ROCHESTER, Mich. — Oakland University Athletics is deepening its longstanding relationship with FanWord by adding FanWord Assist, the company's cutting-edge storytelling software. This multi-year agreement marks a new chapter in a partnership that began in 2019 when Oakland became one of the first institutions to join FanWord's storytelling service, FanWord Stories.

Since that initial collaboration, Oakland has built a compelling library of athlete-driven narratives under its "Through the Eyes" series, including standout stories like Gentry Brown's tribute in "My Biggest Fan," Livi Rice's perseverance in "The Comeback," and Jalen Moore's behind-the-scenes journey in "The Unseen Hours." These powerful stories have helped humanize the Golden Grizzlies brand and connect fans more deeply to its student-athletes.

"Oakland University has been a valued partner of ours for years, and it means a lot to see them embrace FanWord Assist as part of their continued commitment to storytelling," said Christopher Aumueller, CEO of FanWord. "Their Through the Eyes series has featured some of the most memorable and heartfelt stories we've been privileged to help share. With FanWord Assist, we look forward to helping Oakland scale that impact and elevate even more voices from their community."

With the addition of FanWord Assist, Oakland aims to streamline and scale its storytelling efforts across the entire athletic department. The platform enables communications staff to produce written content more efficiently, from feature stories and game recaps to athlete bios and alumni spotlights. This expansion empowers Oakland to bring even more visibility to the journeys of its student-athletes, coaches, and alumni while maintaining the same authentic, athlete-first perspective that defined its early success with FanWord Stories.

"We are excited to continue our partnership with FanWord here at Oakland," Associate Athletic Director for External Operations Nick Pumford said. "We are always looking ahead, continuing to build our brand, and create the stories and content that our student-athletes and fans deserve. FanWord has helped us achieve that tremendously."

Storytelling continues to play a vital role in the evolution of college athletics, supporting everything from fan engagement to recruiting and NIL opportunities. By enhancing its content strategy with FanWord Assist, Oakland is setting a powerful example for how technology and narrative can work hand in hand to spotlight the people behind the program.

About FanWord:
FanWord is one of the leading AI & storytelling companies in the college sports industry and currently works with more than 100 athletic organizations across all levels. To learn more about FanWord's storytelling software, FanWord Assist, click here.

How to Follow Oakland Athletics: For complete information on Oakland University Athletics, follow the department on X at @GoldenGrizzlies. The Golden Grizzlies are also on Instagram.