students

The next generation in the newsroom

Hannah Stewart — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 23:07:13 +0000

The next generation in the newsroom Hannah Stewart Tue, 03/25/2025 - 17:07

Networking with industry professionals has been one of the highlights of Roch's time in CMCI, whether it's through student organizations or college events. Photo by Jack Moody (StratComm'24)

By Hannah Stewart (Comm鈥�19)

From his office, Chuck Plunkett can sometimes hear conversations from the conference room next door.

Often, it was a voice he came to recognize鈥攈is student, Lincoln Roch.

鈥淚 was impressed at his skill at working the phones,鈥� said Plunkett, an associate teaching professor of journalism. 鈥淓very now and then, I would wander over and just chat with him about his technique.鈥�

Plunkett has worked in newsrooms nationwide, so knows what he鈥檚 talking about when it comes to telephone techniques. But that鈥檚 not the only reason he expects Roch to succeed as a journalist.

鈥淚 noticed right away that he had a lot of skill as a reporter, and a lot of drive. And you need both of those to be a successful journalist,鈥� he said.

Roch has already found success after transferring into CMCI鈥檚 journalism program just last fall. He previously attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, but after two years in their program, craved a change.

Roch estimates he spent at least 10 hours on the ground following McMillan and her opponent, Woog, as they spoke to undecided voters. Photo by Lincoln Roch; originally appeared in The Colorado Sun.

鈥淐U was really the only place I considered transferring to鈥擨 grew up in Louisville and wanted to be close to home and friends,鈥� Roch said. 鈥淚 really love it here. I didn鈥檛 realize how many opportunities this school provides that I couldn鈥檛 get before.鈥�

He quickly got to work integrating himself into the campus community鈥攋oining student media outlets like Sko Buffs Sports and the CU Independent, as well as the club freeskiing team. He also picked up a sports media minor and began internships at multiple publications, including the Daily Camera and Estes Valley Voice.

Roch鈥檚 passion for journalism goes back to his days contributing to Monarch High School鈥檚 student newspaper. In addition to covering general school news, he also wrote stories about the 2018 government shutdown and journalism鈥檚 role in preserving democracy, sparking a passion for political reporting.

His big break into the field came last fall, when he heard about PTA president-turned state representative candidate Jillare McMillan鈥檚 campaign for the District 19 seat. This was one of the most closely watched鈥攁nd tightest鈥攔aces in the 2024 state elections, and she ultimately lost to the Republican candidate, Dan Woog. But it was an unforgettable experience for Roch, who was looking for a dynamite story for his class with Plunkett.

鈥淚 thought, 鈥楾his is just like Kamala Harris and what happened with her.鈥� But this woman has no campaign infrastructure. This woman is starting with no political experience, no staff, no money, and less time to pull this off,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o I pursued it, and it just kept getting more interesting.鈥�

Soon, he learned that the new candidate, McMillan, was a Mormon endorsed by Planned Parenthood, and her campaign manager was a 色视频下载 junior. Her opponent was a Republican interested in renewable energy, who had previously held the District 19 seat but lost it in 2022.

Roch said covering the District 19 race was the hardest he ever worked on a story. Photo by Lincoln Roch; originally appeared in The Colorado Sun.

鈥淚t was so fun to write and especially being on the ground, I probably spent 10 hours literally following them while they knocked on doors,鈥� Roch said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the hardest I鈥檇 ever worked on the story because I wanted to tell just how unique of a story it was.鈥�

With a little help from Plunkett, who is also the director of CU News Corps, Roch contacted politics editor Jesse Paul from The Colorado Sun鈥攚ho worked with Plunkett at The Denver Post鈥攖o publish the story. Seeing his story on the front page of what he considered to be the 鈥済old standard of journalism in this state鈥� was an exciting moment for Roch, and one that reinforced that this was the profession he wanted to do for 鈥渢he rest of my life.鈥�

After receiving an email from student media director Vicky Sama about submissions to the Hearst Feature Writing Competition, Roch submitted his story for consideration and ultimately received an honorable mention for his reporting.

鈥淚 see him working with other students and mentoring them, helping them navigate the world of journalism in these really tough times,鈥� said Sama, an associate teaching professor of journalism. 鈥淪o there鈥檚 something to be said about his passion and commitment to the profession. I think that鈥檚 admirable.鈥�

This recognition helped, in part, to motivate him to further his involvement with CU journalism. Together with some other students, Roch pushed to reestablish the 色视频下载 chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

鈥淲e all wanted an opportunity to, outside of classes, network with professional journalists and learn from them,鈥� Roch said. 鈥淓ach week, we鈥檙e going to try and bring in someone and have them share their insights, put on some workshops, talk about ethics and teach people how to improve their skills.鈥�

As part of the effort, he connected with the SPJ Colorado president and helped organize the first three meetings.

鈥淟incoln has meant a lot to the program鈥攈e鈥檚 very much a significant contributor,鈥� Plunkett said. 鈥淚t kind of felt like a full-circle thing to now be teaching the next generation of Jesse Pauls and to see Lincoln, a definite contender for a future job in a newsroom like the Sun, making a connection with Jesse.鈥�

Junior journalism student Lincoln Roch is making a splash on and off campus. He鈥檚 joined multiple student media organizations, held a handful of reporting internships and recently, received recognition in the Hearst Feature Writing Competition.

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All-star impact from the sidelines

Joe Arney — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 22:12:30 +0000

All-star impact from the sidelines Joe Arney Mon, 12/02/2024 - 15:12

By Hannah Stewart (Comm鈥�19)

Henley Beisert has always loved sports. In her youth, the Texas native played volleyball and basketball, and her family had season tickets to the Astros and Texans. In fact, she spent many birthdays tailgating for her favorite football team.

This love of sports led Beisert to apply to 色视频下载 as an integrated physiology major, so she could pursue a career in physical therapy鈥攂ut midway through her first semester, she switched to strategic communication to study public relations. When she graduates this December, she鈥檒l be recognized as CMCI鈥檚 Outstanding Graduate.

鈥淚 got the news when I was on my way to Texas for the Buffs game,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s soon as I got off the plane, I called my family, I called my boyfriend, I told my best friend. I was so excited.鈥�

Beisert wasn鈥檛 flying to Lubbock just as a Buffs fan鈥攕ince her first year, she has been a video assistant with the football team. In this role, she films the games for the football, soccer and lacrosse teams while creating other video content, as well.

鈥淚 literally love my job with the football team. I鈥檓 going to be so sad to leave it because it鈥檚 been one of the most fun experiences,鈥� she said.

鈥橬atural leadership鈥�

Her supervisor, Jake Drag, called Beisert 鈥渁n invaluable asset to our video team鈥� who has developed into a reliable mentor for newcomers. The work she does behind the camera, he said, creates the tape that athletes study to improve their performances on the field.

鈥淗er natural leadership qualities and dependability have helped her thrive in being the captain of our student crew,鈥� he said.

Since she works so closely with the players, especially on the football team, she鈥檚 developed relationships with some of them, which helped her land a new position as an ambassador for the Colorado NIL Store. The store helps student-athletes earn money through their name, image and likeness; in that role, 鈥渋t鈥檚 been so fun to dabble a little more in content creation and graphic design,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great opportunity to work with a team and the main campus to meet more people and grow my network.鈥�

Not surprisingly, her love of sports also inspired Beisert to add a sports media minor and critical sport studies certificate to her degree plan. She said using sports as a lens has changed the way she鈥檚 thought about everything from history to PR.

鈥淗aving taken at least 10 classes covering more critical aspects of sports has been really enlightening,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can watch sports now and see the commodification of athletes. It鈥檚 been fun to have that different perspective open up, aside from just rooting for your favorite team.鈥�

Internships aplenty

But Beisert is more than just a sports fan, or a fan of sports communication. She鈥檚 a big fan of internships鈥攁nd that鈥檚 her No. 1 piece of advice for new students.

鈥淚nternships may seem like a lot, and feel stressful at times, but they鈥檙e invaluable because you grow your network and gain experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 fun to try so many different things.鈥�

While at CU, she has been a communications and public relations intern for companies like Sherpani, Cig Public Relations, Prim and Company, Turner and, of course, the NIL Store. She said these experiences exposed her to the array of opportunities public relations professionals can play in the real world, but were above all amazing ways to make connections.

鈥淚鈥檓 still in touch with a lot of people from my internships, and that鈥檚 so important, because you never know who might help you in the future,鈥� she said.

One person who was extremely helpful to Beisert was Erin Willis, an associate professor of strategic communication who ran the Bateman Case Study Capstone last year. Knowing that she鈥檇 graduate a semester early, Beisert chose to complete the course during her junior year, and it proved to be an unforgettable experience.

Her team was tasked with creating and executing a campaign for Culturs magazine. Together, they planned events like a Panhellenic mixer that celebrated cultural diversity and collaborated with the Boulder chapter of PRSSA to host a seminar series. Their team was ultimately recognized with an honorable mention at the national competition.

鈥淚 learned a lot more about PR through this capstone because I was actually doing it,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd Professor Willis was so helpful. Connecting with some professors can be hard in college, but the ones in CMCI have been so welcoming and want you to succeed in the real world.鈥�

Henley Beisert thought she鈥檇 be a physical therapist, possibly for athletes. At CMCI, she found her real passion was creating content for them.

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The biggest and best yet: CMCI鈥檚 Class of 2028 poised to impress

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 23:23:57 +0000

The biggest and best yet: CMCI鈥檚 Class of 2028 poised to impress Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/03/2024 - 17:23

By Hannah Stewart (Comm'19)
Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm'18) and Jack Moody

First-generation college student Alexa Tovar grew up hearing about how her mother dreamed of attending 色视频下载. Now, the first-year student is carrying on that dream for her at the College of Media, Communication and Information.

鈥淪he couldn鈥檛 come because she had two young kids,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow, my cousins and I are all close in age, and are now going to college for our moms. It鈥檚 really special for me.鈥�

CMCI鈥檚 Class of 2028 is really special in its own right. With 437 new first-year students, this fall鈥檚 new cohort is the college鈥檚 largest yet鈥攕mashing last year鈥檚 record-setting class by 12%. The size of the classes continue to grow, which helps maintain its commitments to diversity.

The growth trends are especially notable, as the university鈥檚 incoming class of first-year students dipped slightly from the year before, even though the overall size of the student body grew from fall 2023.

Some notes on the college鈥檚 growth:

Like last year, nearly 24% of incoming students are from diverse backgrounds.
Female students make up 64.7% of the CMCI Class of 2028. Notably, they represent slightly less than half of the campus population.
The college enjoyed a 10% bump in the number of out-of-state students.
They鈥檙e high achievers, with almost 20% of the class graduated with a high school GPA of 4.0 or greater.
Among majors, media production (15.1%) and communication (12%) saw the biggest growth in new students.

CMCI also added 78 transfer students鈥攁 32% increase over the previous year. With 58 new graduate students, the number of incoming students is 573.

Tovar, a strategic communication major, learned about CMCI while on a campus tour. After meeting a college ambassador, she knew she had found the perfect fit.

鈥淚 really love public relations and talking to people,鈥� Tovar said. 鈥淚n high school, I got the opportunity to do an internship with Make-A-Wish, and I would write stories and do literally everything that a stratcomm major does.鈥�

Finding community

In preparation for coming to college, Tovar participated in the Pathways to Excellence summer bridge program, which she said was essential to starting the semester with confidence. The experience was particularly impactful because it jump-started her campus community, especially with other first-year students, like Oscar Leon.

鈥淧athways is the best thing I鈥檝e ever done,鈥� Leon said. 鈥淚t helped me come out of my bubble, and I was able to manage campus life a lot quicker.鈥�

Leon, who is from Commerce City, applied to 色视频下载 as an education major, but quickly determined he wanted a program with more flexibility.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to only be a teacher鈥擨 want to be a communicator who can do a lot of different things and a lot of different jobs,鈥� he said.

So far, that鈥檚 what he鈥檚 found within the communication department, especially among his collaborative and approachable professors.

But he鈥檚 also been appreciative of finding time to use his newfound independence. When he isn鈥檛 in class or meeting up with friends, he鈥檚 been enjoying exploring Boulder; finishing up his internship with Out Front Magazine, where he writes stories and helps with their social media; and checking out student groups.

鈥淲elcoming new students is always special because of the diversity of passions and experiences they bring to our community,鈥� said Lori Bergen, founding dean of the college. 鈥淥ur students constantly impress me with their enthusiasm for learning and exploring new opportunities, and we鈥檙e thrilled to be part of their journey.鈥�

Another communication major, Isabel Malik, said she was looking forward to learning more about CMCI in D.C., an immersive study-internship experience in the nation鈥檚 capital.

鈥淚鈥檓 thinking about student government, and eventually want to look into lobbying, because I鈥檇 like to do something in politics,鈥� said Malik, who鈥檚 also interested in minoring in political science and business. 鈥淚 chose communication because it seems like a really good way to make an impact on the ever-changing world.鈥�

鈥淚 love that we鈥檙e all in this huge class and learning the same thing, but we all have different paths. Finding someone on the same path, with a different background, is awesome.鈥�
Isabel Malik, first year, communication

Growing up in Golden, Malik attended a tiny high school and is excited most about all the opportunities 色视频下载 has to offer. So far, meeting with professors and her peers has been her favorite part because of the variety of experiences.

鈥淚 love that we鈥檙e all in this huge class and learning the same thing, but we all have different paths. Finding someone on the same path, with a different background, is awesome.鈥�

Finding opportunity

Information science major and Boston native Evan Bardinelli is, like Malik, eager to get involved, particularly with study abroad programs. He came to Boulder in part because of his love for the outdoors; some of his favorite hobbies include skiing and fishing.

鈥淕oing to school, living on my own and becoming more independent鈥攁ll in Colorado鈥攈as been really exciting,鈥� Bardinelli said. 鈥淚 like my classes and I like my professors. Boulder has really good people, and it鈥檚 a good place to go to school and to learn. I go to class and I feel like I鈥檓 surrounded by people with similar interests.鈥�

Through the residence halls, student groups and classes, the first-year class is diving headfirst into all that campus and the college has to offer.

鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to get my hands on everything I can. College is such a big opportunity,鈥� said Tovar, who is now a CMCI ambassador herself. 鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to seeing how I鈥檓 going to spend my time and fill my cup.鈥�

The incoming class at CMCI is impressive鈥攖hey鈥檙e the biggest class yet, with 573 new undergraduate and graduate students. From carrying on their parents鈥� dreams to finding their own, four students talked about why they鈥檙e excited to call 色视频下载 their new home.

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Class of 2023: Cassidy Davis

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 17:28:43 +0000

Class of 2023: Cassidy Davis Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/08/2023 - 10:28

By Hannah Stewart (Comm鈥�19)

As an arts student, Cassidy Davis dreamed of working in the entertainment industry. But when she became a hockey fan, her interests turned to event management and sports media.

The last three-and-a-half years鈥攚hich included six internships, many in sports鈥攐nly validated her new dream of working in the sports world. This winter, she鈥檚 being recognized with the William W. White Outstanding Graduate award as a result of her hard work and determination.

Davis, a strategic communication major, knew she wanted to study advertising when she was applying for college, but she wanted to focus on the creative side of the business. After taking a few core classes, she discovered a love for copywriting and working with people, so she switched her concentration to public relations and hasn鈥檛 looked back.

鈥淭he best part of my time at CU has been getting such broad experience, including public relations, sports media and graphic design,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing able to study all of my little niches and learning how to put them together has made me confident about applying what I鈥檝e learned at work.鈥�

Checking out hockey

She began her undergraduate career in fall 2020, the middle of the pandemic. With social distancing and so-called 鈥淐OVID bubbles鈥� in place, she spent many nights doing homework while occasionally watching a hockey game. Occasionally transformed into frequently, and frequently turned into enthusiastically.

鈥淲hen I became a fan of hockey, I really became a fan of hockey,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I started thinking, event management would be cool, and started learning about other sports.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful for my time at CU and I feel like I鈥檓 so dedicated to finding a career I鈥檓 incredibly passionate about. I鈥檓 super excited to see what happens after graduation.鈥�
Cassidy Davis

Davis鈥� newfound passion for the industry led her to the sports media minor, which paved the way for several internships, including with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, CAA Icon, the Colorado Rapids and more鈥攕he even got to live out her hockey-fan dreams by taking a picture with the Stanley Cup after the Colorado Avalanche won the title in 2022. Now she鈥檚 working with CU Athletics as a marketing and fan experience intern and loves it.

鈥淚 do a lot of the promotions during the media timeouts for every single sport,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淢y favorite experience has to be my time with CU Athletics and just being able to put my love for sports into my love for my college and my university.鈥�

In addition to sports media, Davis also chose to minor in creative technology and design because of its emphasis on graphics and creative design. She said she pursued the minor in order to become more well rounded.

Largely because of her academics, she has been able to more fully take part in the campus community, which she says is key to student success. Her advice to incoming students is to 鈥渏oin as much as you can and not be afraid to try for something, and make as many connections as you possibly can.鈥�

It was her relationship with Dawn Doty鈥攁 teaching associate professor and someone Davis considers a mentor鈥攖hat encouraged her to participate in the prestigious Bateman Competition as a junior. Through her sports media minor, she met Mike Davies (Jour鈥�94) who also has become a mentor.

鈥淗e鈥檚 been a huge help in saying, 鈥榃hat do you want to do with your career?鈥� and introducing me to people,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just going to continue networking as much as I can and learning as much as I can.鈥�

鈥楲ike an all-star鈥�

Doty called Davis one of the best students she鈥檚 taught in nearly a decade at 色视频下载.

鈥淭he best PR people I鈥檝e known throughout my career are a combination of smart, tenacious and tireless,鈥� Doty said. 鈥淐assidy demonstrated all three of these characteristics during the Bateman competition.鈥�

She said Davis鈥� attention in class helped her compete for the internships that have set her up for professional success, but beyond that, 鈥淐assidy understands that being successful in the PR profession鈥攁nd many others鈥攔equires networking, and she does this like an all-star.

鈥淪he has a clear vision of what she wants to do post-graduation, which helped her use her time at CU in a meaningful way.鈥�

When Davis reflects on the past three and a half years, she said that she feels lucky to have had supportive teachers, a solid foundation, and the chance to study and work within her passions. So achieving the outstanding graduate award is the perfect sendoff.

鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful for my time at CU and I feel like I鈥檓 so dedicated to finding a career I鈥檓 incredibly passionate about,鈥� she said. 鈥淐U gave me all the materials to get there, and I鈥檓 super excited to see what happens after graduation.鈥�

Strategic communication student Cassidy Davis has a deep love for CU and sports. This December, she was announced as the recipient of the William W. White Outstanding Graduate Award.

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鈥業 feel like I truly belong at CU.鈥� Meet CMCI鈥檚 impressive Class of 2027

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:09:03 +0000

鈥業 feel like I truly belong at CU.鈥� Meet CMCI鈥檚 impressive Class of 2027 Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/02/2023 - 10:09

By Joe Arney

A desire to learn, a chance to chase his dream job, the opportunity to develop new skills鈥攆or Leopoldo Rivera IV, all of those were important reasons to attend college.

But for the first-generation CMCI student from northern Colorado, a major reason is family. Rivera is the oldest of four who is working to set a strong example for his siblings while honoring the memory of his mother, who died 10 years ago.

鈥淢y mom put a lot of expectations on me as the oldest, but I tried to embrace that,鈥� said Rivera, a first-year journalism student. 鈥淪he taught me to work hard, study hard and do what it takes to succeed. I wanted to make her proud by being the first in my family to attend.鈥�

Rivera joins an impressive class of first-year students at the College of Media, Communication and Information. It鈥檚 the largest and academically strongest class in the college鈥檚 history.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no better way to get inspired by the work we do at CMCI than to hear from our students, especially our Class of 2027,鈥� said Lori Bergen, founding dean of the college. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so rewarding to meet our new students and appreciate the academic aptitude, diversity of backgrounds and passion for learning they bring to our growing community.鈥�

First-year class is 20% larger

Rivera brings extensive sportswriting experience to Boulder, including two years at his hometown newspaper, and hopes CMCI helps him discover how to develop his voice so he can land his dream job on a show like ESPN鈥檚鈥淔irst Take.鈥�

This year鈥檚 incoming first-year class is made up of 390 new students, a 20% increase over last year and well above the 2019 high-water mark of 341. Nearly 24% come from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds, an improvement over last year鈥檚 19.8% percent.

Meanwhile, the average first-year student has a high school GPA of 3.68, a slight increase from last year, and while standardized test results are no longer required as part of an application, the average ACT of 28.2 is the highest score yet.

鈥淚 feel like I truly belong at 色视频下载,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to learn as much as I can at CMCI so I can create my own legacy.鈥�

Cincinnati native Zach Giesenschlag, who plans to study communication at CMCI, said 色视频下载 is a sort of homecoming. Though he has no family here, his parents got engaged in Colorado, and after growing up in the heartland, the skier and photographer wanted to be near the mountains.

鈥淟ocation was important to me, and I heard so many good things about CMCI when I was looking at programs,鈥� he said.

Like many students enrolling from out of state, Giesenschlag has relished the chance to meet new people, both through CommRAP, the college鈥檚 residential academic program, and activities like Sko Buffs Sports; he鈥檚 already had the chance to anchor the club鈥檚 live show. If he continues to pursue that, he may be following in the footsteps of his father, who has worked in broadcast journalism for years.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a hard industry to get into, so another reason I鈥檓 happy to be here are the experiences I can get and connections I can make,鈥� he said.

鈥榃hy would I want to be anywhere else?鈥�

Caroline Pellerito brings a unique set of experiences to CMCI鈥攕he deferred her admission a year to skate with Disney on Ice, giving her the opportunity to see the country and understand that she was a brand ambassador for a major corporation during the experience.

Both reasons helped bring her here to study strategic communication.

Pellerito, of Vail, missed her family while she was on the road, so she鈥檚 grateful to be closer to home as a student. 鈥淎nd I spent a lot of time in random cities, which was fun, but it helps you appreciate that Colorado is the best,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hy would I want to be anywhere else?鈥�

鈥淚鈥檇 like to become a person who can speak up for others who don鈥檛 have a voice. I hope being at CMCI helps me get to where I want to be.鈥�
Diego Simental

Seeing how Feld Entertainment鈥攚hich produces Disney on Ice鈥攁pproaches public relations up close gave her an idea that she might enjoy that as a career. While she鈥檇 love to return to Disney on Ice after graduation, perhaps in a PR-focused role, for now, she鈥檚 most excited to study abroad.

For Isabella Herrera, a first-generation student from Aurora, it was 色视频下载鈥檚 culture that stood out when she was considering colleges. As she talked about CMCI鈥檚 precollegiate programs鈥攕he completed both Pathways and Connections鈥攈er phone intermittently buzzed with text messages from her new friends, proof she鈥檚 already feeling at home.

鈥淚鈥檇 love to study and maybe get an internship in London,鈥� Pellerito said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to put myself out there and spend more time in such an incredible city.鈥�

鈥淚 met two of my best friends in Pathways, and we go to class every day together,鈥� she said.

Herrera earned multiple scholarships to attend 色视频下载, which she said have offered her the freedom to explore the different opportunities at CMCI. A media production student, she鈥檚 already started working as a stage production assistant at Macky Auditorium.

鈥淢y scholarships have helped me be more open minded鈥擨 was able to look for jobs that were more about the experience I could get, as opposed to just needing the money,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 spending more time making friends and less time worrying about how to pay for school.鈥�

The community was also instrumental in helping Julia Zentmyer feel at home on campus. The Madison, Wisconsin, native made fast friends with her roommate, 鈥渨ho has been really nice to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e started meeting new people through her, which has helped me feel more at home on such a large campus鈥攚hether we鈥檙e going to the Rec Center or Red Rocks.鈥�

A strategic communication major, Zentmyer liked that CMCI would allow her to explore both her interests in business and communication鈥攁nd the great outdoors. She鈥檚 already fallen in love with hiking at nearby Chautauqua and looks forward to exploring more鈥攂oth on the trails and in her classes.

A Super calling

Ranney Willis, meanwhile, followed his older sister, Matilda, to CU鈥攂ut in a way, he was following Superman, who unexpectedly became the subject of a guest lecture by Rick Stevens, associate dean of undergraduate education and associate professor of media studies.

鈥淚 got to learn about how pop culture has an actual effect in the world, which is how I got interested in CMCI,鈥� Willis said. 鈥淢y parents and I got a chance to speak with professor Stevens afterward, and the first thing I asked was whether there are jobs in this.鈥�

Willis, who is majoring in media studies, is interested in one day working in a studio that specializes in video games or animation. He鈥檚 already tried out to compete in esports with the CU Gaming club.

鈥淭he community at CU is big鈥攂ut that鈥檚 a good thing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to know I鈥檓 not alone in the journey of exploration and discovery that I鈥檓 on.鈥�

Diego Simental is a new student who isn鈥檛 new to campus鈥攈e first visited 色视频下载 in the seventh grade. The Commerce City native and first-generation student was the anchor of his high school鈥檚 news program, and is studying journalism in the hopes of becoming a newscaster.

A highlight of his own Pathways experience was the chance to visit the local CBS station in Denver during a trip to the city over the summer.

鈥淚鈥檇 like to become a person who can speak up for others who don鈥檛 have a voice,鈥� Simental said. 鈥淚 hope being at CMCI helps me get to where I want to be.鈥�

Unsurprisingly, another first-year personality helped draw plenty of students to CU鈥檚 Class of 2027. For Rivera, the aspiring sports journalist, Deion Sanders鈥� arrival at Folsom Field 鈥渨as kind of the last calling.鈥�

鈥淚 listened to Coach Prime鈥檚 press conference, and he said something like, this is the place to be, and the time to be here is now,鈥� Rivera said. 鈥淎nd I thought, I want to be a part of this, because this is history in the making. I don鈥檛 know how, but I want to be a part of it.鈥�

This fall, CMCI welcomed the largest and most academically qualified class of students in its history.

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Buff Zone: 鈥淣ique Clifford, Luke O鈥橞rien next in line for CU Buffs men鈥檚 basketball鈥�

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 20:21:52 +0000

Buff Zone: 鈥淣ique Clifford, Luke O鈥橞rien next in line for CU Buffs men鈥檚 basketball鈥� Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/05/2021 - 14:21

Featuring CMCI students Keeshawn Barthelemy, Nique Clifford, Luke O鈥橞rien and Jabari Walker

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The New York Times: "To Cover College Quarantines, We Turned to the Best Sources: Student Journalists"

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 17:44:24 +0000

The New York Times: "To Cover College Quarantines, We Turned to the Best Sources: Student Journalists" Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/23/2020 - 11:44

Featuring Anna Haynes (Editor of the CU Independent)

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Be Involved: Student Jobs

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 18:22:44 +0000

Be Involved: Student Jobs Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 09/28/2020 - 12:22

Featuring Strategic Communication student Ariana Falco.

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Student wins Hearst Foundation Enterprise Writing award

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 17:08:25 +0000

Student wins Hearst Foundation Enterprise Writing award Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/27/2018 - 10:08

Junior Charlotte Bowditch is one of 10 enterprise writing winners from across the country in the 58th annual William Randolph Hearst Foundation鈥檚 Journalism Awards Program. According to the Hearst Foundation, they received 122 entries in the Enterprise Writing competition from 70 schools.

Bowditch's winning article, "鈥榃e have lost our daughter鈥�: Parents of Resurrection and Grace Christian church members accuse churches of abuse, financial manipulation," was published in 色视频下载's student-run news site, CU Independent, last April. The article outlines claims of questionable鈥攁nd even abusive鈥攑ractices by Resurrection Church in Boulder, as well as an affiliated church in Fort Collins. The claims are made by relatives of current members of the churches, and by former church members. Much of the story centers on interviews Bowditch conducted with the father of a member of Resurrection Church, who attributes his graduate loss of contact with his daughter鈥攁 former 色视频下载 student鈥攖o her decade-long involvement with the church.

"This was a follow-up to Charlotte's original reporting on Resurrection Church," said Gil Asakawa, the student media manager who oversees CU Independent. "The story is remarkable in its scope and display of human emotion."

Bowditch, who is an Environmental Studies major and Journalism minor at 色视频下载, earned a certificate of merit as a top-10 winner.

The award is the latest in a long list of recogntions for CU Independent and its writers. Bowditch previously received a Mark of Excellence Award from the Society for Professional Journalists in 2017 for online in-depth reporting, and CU Independent recieved a 2016 Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press.

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CMCI students participate in NABJ 2017

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 17:12:25 +0000

CMCI students participate in NABJ 2017 Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/18/2017 - 11:12

Several College of Media, Communication and Information students and alumni were on hand last week for the annual National Association of Black Journalists convention. The event, held this year in New Orleans, featured presentations and panels from some of the most notable African-American voices in the journalism community, as well as documentary screenings and a salute to excellence awards show.

Attendees were also treated to a kickoff party for director Kathryn Bigelow鈥檚 new film Detroit, which is based off the events of the 1967 Detroit riots.

CMCI students Ariana Freeman, Aaron Montgomery and Neal Scarborough all attended the convention, using it as an opportunity to network and help promote the college. Former CEJ Scripps fellow, and current editor at Mississippi Today, R.L. Nave was also on hand at the CMCI booth.

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