Impact Of A Scholarship: Kyle Convissar

A scholarship helped Kyle Convissar, a former Maryland baseball star and Robert H. Smith School of Business graduate, land a job in the film industry. 

Now, the former Terp is pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Yale School of Management with an M Club Rodman Postgraduate Scholarship. Convissar was one of 11 former student-athlete graduates of the University of Maryland to receive the honor, which reflects excellence in athletics and academics at the university. 

The Severna Park, Md. native says his alma mater created lasting memories and opportunities for him that he will never forget. 

“I look back fondly at my time at Maryland, from lifelong friends to the excitement of playing baseball for my University,” Convissar said. “If you're a Terp, you're a Terp for life, that's for sure. For any fellow Terrapins who are unsure what they want to do in their careers, the alumni network and the associations involved with Maryland are extremely supportive, and it's a fantastic community to be a part of.”

Convissar lived in New York, Connecticut, Texas and even Singapore before moving to Maryland during his sophomore year of high school. While living in Texas, he developed his love for baseball, which grew when he moved to Maryland.  

The star attended Severna Park High School and guided the Falcons to a state championship during his junior season in 2009. He was named to the Baltimore Sun All-Metro team that same year and the following while boasting a combined .502 batting average and 15 home runs. Convissar was the top-ranked player in Maryland and graduated with a 4.5 GPA.

Convissar decided to become a Terp when he received a phone call from Erik Bakich, the head baseball coach for the Terrapins at the time. Bakich called at 12:01 a.m. during the summer of Convissar’s junior year, a minute after the high school recruiting period opened. 

“I wanted to play against the best and compete against the best, and that was in the ACC at the time,” Convissar said. “I really liked the atmosphere of Maryland, and the team was awesome and really welcoming. The coaching staff was great. I made my decision before I even went to my first class senior year of high school.”

Convissar also cited the university’s location from his home and its business program as reasons why the University of Maryland was the “perfect fit.” It helped that the student-athlete would receive a Bob "Turtle" Smith and Carol B. Smith and Family Endowed Baseball Scholarship to help with his expenses. 

“I thank Bob "Turtle" and Carol Smith for their generous scholarship that became a part of my athletic scholarship to UMD,” Convissar said. “They were both truly supportive during my time at school. Additionally, I am thankful for the Terrapin Club and their support of athletes in helping them achieve their goals and dreams.” 

Convissar played for the Terps from 2011-14, primarily as their second baseman. The 6-foot-2, 204-pounder posted a career .278 batting average along with 155 hits, 86 RBIs, and 88 runs in 181 games. He was also named Academic All-ACC several times, including Academic All-American as a senior. 

Most importantly, Convissar was one of the senior captains of the 2014 team, which set a program record with 40 wins and made its first-ever Super Regional and NCAA Tournament appearance since 1971. Convissar says his fondest memory of his time at Maryland was beating South Carolina to advance to the NCAA Super Regional. 

“That was definitely a massive highlight for me,” Convissar said. “During my time at Maryland, we took the program from the lower end of the ACC to competing for a spot in Omaha by playing Virginia in a Super Regional.”

Convissar also mentioned the atmosphere for home games in College Park as one of the things he misses.   

“One of the amazing things about Maryland baseball is that the field is literally in the middle of campus, right next to Stamp [Student Union],” Convissar said. “In between classes, students can walk right into the stadium to watch a game.”

Convissar graduated from Maryland with a degree in finance, but he was still determining his next step. He briefly traveled to Colorado, where he became a certified ski instructor. This allowed him to reflect, and he sought to utilize Maryland’s robust alumni network for career advice. 

Convissar contacted Mark Ciardi, a former Maryland baseball player. After Ciardi graduated from the university in 1983, he played in MLB before starting a career as a renowned film producer. Convissar was always interested in filmmaking, so he called Ciardi.

“On rainy days when baseball games were canceled, I'd love to go to the movie theater and watch films,” Convissar said.

Ciardi gave Convissar an opportunity that required him to travel to California. He took a risk and made the trip, and Convissar got his start in the film industry. He has been living in California ever since. 

“I had a Maryland alumnus who was very supportive of me and really gave me my first opportunity in the film industry,” Convissar said. “That turned into almost a decade-long career producing movies. So I would say the alumni network was absolutely critical in getting my first job and making films that I'm extremely proud of.”

Convissar is now the Vice President of Production and Development at Select Films. He has helped produce several successful films, including “A Million Miles Away,” “Chappaquiddick,” “Year of the Scab,” “The Senior,” “Safety,” and “A Gathering of Champions,” which was nominated for an Emmy Award for the most outstanding sports documentary series.

However, a large portion of the film industry went on strike in 2023, and film production rapidly declined. The shutdown affected Convissar, influencing his decision to return to school and earn his MBA. 

“I realized that if I wanted to be in control of my destiny, I should find a way to get to positions, whether it's in film or in another industry where I can have a say in what happens or, in a sense, be a mover and change maker,” Convissar said. “My hope is my degree from Yale will provide the knowledge and network to return to entertainment as someone who can help guide the industry forward because we currently find ourselves at a true crossroads.”

The University of Maryland M Club awarded Convissar $5,000 in scholarships to support his postgraduate education at Yale. 

"The encouragement from my fellow alumni reinforces my decision to continue my education and take these important next steps in my career,” Convissar said. “Playing baseball and graduating from the University of Maryland has had an immensely positive impact on my life's journey. Maryland's lessons of fearlessness, tenacity, and teamwork are all aspects I will bring with me to the Yale School of Management and why I continue to be a proud Terp."