Jake is known as the quick-witted co-host and content creator at Jomboy Media, but his story begins at Central: a place that helped shape his work ethic, friendships, and path forward. With both of his parents working for the State of Connecticut, Jake felt a natural connection to Central which offered the right combination of affordability, accessibility, and opportunity — a place where he could build his own path while becoming part of a tight-knit campus community
During his time at Central, Jake lived in James Hall and later served as a Resident Assistant before eventually moving off campus with friends. Among those friends was Jimmy “Jomboy” O’Brien ’12, who was not only a fellow student but also Jake’s roommate. The two bonded over their shared love of baseball — especially the New York Yankees — a friendship that would later turn into a successful business partnership.
Like many Central students, Jake balanced academics, jobs, and his interests outside the classroom. That experience helped instill the work ethic he still carries today. “CCSU teaches you work ethics,” Jake says. “Between classwork, having a job or jobs, and whatever hobbies or passions you have — the only way to get it done is by hard work.” Looking back, what stands out most to Jake is the community he found at Central. Some of his favorite memories are the simple ones — grabbing a meal at the dining hall and relaxing by the campus fishpond with friends.
After graduating, Jake spent time working out west in two different roles while trying to determine what direction he wanted his career to take. One of the biggest challenges, he says, was being honest with himself about what he truly wanted to pursue professionally. When Jimmy reached out about building a new sports media project together, Jake was ready to take the leap. Together they founded Jomboy Media, a New York-based sports and entertainment company that produces several hit podcasts and YouTube series followed by fans around the world @jomboymedia, and @talkinbaseball, (the No. 1 ranked baseball podcast in the world), and @talkinyanks. For Jake, the mission of his work remains simple: to entertain people. “Life’s hard,” he says. “No matter what job I’ve had along the way, that was usually my goal.” Despite the growing success of the company, Jake stays grounded by remembering that everyone is still figuring things out. It’s a perspective shaped in part by his time at Central — a place where he learned, built lifelong friendships, and prepared for the real world
For Jake, being a Central alum means being part of a community that helped him grow, build friendships, and prepare for the real world — a place where the Blue Devil spirit and that Central pride stays with you long after graduation.
