TEMPE, Ariz. -- Emerson Ward amassed so many applicable work skills while he was a Sun Devil student-athlete that when Valley-based CORE Construction charged him with hiring employees, he went back to that familiar and bountiful well.
"I want to say this as humbly as possible, but I saw value in my own development as an athlete," said Ward, a project director at CORE. "We are asked to balance training 20-plus hours a week, traveling to other schools during the season, competing at one of the highest levels of our sports, while also achieving in the classroom with full college course load and management of our daily lives.
"I believe being an athlete teaches a lot of helpful skills and develops a solid work ethic."
Ward didn't settle for one or two Sun Devils when he went co-worker shopping. Eight former ASU student-athletes work out of CORE's Phoenix office, including Ward, a swimmer from 2001-2005, former football players Mike Marcisz (2007-2011), Kody Koebensky (2009-2013), Corey Adams (2009-2013), Jay Quitmeyer (2014-15), Andrew Sampson (2008-2011) and baseball alumni Eric Melbostad (2013-2016) and Logan Spears (2012-14).
Spears, who served as a baseball manager during his time with the Sun Devils, said laboring with men who share a common background creates a unique and comforting work environment.
"It makes it a lot easier going into a project when you know the guy next to you is going to do whatever he needs to do to get the job done," Spears said. "You know you can trust this guy to pull his weight and you can always go to him and say 'hey, I need a little help, can you take a look at this?' He's always going to be there for you."
Marcisz is the project manager for the redevelopment of the third floor at the Carson Student-Athlete Center. That floor used to house the football coaches offices, player meeting rooms and film areas.
"I'm sure he has many good and probably some bad memories of team meetings after Sun Devil victories and, of course, after the losses," Ward said, laughing. "It's like coming full circle for Mike."
Ward's full circle metaphor is apt because the space that once housed his football team will now welcome all Sun Devil student-athletes. The third floor is being transformed into the new Watts Center for Academic Excellence and Championship Life, a space designed to help student-athletes achieve success in life after graduation.
"It is really cool," Marcisz said. "Here we are, a bunch of ASU student-athletes working for CORE and now I'm going back to that place where I learned so much to see all these guys like [senior associate athletic director] Mike Chismar and [executive senior associate athletic director] Jean Boyd in a professional setting.
"It's cool to showcase our abilities. It's almost like saying, 'this is the product. This is what you guys created' and I hope I exemplify the Sun Devil Way and you can see that guys who don't go on to play in a professional arena can still be successful."
Marcisz said the project is due for completion in early January. Upon completion, the center will feature a fueling station outside the north elevator bank where students can grab a Powerade, muscle milk or other beverages to help fuel their day. The central hallway that used to house offices is being blown out to open up a space with café-like seating, wood ceilings and trim, and a glass wall that will allow visitors to look down to the first floor and the Hall of Fame. The offices at the east end have also been removed to create more seating akin to restaurant booths, and computer stations with WiFi and USB power stations.
Marcisz is also overseeing the renovations at Phoenix Municipal Stadium and the plaza at the north end of Sun Devil Stadium. His commitment to ASU won't end there, however. If Boyd asks -- and Marcisz believes it is already in the works -- he'd like to come back and speak to student-athletes about life after college.
"I'll do that all day if he wants me to come talk to student-athletes," Marcisz said, laughing. "A lot of these guys dream about playing in the NFL or going pro, but it doesn't always happen. The NFL wasn't in my future but here's how I progressed and here is my technical knowledge and here's what I can offer.
"I can talk all day long about what's coming and how to prepare yourself for it, budget-wise, getting married and having kids, work culture… I'd enjoy that."
With a fresh crop of student-athletes moving out into the work force each year, Ward said the CORE-Sun Devil Athletics connection would only strengthen.
"Respect, teamwork, professionalism, community support – are just some of many character traits that are being instilled in a deliberate manner by the athletics department, through the leadership of Ray Anderson his staff and all the coaches," Ward said. "The two cultures, Sun Devil Athletics and CORE Construction, really are aligned. It was something I felt right away and our culture has only grown stronger with the impact of these hires for CORE."
"I want to say this as humbly as possible, but I saw value in my own development as an athlete," said Ward, a project director at CORE. "We are asked to balance training 20-plus hours a week, traveling to other schools during the season, competing at one of the highest levels of our sports, while also achieving in the classroom with full college course load and management of our daily lives.
"I believe being an athlete teaches a lot of helpful skills and develops a solid work ethic."
Ward didn't settle for one or two Sun Devils when he went co-worker shopping. Eight former ASU student-athletes work out of CORE's Phoenix office, including Ward, a swimmer from 2001-2005, former football players Mike Marcisz (2007-2011), Kody Koebensky (2009-2013), Corey Adams (2009-2013), Jay Quitmeyer (2014-15), Andrew Sampson (2008-2011) and baseball alumni Eric Melbostad (2013-2016) and Logan Spears (2012-14).
Spears, who served as a baseball manager during his time with the Sun Devils, said laboring with men who share a common background creates a unique and comforting work environment.
"It makes it a lot easier going into a project when you know the guy next to you is going to do whatever he needs to do to get the job done," Spears said. "You know you can trust this guy to pull his weight and you can always go to him and say 'hey, I need a little help, can you take a look at this?' He's always going to be there for you."
Marcisz is the project manager for the redevelopment of the third floor at the Carson Student-Athlete Center. That floor used to house the football coaches offices, player meeting rooms and film areas.
"I'm sure he has many good and probably some bad memories of team meetings after Sun Devil victories and, of course, after the losses," Ward said, laughing. "It's like coming full circle for Mike."
Ward's full circle metaphor is apt because the space that once housed his football team will now welcome all Sun Devil student-athletes. The third floor is being transformed into the new Watts Center for Academic Excellence and Championship Life, a space designed to help student-athletes achieve success in life after graduation.
"It is really cool," Marcisz said. "Here we are, a bunch of ASU student-athletes working for CORE and now I'm going back to that place where I learned so much to see all these guys like [senior associate athletic director] Mike Chismar and [executive senior associate athletic director] Jean Boyd in a professional setting.
"It's cool to showcase our abilities. It's almost like saying, 'this is the product. This is what you guys created' and I hope I exemplify the Sun Devil Way and you can see that guys who don't go on to play in a professional arena can still be successful."
Marcisz said the project is due for completion in early January. Upon completion, the center will feature a fueling station outside the north elevator bank where students can grab a Powerade, muscle milk or other beverages to help fuel their day. The central hallway that used to house offices is being blown out to open up a space with café-like seating, wood ceilings and trim, and a glass wall that will allow visitors to look down to the first floor and the Hall of Fame. The offices at the east end have also been removed to create more seating akin to restaurant booths, and computer stations with WiFi and USB power stations.
Marcisz is also overseeing the renovations at Phoenix Municipal Stadium and the plaza at the north end of Sun Devil Stadium. His commitment to ASU won't end there, however. If Boyd asks -- and Marcisz believes it is already in the works -- he'd like to come back and speak to student-athletes about life after college.
"I'll do that all day if he wants me to come talk to student-athletes," Marcisz said, laughing. "A lot of these guys dream about playing in the NFL or going pro, but it doesn't always happen. The NFL wasn't in my future but here's how I progressed and here is my technical knowledge and here's what I can offer.
"I can talk all day long about what's coming and how to prepare yourself for it, budget-wise, getting married and having kids, work culture… I'd enjoy that."
With a fresh crop of student-athletes moving out into the work force each year, Ward said the CORE-Sun Devil Athletics connection would only strengthen.
"Respect, teamwork, professionalism, community support – are just some of many character traits that are being instilled in a deliberate manner by the athletics department, through the leadership of Ray Anderson his staff and all the coaches," Ward said. "The two cultures, Sun Devil Athletics and CORE Construction, really are aligned. It was something I felt right away and our culture has only grown stronger with the impact of these hires for CORE."