January February 2024 College News

College of Fine Arts and Communication | 11 Sharing and Storytelling for the New Horizons Innovation Series at the Star One Conference Center. STUDENT ACCOLADES Zaria Jackson , advertising major, was selected as one of 50 students nationwide to be named an American Advertising Federation's Most Promising Multicultural Student. She spent a week in New York City touring advertising agencies, meeting with mentors, constructing a solid foundation for job search and recruitment. She also presented herself to a room of 350 advertising professionals. The topper of it all was Zaria's picture on the video screen in Times Square. [2] ALUMNI ACCOLADES Sixteen SJMC students participated in this year’s Study in America program to New York City. Among notable highlights during the Jan. 7-13 professional development program were separate visits with SJMC alumni who have flourished there over the years. Visits with Allie Horton of Conde Nast, Chris Eudaily of CNBC, Lemondria Hobbs , mostly recently from Weber Shandwick, and Claudia Marvin of Ketchum offered abundant advice and first-hand experiences. Students also visited a noon briefing at the United Nations and the 9/11 Memorial Museum; global giants Burson Cohn and Wolfe, Hill & Knowlton and media experts at the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts. The program was coordinated by senior lecturer Charles “Chuck” Kaufman and Digital Media Specialist Albert Suarez . [3] DEPARTMENTI ACCOLADES Texas State University Advertising students entered student work from 2023 in a nationally recognized competition, the American Advertising Addy Awards. Texas State as a whole received one gold, five silver, and 3 bronze awards, along with 1 student scholarship winner. JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION Advertising, Digital Media Innovation, Electronic Media , Mass Communication, Journalism, & Public Relations FACULTY ACCOLADES Larry Carlson is serving as a judge for the Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) this spring. He is judging radio and television entries from across the state for the annual Texas Broadcast News Awards. Eraldo “Dino” Chiecchi read from and signed his book Josue: A Young Man’s Life Lost to Suicide at an event in El Paso, Texas. More than 70 people attended Chiecchi’s presentation at La Fe Cultural and Technology Center. The book reading and signing were followed by a panel discussion with experts on mental health and suggestions on how to stem the teen suicide epidemic. The mother and sister of Josue, the subject of Chiecchi’s book, were in attendance. [1] Debra Price has joined the Board of PRSA Austin as the Director-at-Large, Communications. In this role she will spearhead communications for the Austin chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Cindy Royal , along with Allie Kosterich of Fordham University, had the article "Institutional Arbitrageurs: The Role of Product Managers as a Locus of Change in Journalism" published in the open-access journal Media and Communication . The article explores how product managers act as a locus of change using their roles to manage complexity in media organizations. Royal also had her 2024 prediction AI Changes Everything... and Nothing published in Nieman Journalism Lab. Royal spoke with Jeff DeVerter of Rackspace on the topic of Approachable AI: Your Assistant, Not Your Replacement, for their Cloud Talk series. Royal, along with Jon Zmikly , Ashley Hebler of Texas Tribune and Shawn O'Keefe, head of innovation and design of the Code Exitos agency in Austin, spoke on the panel Media Innovation: Digital Trends in Information 70 individuals attended Eraldo’s public reading and book signing event Zaria Jackson was named as one of the American Advertising Federation's Most Promising Mulitcultural Student 16 students visited a noon briefing at the United Nations and the 9/11 Memorial Museum 10 | January & February | College News 1 2 3 Albert Suarez is an alumni turned staff. Albert Suarez is a digital media specialist currently contributing his expertise to the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University. With a rich background in both entrepreneurship and academia, Albert has carved a notable niche for himself in the realm of communication design. Albert's academic journey began with a focus on communication design, supplemented by a minor in mass communication at Texas State University. His commitment to continuous learning led him back to his alma mater for postgraduate studies, where he earned a master's degree in Mass Communication, further solidifying his expertise in the field. Before assuming his current role as a digital media specialist, Albert showcased his entrepreneurial spirit by founding and running his own creative business. In this venture, he specialized in portrait photography, crafted visual brand identities for local small businesses, and provided design consultation services. This hands-on experience honed his skills and provided a real-world perspective that he now integrates into his academic endeavors. #ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT PHOTO BY: Regina Blancas Photography