The Watson Executive-in-Residence Program was founded by Thomas Watson ’57, a DelVal alumnus with a passion for education and exposing students to the varied experiences and pathways of industry leaders. Although Watson started out in pharmaceutical sales, he found his calling in advertising and became a founder of Omnicom, one of the world’s largest advertising firms. The Watson Program includes a speaker series that focuses on preparing students for the business world. Executives spend a day on campus to share candid advice and lessons from their careers through a public presentation and by meeting with individual students. Additionally, each semester a student is awarded a Watson scholarship and is afforded the opportunity to introduce the visiting executive speaker.
Alex Boylan
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
LSB Auditorium
About Alex Boylan
Alex Boylan’s love for adventure and passion for storytelling have defined his career as both a dynamic on-camera personality and a visionary producer. After winning CBS’s The Amazing Race at just 23 years old, Alex quickly became a sought-after television host, leading audiences through the #1 food series on PBS (At The Chef’s Table), the #1 animal series on PBS (Animal Attractions), and more than 100 travel segments for The Travel Channel. Behind the camera, Alex has earned an Emmy nomination for producing The Steve Harvey Show, multiple Webby Awards for Around the World for Free, and an ADRIAN Award for DreamJobbing.
Today, Alex is the creator, executive producer, and host of The College Tour, the groundbreaking Amazon Prime TV series with nearly 200 episodes that bring the authentic stories of students and campuses to millions of viewers worldwide. His expertise in higher education storytelling earned him recognition as one of EdTech Magazine’s Top 30 IT Higher Education Influencers to Follow in 2022.
In 2025, Alex released his debut book, The Miles That Make You, a memoir and playbook that shares his journey from humble beginnings in a small New England town to global television success, offering life lessons on resilience, curiosity, and the power of saying yes to the uncomfortable.
Visit alexboylan.com to learn more!
Keynote Overview
In Alex Boylan’s keynote at Delaware Valley University, the Emmy-nominated host and producer will take the audience on an inspiring journey through the pivotal chapters of his life—from growing up in a small New England town with little more than hand-me-downs, to winning The Amazing Race, circling the globe with no money, and ultimately creating The College Tour, a groundbreaking series reaching millions worldwide. Through these stories, Alex will share hard-won lessons about resilience, curiosity, and embracing discomfort as a pathway to growth.
The second half of Alex Boylan’s keynote will shift into an interactive workshop drawn from his College-to-Career Playbook. Here, Alex will personally guide students through actionable strategies to turn their college years into a launchpad for future success. Using real tools and frameworks, students will learn how to tell their own story, build meaningful connections, and bridge the gap between campus life and their dream careers.
Tom Watson '57 earned his bachelor’s degree from DelVal before graduating from Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business with his MBA. His illustrious career in global advertising business includes co-founding the Omnicom Group and Omnicom University, now valued at $19 billion, and serving as its Vice-Chairman and Dean. After graduating from DelVal, Watson’s professional career began in pharmaceutical sales with Abbott Laboratories and Merck, and later evolved into a management role at BBDO, a worldwide advertising agency network and the lead agency in the formation of Omnicom. In 2005, Watson served as DelVal’s commencement speaker and received an honorary doctorate degree. Watson became known for his belief of investing in people and helping people reach their full potential, and in 2006 he founded the Watson Executive In-Residence (WEIR) program at DelVal. Since founding the WEIR program over 18 years ago, Watson has spent time on campus mentoring many students and has helped award over $120,000 in scholarships to students at DelVal. Dr. Watson, a native New Yorker, is married to the actress, singer, writer and producer, Judee Wales.
Previous Speakers
Watson Adventures, LLC
Bret Watson, Founder and CEO of Watson Adventures, LLC, and Stacy King, General Manager of Watson Adventures, were speakers for DelVal’s Watson Executive-in-Residence program. Watson Adventures offers unique team-building activities including scavenger hunts, trivia games, and murder mystery games, as well as virtual team-building activities and games that connect home offices. Since its inception in 1999, Watson Adventures has grown to span the nation, with more than 500,000 people participating in hunts, including the employees of thousands of prestigious corporations. All the while, Watson Adventures’ scavenger hunts have received more media raves and other acclaim than any other company of its kind. Bret and Stacy presented, "How to Start a Business with No Money". Read more here.
Dr. Randall Pinkett
Dr. Pinkett is an established entrepreneur, innovator, speaker, author, and media personality. He is an expert in several areas relating to emerging technologies, “big data” analytics, social innovation, culture, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and is a regular contributor on MSNBC, CNN, and Fox Business News. Dr. Pinkett discussed "The Three Essential Mindsets to Compete in the 21st Century”.
Kathy Killian, Vice President of Administration for the Philadelphia Phillies
Killian is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the sports/entertainment industry. Students asked questions, networked and interacted with Killian during the visit.
Alumni Panel: Francis Arnold ’16, Chief of Staff at Vanguard, Jessica Rotondo ’17, student at The University of Baltimore School of Law, Nico Sferra ’17, analyst for strategic accounts at AmerisourceBergen, Steven Wodock ’07, Chief Financial Officer at Fox Group
The alumni panel included four past recipients of the Watson scholarship. The goal of the alumni panel was to talk openly about the transition from DelVal to a career. All of the alumni spoke of mentors they found in professors and other connections through DelVal. They encouraged students to meet with professors outside of class because they are able to provide long-term support.
Stephen Flavell ’04
Stephen Flavell ’04, chief operating officer for the Executive Education Academy Charter School (EEACS) in Allentown, gave his lecture entitled “What Perseverance and 189 Nights in Hotels Does for a Career” to DelVal faculty and students, as well as visiting high school students from the EEACS.
