Putting People First and 'Team Before Task' to Build Community
When sleep eluded Chris Ackels (A&S ’13) as a high school student at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, he tuned the radio stashed under his pillow to his beloved Texas Rangers. As a baseball player, Ackels was attuned to the team’s mechanics on the field as essential indicators of wins and losses. But he also recognized that the combined work and support of the players, coaches, fans and stadium and media personnel were key to the season's overall success.
During his time at Jesuit Dallas, Ackels found new language for what he learned all those years listening to Rangers broadcasts: Putting “team over task” sounded a lot like “Men and Women for and with Others,” and the attention his own teachers and mentors paid him as a student introduced him to the idea of cura personalis: Caring for the whole person – mind, body and spirit. Those ideas percolated as Ackels started to make sense of his role in the world around him.
“Our job as humans is to use critical thinking and ask ourselves, ‘How can I apply that mission to the role I am in today?’” said Ackels. For him, it’s easy: Put people first, so every person’s contributions to the whole build community and trust.
SLU’s same commitment to the Jesuit mission and values inspired Ackels to make the University his home during his college search. Its faculty and staff played an instrumental role in his SLU experience, and their influence continues to impact his life today. Robert Krizek, Ph.D., a professor emeritus of communication and fellow baseball fan, empathized with Ackels when the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Rangers in the 2011 World Series. Dan Kozlowski, Ph.D., (GRAD A&S ’03), an associate professor in communication, helped Ackels hone his writing and reporting skills. And Brian Kunderman, assistant director of athletics and media relations, helped Ackels when, as a student worker, he was learning the roles of announcing and reporting on Billikens games.
“I loved every step of my journey at SLU,“ Ackels said. “It taught me the importance of focusing on relationships and people.”
Building Community
After graduating in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in communication, Ackels continued building community by volunteering with the Alumni Service Corps, a one-year Jesuit teaching program. He taught English and was an assistant baseball coach at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee.
The experience shaped his lifelong learning, and he moved to Chicago to pursue his master’s degree in English at DePaul University. There, he landed a graduate assistantship with the athletic department. That was when Ackels made a name for himself in sports announcing.
As a joke, a fellow graduate assistant suggested to Ackels that he would be perfect to counter the team’s slumping morale by giving away pizza at the games to boost fan engagement. Ackels agreed to take on the challenge. He rummaged through the theater department’s costumes, uncovering a blue three-piece suit and top hat that fit him like a glove. Dubbed “Chris in the Crowd,” Ackels played trivia games, interviewed fans and hosted on-court contests at men’s and women’s basketball games.
The problem, he said, was that he resembled Mr. Peanut more than the DePaul mascot. But the fans were happy and enjoyed supporting their fledging Blue Demons. Creating a new relationship with the team in the stands was key.
After earning his master’s degree, Ackels stayed in Chicago and returned to teaching and coaching at St. Patrick High School and Loyola Academy. In the summer, he also served as the in-stadium host and emcee for the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. He said he loved his work in secondary education, as well as bringing people together around sports in the Windy City, but after 12 years away, he was ready to head back to his hometown.
“When I turned 30 and my dad turned 70, I knew it was time to go home,” Ackels said. “I took some time to discern what was important to me, and in the summer of 2021, I moved home to Dallas and made a career switch to pursue my dream of working in sports.” That was the same summer that Ackels was named public address announcer for University of Notre Dame football. He has been the voice of the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium ever since.
A Storied Career
Throughout his career, Ackels has announced for various professional and collegiate sports teams and served in a communications role for others. Before he reached the age of 30, Ackels had worked at least one game in all five major professional sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS) as well as both NCAA football and basketball. He currently works as the special assistant to Clark Hunt, chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs, specializing in the Hunt Sports Group’s communications strategy while building relationships with media and charitable organizations.
Put people first, invest in relationships, and get clear about what’s important in your life. Focus on those things – joy and success will follow."
Chris Ackels (A&S ’13)
Ackels also volunteers as a SLU regional rep for the Dallas area, where 2,160 SLU alums reside. What he enjoys most about the role is meeting other SLU alumni, attending Billiken basketball games and celebrating SLU-bound Dallas students at annual send-off events. Last spring, when University president Fred Pestello, Ph.D., visited Dallas to engage alumni and greet incoming students, Ackels shared his Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVII ring, with a second ring on the way.
He also shared his advice to future students and graduates, amid their search for college and careers. It’s the same as what guided his own journey.
“Put people first, invest in relationships, and get clear about what’s important in your life. Focus on those things – joy and success will follow,” he said.