Wake Forest’s Commitment to Provide a World Class Student-Athlete Experience Displayed Through Opendorse Collaboration
6/22/2022 9:00:00 AM | General, Les Johns
“We work with a lot of partners across the country and I can tell you that Wake Forest is right where it needs to be.” – Julian Valentin
As the head of brand and athlete marketing at Opendorse, a company that was launched in 2012 and exists to make every athlete – from preps to pros – more accessible to the people who support them, Wake Forest alum Julian Valentin joined the company just over a year ago to help the company better connect with its partner schools to ensure that all athletes within the platform understand how to build and maximize their own personal brand.
As a former men's soccer player who helped the Demon Deacons win the 2007 NCAA Championship, it's a thrill for him to assist his alma mater as it becomes one of the leaders in this space.
"I'm excited both on a personal and professional level," Valentin said. "We have partners who are really doing things in the right way, and it makes it easier for us. I'm excited for the partnership with Wake Forest as they are doing an amazing job looking at things and determining how they will move forward. I can't say enough about the staff in Winston-Salem and the work they are doing so that their student-athletes will be successful."
The three primary functions that Opendorse assists schools with is education, brand building and compliance amidst the ever-evolving NCAA legislation around Name Image and Likeness. Additionally, Opendorse has the ability to assist student-athletes with the monetization of their NIL.
"Opendorse is a platform that helps student-athletes understand, build, protect and monetize their NIL value," Valentin explained. "We've been doing this for 10 years, helping athletes understand how they can take advantage of their name. Now in the world of collegiate athletics, they can monetize that, and it's really exciting. Wake Forest has worked with us for a while. They are really forward-thinking in engaging in this space under AD John Currie's leadership.
"We do a mix of traditional education and have resources on financial literacy, mental health and things like that. But also brand building and how to use the product. It's a holistic approach to student-athlete wellness, so they understand how to engage in this space in the right way."
The collaboration between Opendorse and Wake Forest will continue to grow as they move forward.
"There's going to be more of a focus and investment," Valentin said. "Opendorse's resources will help the staff in conversations with recruits and their families. Wake Forest is a special institution and will always be able to attract special student-athletes. They absolutely can compete, and working with John and the athletic administration, I can tell you the vision is there on how to continue to provide a World Class Student-Athlete Experience for the young men and women on campus.
"We work with a lot of partners across the country, so I feel like I've got a great handle on how best to do it. I can tell you Wake Forest is right where it needs to be."
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