Shooting for the stars: Sports CaM student excels behind the camera and in front of it

Like many top students, Zion Cruz wasn’t sure about a major when he arrived on campus, and soon found that his first choice was not the right fit.

A graduate of Camden Academy Charter High School, Cruz prepped for college since middle school, took AP Literature and Statistics, shot video and stills professionally, and taught himself to play guitar.

He loved basketball, but repetitive injuries forced him to pull back. So, arriving at Rowan in the fall of 2021, Cruz thought he might transition from playing sports to helping other athletes recover from injuries.

“After taking courses like human anatomy, I thought maybe athletic training wasn’t the path for me,” he said.

Cruz turned back to his love of filming and photography, flooding his social media accounts with shots both dramatic and emotional. He was soon discovered by reps at basketball websites like Ball Is Life, Ball Dawgs and Hoop Group who would pay for his work.

“All of a sudden, I’m shooting top high school players who might get recruited to big schools,” Cruz said. “I’d shoot around the state, up in New York, all over Philadelphia.”

His place in “Sports CaM”

Making good money as a freelancer, Cruz still faced the issue of his major and his college degree. A friend’s recommendation of Sports Communication and Media (Sports CaM) through Rowan’s Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts led to a conversation with Senior Director Neil Hartman, who encouraged Cruz to pursue a spot in the program. But there was a catch.

“I had just a 1.6 (GPA) but Neil had faith in me,” Cruz said. “He saw my social media accounts and fell in love, but I had to change my grades. If I did, Neil would do his best to help me get in the right space for my future.”

Settling into Sports CAM, Cruz continued freelancing but, working with Hartman, picked up other work including internships through Rowan partnerships with the Delaware Blue Coats and Cage Fury Fighting Championships as well as with NBC Sports Philadelphia. Last fall, he led a team producing social media content for Rowan football.

“From the first time I saw Zion’s work, it was apparent he has an incredible eye and a feel for the sport he was capturing, and he’s only gotten better with time,” Hartman said. “For the past three years, the Blue Coats have used Zion as their social media videographer and photographer. His editing style makes his videos pop, and the players love it.”

Cruz entered his final semester with a 3.1 GPA and expected it to rise by graduation. Meanwhile, still freelancing for the sports sites, he’s expanding his social media presence and now shoots fashion and music videos, too.

Further, he’s making an impression in front of the camera as well as behind it. One of his TikTok videos, of Cruz and his friends having fun shopping, has more than five million views. In “Each Day is Another Opportunity,” he challenges viewers to try things, like sampling new cuisines, teaching himself guitar, learning piano and starting his own clothing line.

And everything he does comes with empathy and a thousand-watt smile.

“What I’m showing now is a more personal side of me,” he said. “Whether I’m vlogging trips or speaking my mind about something, I want to let people know they may not be the only person going through something.”

Follow Cruz on TikTok: @zioncruzz, and Instagram: @cruzzfilms.