ASU's Content Creation Degree and the Perils of Personal Branding
Arizona State University (ASU) has introduced a Bachelor of Arts in Content Creation, offered both online and on-campus, aimed at equipping students for the creator economy through lessons on personal branding and monetizing content. Critic Michael Rushton claims this initiative takes advantage of youthful misconceptions and parental finances, emphasizing that achieving success in this field is infrequent. He references Sage Steele, an Indiana University alumna and ex-ESPN commentator, whose anti-vaccination views resulted in a lawsuit against ESPN, resolved in 2023. In June 2025, after Indiana Governor Mike Braun enacted a law eliminating alumni elections for IU trustees, Steele was appointed. Recently, Steele faced backlash from former IU Board chair Randall Tobias for a social media comment regarding waterboarding Anthony Fauci. Rushton questions whether ASU's curriculum includes lessons on accountability alongside free expression.
Key facts
- ASU launched a Bachelor of Arts in Content Creation, available online or in-person.
- The program teaches content creation across video, podcasts, social media, and emerging platforms, focusing on personal branding and monetization.
- Sage Steele, an IU graduate and former ESPN commentator, faced controversy over anti-vaccine comments on a 2021 podcast, leading to a lawsuit and 2023 settlement.
- Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed a bill in May 2025 to end alumni election of three IU trustees, and in June he appointed Sage Steele as a trustee.
- Steele posted a controversial message about waterboarding Anthony Fauci, which received a content warning on X and was condemned by Randall Tobias.
- The IU trustees' code of conduct requires trustees to act in the university's best interests and avoid conflicts of interest.
- The Board of Trustees has not commented, with a scheduled meeting at IU Indianapolis.
- Rushton argues that personal branding can lead to conflicts with institutional responsibilities and that universities should teach students about the consequences of their speech.
Entities
Artists
- Sage Steele
- Michael Rushton
- Paul Krugman
- Joshua Bell
- Anthony Fauci
- Mike Braun
- Randall Tobias
Institutions
- Arizona State University
- Indiana University
- ESPN
- Disney+
- IU Board of Trustees
- Indiana Public Media
- X
- YouTube
- Substack
Locations
- Flagstaff
- Indiana
- IU Indianapolis