while serving as ambassadors for the foundation. Through the fellowship Roberts reported at the 2018 and 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle and Orlando, respectively.

“They had this idea of finding young adults with autism and they wanted to support my sports reporting career, and at the same time, I was able to be an ambassador for them,” he said, “I helped them raise even more money to help people and families affected by autism live life to the fullest.”

When it came time to choose a college, he did not have Ithaca College on his radar initially. Then he heard about the Park Scholar Program, a merit-based scholarship which covers tuition, living expenses, books, and a technology stipend. The program also requires scholarship recipients to have strong engagement in significant and meaningful community service.

“It was all about the media and all about serving other people through the media. That’s what I’m all about,” he said.

Also aiding his decision was the fact that Ithaca College provides ample on-air opportunities for first-year students on its radio stations, WICB and VIC.

“It’s sort of the perfect combination of things here,” he said. “Very supportive scholarship program, very friendly people, and great program for my major. Everything kind of came together.”

Roberts continues to be involved with the Flutie Foundation. In fact, he announced his decision to attend IC at a foundation-sponsored Boston Marathon event.