Featured Alumnus: Kymani Palmer ’17

Kymani Palmer ’17 was on his way to work at ESPN’s Bristol offices one November morning when he received an email containing amazing news. He had received an Emmy Award for his hand in producing SportsCenter, a program televised daily on ESPN. 

For Kymani, who served as a production assistant on the show, this was a pleasant surprise. “I was about to start my day and then I got that email. When I saw that a lot started going through my mind, but I was mostly just excited,” Kymani says. 

Earning such a coveted award doesn’t come without hard work. Just a few months after graduating from Endicott College with a degree in sports management, Kymani was hired at ESPN. This was already an accomplishment in itself. “Being from Connecticut, and being an avid sports fan, it’s a dream to work at ESPN.” He began as a production assistant in September of 2021 and worked his way up to the role of content associate, which involves putting together graphic and highlight packages to be used during live sporting events. He currently works specifically with the College Basketball Event Production Team.

Most recently, Kymani’s work could be seen interspersed throughout college basketball in-season tournament games. He says this daily work is rewarding in itself. “Seeing the hard work you put in aired on national television … it’s a great feeling. I can’t describe it.”

It’s safe to say Kymani is enjoying his work, and he says his time at Avon Old Farms played a huge role in getting him to this point. As many of his fellow alumni can attest, learning to create and feel comfortable in a routine is a recipe for success that is garnered heavily at Avon. “When I went away to college it took some time to get adjusted, but I was quickly able to settle in. I did learn that at Avon. Having a strict routine, being organized, I got all of that from my time there.”

Kymani spent four years at Avon where he was a member of the network club and, being an avid sports fan, was heavily involved in athletics. He was a member of the varsity football and basketball teams, but his primary focus was track & field, where he was a member of the varsity team all four years. 

It was through his athletic and academic pursuits at Avon that he learned to uphold the school motto, something that has continued to help him in college and now in the working world. “Especially in college there’s going to be times where you’re stressed out. That’s when you have to aspire and persevere. You’ll get through it.”

Kymani also has a unique connection to Avon shared by a handful of students in each graduating class. He is the son of a current employee at the school. His father, David Palmer, has been a member of the housekeeping staff for more than a decade. David says a lot of his colleagues had a hand in his son’s accomplishments, including this latest achievement. “Mr. and Mrs. LaRocque, Mr. Reece, Mrs. Coz, and so many more have been a part of his journey during and after graduating from AOF. Avon Old Farms has played a vital role in the person he is right now and he wants to make sure AOF gets the credit it deserves.”

His dad’s work means Kymani is a member of the AOF community in more ways than one, and it also makes it easier to visit campus. “I was actually just there the other week to watch the basketball team play Salisbury. It was nice to see some old teachers and peers again,” Kymani says. 

Being back on campus has reminded him about the small things that set Avon apart. “It’s the simple things: saying hi to everyone, just being nice, these things can take you really far in life.”

In Kymani’s case, these simple things have given him a successful first few years after graduating from Avon. The recent Emmy Award is likely just the beginning for Kymani, who says he loves his job at ESPN and working through the ESPN Next program, a leadership development program for early-career professionals. 

He says he plans to continue to learn all he can in his current role, and even spoke of future aspirations. A dream of his would be to work in the front office of a professional sports team one day. If his career so far is any indication, aspiring and persevering will continue to take Kymani far.