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College-Enrolled Alumni participate in GameAbove Sports Bowl Social Media Partnership
On Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, GameAbove Sports donated $15,000 to College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program, during the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field.
“GameAbove believes the CCB | Midnight Golf Program mission to help young adults reach their fullest potential. Just as important, GA embraces the method in which the life lessons are taught,” said Matthew Shepard, COO Community Outreach Officer of Sports.
The donation was secured through a special “Chips for a Cause” led by GameAbove professional golfer, Brett White, who’s on-field chip challenge led to the donation. With 27,000 fans in attendance, it was an unforgettable moment of recognition.
“GameAbove and College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program are united by a shared commitment to empower young people. Together, we’re helping students develop the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to thrive in every area of life,” said Harold Curry, President of CCB | MGP.
Alumni Take the Lead as Social Media Ambassadors
In the weeks leading up to the football game, the GameAbove Sports Bowl provided a professional development opportunity for College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program alumni through a Social Media Ambassador partnership. The initiative engaged six alumni, offering them hands-on experience, a platform to share behind-the-scenes content and fresh perspectives in the lead-up to game day.
Four alumni — Khalil-Lullah Ballentine, Khari Haynes, Alauna Marable and Avery Roberson — attended the official GameAbove Sports Bowl kickoff party at the Fowling Warehouse, where staff and supporters marked the 11th year of hosting the bowl game at Ford Field. The group also participated in the pre-bowl dinner held at the Henry Ford Museum, where the ambassadors created social media content alongside the competing teams, the Northwestern Wildcats and the Central Michigan Chippewas.
“Being able to fill this role for an organization that has poured so much into me meant a lot,” said ambassador Alauna Marable, a junior studying sports journalism at Norfolk State University. “I want to show younger people who look to the Midnight Golf Program that there are opportunities to learn.” Throughout the evening, ambassadors also met professional athletes supporting the bowl, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson and former NFL player Cory Schlesinger.
While the four ambassadors covered events leading up to kickoff, two additional CCB | MGP alumni, Jalisa Johnson and Pa’Ja Williams, served as content support liaisons. Johnson and Williams contributed to the social media campaign and carried out profile interviews highlighting the ambassadors.
Community Partners Mentor GameAbove Ambassadors
On Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, CCB | MGP community partners and creatives Terry “PL” Woods, a multi-media content creator, and Kennette Lamar, a professional photographer, led a “Midnight Golf Meet and Greet” to connect with the GameAbove Social Media Ambassadors and share techniques behind modern digital storytelling.
During the meet and greet, Woods and Lamar discussed story hooks, editing with AI tools and the importance of adaptability in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
“I’ve been in each person’s seat. I want to give them enough information so they can take what I shared and make it fit their own needs,” Lamar said.
Woods emphasized the value of process alongside final presentation, encouraging ambassadors to focus on growth rather than perfection.
“Process matters just as much as polish. I’m intentional about showing how ideas start, how they evolve, and how much trial and error goes into creating something that feels real,” Woods said.
Ambassador Khari Haynes, a recent graduate of Benedict College with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, said the session reinforced confidence in pursuing creative careers.
“Seeing how far they’ve come in their journeys doing what they love was reassuring,” Haynes said. He added that learning about Lamar’s photography process and Woods’ visibility in digital media helped him see what is possible. “That’s when I thought, ‘OK, I can do this.’”
Throughout the meet and greet, ambassadors shared their own media experiences and future goals. “When I was younger and realized I wanted to be a journalist, I didn’t expect social media to be part of it,” Marable said. “Now I see that social media is another role that’s important.”
Ambassadors walked away with a clearer understanding of how skill building combined with authenticity can shape their future careers.
GameAbove Sports Bowl Social Media Ambassadors & Support Team
Instagram: @_klbbbb
Khalil-Lullah Ballentine
Khalil is a vibrant third-year journalism major at Florida A&M University and a proud Class of 2023 Alumnus of College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program. With a camera often in hand, his passion for photography is just as strong as his dreams of working at elite publications like USA Today, the Associated Press, or The Washington Post. Khalil aspires to tell compelling stories through print journalism. He wants to inspire the next generation with hopes of becoming a photojournalism teacher one day.
Instagram: @okaykhari
Khari Haynes
Khari Haynes is a Class of 2019 alumnus of the College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program and a recent graduate of Benedict College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications. A forward thinker with a strong eye for detail, Khari is driven by a passion for creative storytelling. Beyond content creation, he hopes to motivate young people around the world to pursue higher education. His long-term goals include creating and producing short films that blend artistic expression with mission-driven storytelling.
Instagram: @alaunacalais
Alauna Marable
Alauna is a dynamic third-year honors student studying sports journalism at Norfolk State University and a proud Class of 2023 alumna of the College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program. From the field to the newsroom, her passion for sports runs deep. A former athlete, Alauna is now turning her love of sports into an emerging career through her internship with ESPN. She is deeply committed to community service and enjoys volunteering at food banks. One of her current goals is to use social media tools to bring a fresh approach to storytelling across digital platforms. Alauna hopes to engage communities through sports, service and lifestyle content and ultimately build a career that promotes positive engagement across diverse sports communities.
Instagram: @iluvavery
Avery Roberson
Avery Roberson is a second-year student studying psychology at North Carolina A&T University and a Class of 2024 alumna of the College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program. On the path to becoming a child therapist, she is committed to promoting culturally responsive care and providing meaningful support to youth of color. She is an advocate for emotional well-being education. Since elementary school, Avery has been fascinated by content development. Her social media content started as a creative outlet that has now evolved into a purposeful platform. Today she use digital spaces to share her experiences as an HBCU student, educates others about HBCU culture and highlights the value of shared human experiences.
Jalisa Johnson
Support Team
Jalisa is a second-year student studying journalism at Norfolk State University and a Class of 2024 alumna of the College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program. She plans to pursue a career in public relations to help small businesses, individuals and organizations shape an authentic voice. Jalisa brings a strong ability to rise to the occasion when contributing to communication campaigns and product launches. Her long-term goal is to build a career in media relations by blending journalism with strategic public relations. Outside of her academic and professional interests, she enjoys mentoring younger classmates and hopes to develop a professional workshop series that helps college students transition into media relations after graduation.
Pa’Ja Williams
Support Team
Pa’Ja is a senior student studying journalism with a minor in criminal justice at Central State University and a proud Class of 2022 alumna of the College Career & Beyond | Midnight Golf Program. After graduation, she hopes to connect basketball fans and communities through news storytelling as an anchor with ESPN. She believes in the importance of giving voice to underrepresented communities. Motivating and mentoring others are central to how Pa’Ja gives back. She emphasizes the importance of investing in younger students, encouraging them to maintain self-confidence and prioritize their well-being. Known as a strong team player, Pa’Ja contributes through leadership and unwavering support of others.