Athletes Behind the Lens: How MSU Creatives is Shaping the Future of HBCU Sports Coverage

BALTIMORE, MD – Over the past year, MSU Creatives have transformed Morgan State University’s athletic coverage, making a name for themselves as the go-to media team for sports content. What started with just four student photographers, including Sebastian Taylor, Emmanuel Durojaiye, and Kelia Briscoe, has now grown into a powerhouse team of over 38 members spanning multiple departments, such as social media, graphic design, photography, and videography. The team now includes talents like Justin Cone, Jake Bandouh, and Camal Arline, who have contributed to expanding the department's capabilities.

Photo Credits: MSU Creatives

This innovative student-led team was born from the vision of Randolph Brent, a 2021 graduate and former student-athlete who played football for Morgan State University for a year. After leaving the field, Brent transitioned to the digital media team, using the discipline and insights he gained as an athlete to capture the spirit of Morgan’s athletic programs. "I finished playing on the football team and then started doing creative content for the football team—coaches' film, highlights, and pictures—and it kind of bloomed from 2018 to now," Brent explained.

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Now, that same athletic mindset is embodied by team members like Sebastian Taylor and Jake Bandouh, who’ve traded in their cleats for cameras, using their experience on the field to expertly capture the intensity and emotion of HBCU sports. "We are the first and only HBCU media team that's completely student-led," Bandouh shared in a recent interview. "We’ve started a movement with the hashtag #TheBlueprint, and we’re setting the standard for other HBCUs to follow."

Photo Credits: MSU Creatives - Art, Arielle Dickerson

Sebastian Taylor, the lead photographer for MSU Creatives, uses his athletic background to not only capture the intensity of HBCU sports but also to elevate Morgan State’s sports media presence. "We’re emulating what the Power 5 schools do," Taylor explains. "We look at programs like Texas, Oregon, and Alabama, and bring that same level of cinematic storytelling to Morgan State. Our game day recaps aren’t just highlights—they’re full stories, capturing the energy of the crowd and the emotions of the athletes."

Taylor’s leadership goes beyond the field or court. Under his guidance, MSU Creatives has helped reshape the image of Morgan State Athletics through their content. “People on campus recognize our work and talk about it—it’s a student-run operation, and that makes it even more meaningful.”

Video by Sebastian Taylor

Similarly, Jake, who started as an intern and worked his way up to lead production assistant, taps into his experience in football and lacrosse to guide the team’s production efforts. Reflecting on the unique perspective he brings as a former athlete, Jake shared, "I think it's my attitude and how I carry myself when I come to the office every day. I started playing football in high school, and I didn’t know if I wanted to do it, but I ended up falling in love with it—the same with lacrosse. That mindset of ‘if I feel like I can do it, I can do it, and I won’t stop until I complete it’ is what I bring to the team every day."

Video by Arielle Dickerson

With its foundation rooted in athletic experience and creative passion, MSU Creatives is transforming how HBCU sports are captured, showcasing the university’s athletes with authenticity, precision, and pride.

By Arielle Dickerson

With Contributions from The Hill, The Link, The Spokesman  

Photo, MSU Creatives

Photo, MSU Creatives // Collage, Arielle Dickerson

Video, Sebastian Taylor 

Video, Arielle Dickerson

Audio, Arielle Dickerson

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