Full circles
Peter Lasser still remembers the project that connected him to Daniel Niemeyer.
As a student, Lasser was part of a team that filmed and produced a 30-minute talk show covering Buffs football games. Niemeyer was his professor for the independent study course.
“There was never an idea that was too crazy for him,” said Lasser (Comm’76). “If we could put it together, he was behind us, helping us get it done.”
Niemeyer also provided Lasser with hands-on opportunities in the television industry, even helping him earn his first on-screen credit as a camera operator.
“Dan fostered the entrepreneurial spirit that made me successful in my own career,” Lasser said. “I think he was proud of what I ended up doing in the business, and that’s very rewarding to me.”
Lasser considers himself fortunate to have counted Niemeyer as a mentor for more than 40 years. Today, he pays that experience forward, supporting students through scholarships and connecting them to a broadcasting network he’s spent decades creating.
“Work-wise, it’s invigorating to be surrounded by young people,” Lasser said. “Anytime I can help open a door, I will.”
That spirit is why Lori Bergen, founding dean of CMDI, called Lasser “a quintessential supporter of the college.”
“Peter is not only a tremendously generous supporter, he’s over the top in terms of how he mentors and advocates for our students—listening to their stories and identifying opportunities to start them on their career paths,” Bergen said. “He brings an infectious sense of joy about our students and our college to every conversation he’s a part of.”
After a brief foray in advertising, Lasser moved into sports broadcasting, producing 11 Olympic Games for ABC, Olympic Broadcast Services, NBC and Turner Sports. Since 1998, he has owned Lasser Productions, working as a producer and director for clients such as USA Swimming, Varsity Spirit and ESPN.
For all that, some of his favorite stories come not from what viewers saw during the Olympics, but from how he was able to be a resource for students seeking careers like his. He has spoken at the college’s Sports Media Summit, supports its residential intensive program for incoming first-years, and served on its advisory board.
He also funds the Peter L. Lasser and Daniel C. Niemeyer Endowed Scholarship, which is awarded to students who demonstrate leadership, community service and extracurricular involvement. Five students have received the scholarship so far; one recipient, Sarah Grim (Jour’24), said Lasser’s mentorship helped her secure work as a social media community manager for the NCAA.
They met over coffee at the UMC in 2023, after she received his scholarship, and bonded over their mutual love of sports.
Grim shared with Lasser her dream of combining broadcasting and cheerleading—“such a niche thing to do, and opportunities aren’t always out there,” she said. But through Lasser, she got the opportunity to cover the Summit All-Star Cheerleading Championship for ESPN.
“Having him as a connection has been so incredible for my career,” she said. “Peter challenges me in a lot of ways and is always pushing me to do things I didn’t think I was ready or able to do.”
Iris Serrano is studying strategic communication and journalism at CMDI. She covers student news and events for the college.