The technology coordinator and instructor for the College of Music and Media, Albert F. Dupont, Jr, was given the St. Sebastian award by Wolf Pack Athletics, to which one of his student employees, Julia Porcari said, “it’s about damn time.”

The St. Sebastian award is given every year to an individual who exhibited outstanding efforts on behalf of all Loyola athletes. Dupont said he was honored to receive the award this year.

“I really enjoyed helping the athletics department with their video and live streaming of games and never expected any type of award,” Dupont said. “It was a nice surprise, and I am humbled.”

Live sports production is a growing field and there is a big demand for workers who have basic skills and know how to operate in that world, according to Dupont.

He added that nearly all division one colleges and universities are producing all of their games live, and the Saints and Pelicans hire hundreds of people for the network broadcasts and in-arena show.

Dupont said he wants students to know they can be a part of that, and that he has had success with former students working live events.

Porcari, an English writing senior, said Dupont took her under his wing, and walked her step-by-step through production, teaching her everything she needed to succeed.
“I was a freshman music major. I had nothing to do with communications or broadcasting or any experience with camera work,” Porcari said. “Not only did he give me my first job in college, but he welcomed a kid who didn’t know how to find the power button on a camera.”
Dupont holds the communication department together by the seams when swarmed by difficulties, Porcari said.
Not only has Dupont done extensive work for the College of Music and Media, but Porcari said he has offered plenty of technical assistance to every other department on campus.
One of the most challenging experiences was the production process after Hurricane Ida, Dupont said.
“We had to be portable with our productions,” he said. “We had to play the home games in various locations, and it gave the students the experience of working in different environments, not just our athletic complex.”
Dupont said he hopes to see his students grow through challenging experiences like these, where they are forced out of their comfort zone.
“Producing live sporting events can be somewhat stressful, because you really never know what’s going to happen once the game starts,” he said.
Rin Andrews, graphic design sophomore, said they have enjoyed their time working with Dupont, who is a funny and fabulous teacher, according to Andrews.
“When we worked together for the Loyola sports events, he would always be cracking jokes which kept things lighthearted and stress-free,” they said.
Andrews also said that Dupont was an attentive supervisor, and made sure that all of his employees were trained and ready to do their jobs.
The care Dupont has for his employees even goes beyond the skills at their job, Porcari said. She said that Dupont always checks in to make sure his workers are mentally able to work a shift, and notices when they are too burned out.
“You can tell how much Albert loves and knows about production because it really shines through in the work he does,” Porcari said.
The work Dupont did with Wolfpack Productions was all his idea, Porcari said. While he wasn’t getting paid, she said he did it for his students.
“He created opportunities for me and dozens of other kids, and I’m so thankful for that because it’s taught me so much about the industry and what to expect,” Porcari said.