Alumnus builds the brand of the Missouri Valley Conference
He credits Missouri State’s art and design and advertising programs with giving him the skill sets needed to succeed.
Derrick Docket, ’02, took a leap of faith on the first college to send him an acceptance letter.
“I applied, I got in and decided: I think I’ll go to school here!” He wanted a change from his hometown of St. Louis.
The first time he ever stepped onto Missouri State’s campus was on move-in weekend in the late 1990s, just days before classes would begin.
“Obviously, you wouldn’t advise everyone to start their college career that way, but luckily for me, I really enjoyed it and it was a perfect fit,” Docket said.
He ended up not only getting a great education, but falling in love with Bears athletics — a passion that foreshadowed his current career.
Docket, who earned a bachelor’s in art and design and a minor in advertising and promotion, is now the associate commissioner of new media and technology for the Missouri Valley Conference, the athletic conference in which the Bears and nine other schools compete. His duties include developing MVC’s brand on social media, doing graphic and web design, and producing videos.
“I think most folks don’t realize how much goes into make sporting events happen — not just on the field, but behind the scenes.”
Because he went to Missouri State, he was familiar with Valley teams.
“I’ve gone to the men’s basketball tournament for a number of years, and hadn’t missed it since moving back to St. Louis after graduation.”
As a student, Docket made an attempt to be at nearly all Bears sporting events, especially as Lady Bears legend Jackie Stiles rose to women’s basketball fame.
One particular Lady Bears story piqued the interest of his MVC interviewers in 2010. During his senior year, Docket had been to all the Lady Bears’ home games, but was in danger of breaking that streak because tickets were sold out. A classmate who worked at Hammons Student Center snuck him and a friend into the game.
“As they came around checking for the standing-room-only tickets, we just walked around to the other side. Pretty much we spent the evening just walking from spot to spot. That’s how we got in to watch Jackie Stiles’ record-breaking game.”
Luckily, MVC interviewers viewed Docket’s mild deviancy as a testament to his love for college sports and offered him the job. Now, he has branched out to support not just the Bears, but all of the MVC.
He credits Missouri State’s art and design and advertising programs with giving him the skill sets needed to succeed, something he pays back in pride, from his MSU license plate to the alumni events he attends.
“My time at Missouri State was filled with many positive moments, and that’s why I like to give back when I can.”
— By Trysta Herzog, graduate assistant, office of publications. The original article can be found here.