All together now: 2025 at CMDI

CMDI students celebrating graduation

Graduates and their families celebrate on the Business Field after the CMDI graduation reception in May.Photo by Hannah Howell.

Allan Tannenbaum speaks to students.

Allan Tannenbaum, the college’s Hearst Professional-in-Residence in the fall, spoke with students—and gave an interview to Radio 1190—about lessons from his career, which involved photographing musicians like John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen, covering war abroad, and documenting the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York.Photo by Hannah Howell

Journalists speak to high school students

A trio of 9NEWS personalities—from left, Noah Cooper, Ashley Moore and Amanda Alicea—speaks to high school students at J-Day during the fall.Photo by Nathan Thompson.

Students have fun at Eldora

Snow day! Environmental design students take a tour of Eldora as part of a project involving redesigns of the resort’s signature properties.Photo by Kimberly Coffin.

In a year where the college’s biggest story was its name change—following its integration with the environmental design department—CMDI’s community also found itself at the center of the biggest conversations shaping our time—from sustainability and A.I., to media literacy and the future of journalism.

Here are a few of the stories and photos we’re most proud of as we close out the year and look forward to what’s in store for 2026.

  • Text by Joe Arney
  • Photography by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm’18); Hannah Howell, critical media practices; Jack Moody (StratComm’24) and Nathan Thompson (Jour’24)
  • Design by Amanda J. McManus

Top stories

With design in mind

Bringing together two distinct organizations like CMCI and environmental design is a challenge. But the early returns on the integration are promising for both student outcomes and faculty collaboration.

Whole new ballgame

Once, a journalism degree was the path to a career in sports media. Today, CMDI students also study information science, communication and media studies to secure opportunities .

Good news

In the fall, CMDI welcomed J-Day—which brought nearly 1,300 high school students to Boulder—and the Poynter Institute, which celebrated its 50th anniversary at the college.

‘Bringing context to the science’

Becoming a global leader in sustainability is among the university’s four major priorities. At CMDI, students and faculty are already playing key roles.

Band together
When it comes to sustainability, individual actions only get us so far. A panel of CMDI experts explored how collaboration might save the day.

What’s the story?
How can storytelling advance environmental sustainability? Phaedra Pezzullo, professor of communication, is bringing that question to realms outside the typical academic circuit, such as story maps, podcasts and a book that inspired a punk-rock song.

Waste not. Want? Yes
Students majoring in environmental products of design once again saw their sustainably sourced creations quickly sell out at an annual Boulder holiday market.

Grounded in reality
Mary Miller’s senior thesis was shaped by her love of flight. She proposed ways to manage municipal airports based on traffic and the surrounding environment. It’s research she hopes to keep in the air now that she’s graduated.

Where the wild things were
A new book from Hillary M. Rosner, assistant teaching professor of journalism, argues that our human-centered view of the world is a reason many animals are disappearing: “If we continue to act as though we are the only species on the planet, it’s going to become self-fulfilling.”

In lights
For a project in her communication class, Alysia Abbas (Comm’25) interviewed students to ask what sustainability meant to them, then projected those messages around campus. “Sustainability doesn’t happen without community,” she said.

In a class of their own

CMDI’s Class of 2029 is by far the biggest record. Owing partly to the inclusion of environmental design students, it’s 25% larger than last year’s class. But bigger hasn’t come at the cost of community, first-year students said.

Student project billboard

Clean sweep

This year’s Denver One Show was all CMDI. The college swept the student awards category at the advertising, design and marketing competition, including one best in show award and one gold medal.

Student presents on stage

Trial by fire

Resilience is at the core of every doctoral student story, but the case of Anna Turner (PhDMediaSt’25) was something special: After losing years’ worth of work in a fire, a technician accidentally deleted everything the flames, and water, spared from her cloud account.

Joel and his comics

Foster figure

Becoming a foster father gave Joel Thurman new perspective on the comic book superheroes he adored. His doctoral work led him to Comic-Con and to create a horror comic of his own.

  • 548new first-year students

  • 3.76average GPA

  • 73new transfer students

Congratulations, CMDI Forever Buffs!

“She is a rock star who is going places.” Meet the outstanding seniors from the Class of 2025.

A Sko Buffs Sports student works the control board

There’s more to sports media than what happens in front of the camera. Students in Sko Buffs Sports also handle production and other roles.Photo by Hannah Howell.

Students at CMDI's Involvement Fair

The college’s involvement fair is a chance for newcomers and upperclassmen alike to meet the leadership of CMDI’s many student-run organizations, such as the Design Club.Photo by Kimberly Coffin.

Dean Lori Bergen and Professor Seow Ting Lee

Seow Ting Lee, right, is introduced as the new associate dean of graduate programs by Lori Bergen, founding dean, at a welcome back picnic for graduate students in the fall.Photo by Nathan Thompson.

Two women pose for a photo in front of a 'no photos allowed' sign

New York Times bestselling author Bettina Love, right, with Danielle Hodge, assistant professor of communication, before speaking as part of the college’s Inclusive Pedagogy Series in the spring.Photo by Jack Moody.

Research excellence

Insights from CMDI faculty are key to solving some of the most pressing challenges of our time, including A.I., media literacy and more. Get to know the new cohort of faculty who joined CMDI in the fall.

Destroying history
Preservationist Azza Kamal—an associate teaching professor of environmental design whose past work in this space included defending the Alamo’s boundaries from development—was horrified by the White House’s East Wing’s destruction: “This should not have been allowed to happen.”

Data after death
In its first year, the Digital Legacy Clinic taught users how to plan for what happens to their online estates when they die. It’s been a learning experience for students, too—in ways you might not expect.

Courting justice
A substantial number of criminal cases turn on video evidence—but there is no standard for how to present such media in court. At the Visual Evidence Lab, Sandra Ristovska, associate professor of media studies, is trying to change that while addressing the rise of A.I. videos and deepfakes.

Environments that meet user needs
Neurodivergence is a growing consideration for designers who want to make products, services and buildings that work better for everyone. Elena Sabinson, assistant professor of environmental design, is starting those conversations at the Neuro D Lab.

Device unlock
As incarceration rates rise and new detention facilities are built, new research from Ian J. Alexander, assistant professor of media studies, on how media are introduced in prisons is getting a closer look.

Construction equipment tears through the former East Wing of the White House.

Creative endeavors

From showcasing renewable building materials to resisting the extraction industry, our faculty are finding creative ways to showcase their interests, perspectives and thought leadership.

Coloring outside the mines

One of the world’s largest mining associations is bringing its messaging to children through lesson plans and coloring books. For Zannah Matson, assistant professor of environmental design, the crayon is mightier than the sword.

Materials girls

Women have played an outsized role in the research and practice of biogenics—regenerative, locally sourced materials that can be used in construction. An exhibit from Caitlin Charlet, associate teaching professor of environmental design, is sharing those stories with the world.

Virtue-al reality

Eyes of Freedom, a traveling art exhibition memorializing a Marine unit, has been limited by the difficulty in transporting it. Pat Clark, assistant professor of media production, used tools in the Immersive Media Lab to create a more accessible virtual experience.

Grant getters

Six CMDI faculty members secured Arts and Humanities grants through the university’s Research and Innovation Office, supporting everything from a soundwalk app to a board game about extractive capital.

Page turners

CMDI faculty are prolific publishers. Here were some of our favorites from the past year.

Lori Emerson,Other Networks: A Radical Technology Sourcebook

Why you’ll love it: One of the most beautifully designed textbooks you’ll ever leaf through.

Erin Willis,Communicating Disability: Expanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Health Communication and Mass Media

Why you’ll love it: Builds on her highly relevant work on patient influencersto explore disability.

Angie Chuang,American Otherness in Journalism: News Media Representations of Identity and Belonging

Why you’ll love it: Extremely timely reflections on how the news reports on race, against the backdrop of the Trump presidency.

José G. Izaguirre III,Becoming La Raza: Negotiating Race in the Chicano Movement(s).

Why you’ll love it: A marginalized community discovers its voice amid political turmoil. Is that relevant right now?

Media mentions

CMDI faculty are regularly featured in the news media. Here are some of the biggest outlets that came calling in the last year.

  • Last Week Tonight With John Oliver showcased research from Josh Shepperd, associate professor of media studies, for an episode on the drastic budget cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (Shepperd also was featured in , and the .)
  • The Atlantic spoke to Chris Larson, associate professor of journalism, for the scoop on the romance genre becoming a, well, at bookstores everywhere.
  • Ad Age interviewed Jeff Gillette, assistant teaching professor of advertising, and others to understand how the master’s in strategic communication design was industry needs.
  • Are CDs and DVDs staging a comeback? Ted Striphas, professor of media studies, spoke with The Washington Post about Gen Z’s interest in physical media—and why .

Alumni impact

Our graduates have an incredible track record of applying lessons from their CMDI degrees to change how we create, share and understand the world around us. (Tell us your stories!)

  • ‘Not the time to fall on our sword’
    Federal funding for public journalism may be gone, but alumni working in public media are not backing down from the challenge.
  • ‘She breaks through’
    The Coloradan profiled Savannah Sellers (Jour’13), including the artful way she has drawn younger viewers into the NBC News ecosystem through social media.
  • Tell it like it is
    Lessons from her degree still help Lori Ferguson Furth (Comm’85) as a live describer at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Though she thoroughly prepares scripts to help patrons with low sight enjoy the action, oftentimes, she has to pivot on the fly.
Colorado Buffaloes football coach Deion Sanders addresses a CMDI class

“We here”—in the CASE building. Professor Prime’s regular visits to CMDI classes offer students truly unique perspectives on brand building, accountability and authenticity.Photo by Hannah Howell.

Iowa State vs.Colorado Buffaloes football game

CMDI’s student media crews are all business as they capture a touchdown in the Colorado-Iowa State game while the crowd erupts around them. The Buffs won, 24-17, in a thriller.Photo by Jack Moody.

Alumnus Chris Bell talks to first-year students

The Class of 2029 is welcomed to CMDI by alumnus and board member Christopher Bell (PhDMediaSt’09), who shared lessons from his career in animation during orientation.Photo by Kimberly Coffin.

Seeking signals in the slop

As generative A.I. changes how communicators, designers, programmers—OK, everyone—does their job, CMDI faculty are helping students and professionals make sense of the scope of these changes.

A force for good

Could the persuasive power of advertising be harnessed to have chatbots influence positive social behavior? WooJin Kim, assistant professor of advertising, brings a more moral approach to A.I. and advertising.

Ghosting your loved ones

Would you want A.I. to capture your personality to render that survives your death? Jed Brubaker, associate professor of information science, talked about generative ghosts with NPR.

Drop the slop

NPR spoke with Casey Fiesler, associate professor of information science, about how —and how platforms are attempting to take back their algorithms.

Two minutes with…

Resharing our favorite quick conversations with people in the CMDI community.

"This is where the academy can take you—like, I can be on a Thursday night FaceTime with Snoop."
Antoinette Kendrick, PhD student, media studies

"I acquired a thick Southern accent … people would say, “Where are you from?” “Oh, I’m from Portland, Oregon, bless your heart.
Dr. Kathy Grewe (EnvDes’76), retired interventional cardiologist

"As to the Heisman … I’m happy it happened, but I can’t say I predicted it.
Max Pollak (StratComm’10), creative director, Deutsch LA

Engage with CMDI

The strength of the CMDI community owes much to our alumni, whose engagement allows the college to offer impactful scholarships, engage in meaningful research, and send students to attend conferences and study abroad.

  • $387,050donor-sponsored scholarships for CMDI students

  • 96total scholarships awarded

  • 17scholarships awarded to first-generation students

Panelists talk onstage

9News anchor Kyle Clark, center, answers a question during a performance by Motus Theater. Clark, journalists from Colorado Public Radio and The Colorado Sun, and a group of performers were invited to CMDI as part of the college’s distinguished speaker series.Photo by Kimberly Coffin.

Students in class

In her educational era? In a course on Taylor Swift, students explore the intersection of popular music, celebrity and media through the lens of the singer’s career.Photo by Hannah Howell.

Panels at CMDI's Sports Media Summit

Sharri Berg, a founding member of the Fox News Channel launch team, answers a question at the annual Sports Media Summit, which draws students from across the university to CMDI.Photo by Jack Moody.

Catch up: The year in magazines

Spring: Design in mind

Ella poses at ENVD

A deep dive on the integration of the environmental design department into the college.

Summer: Celebrating graduates

A classic clear phone handset sits on top of a book

Recognizing standouts in our latest class of graduates.

Fall: Band together

Photo of a derelict building

How our community is working together to move the needle on sustainability, technology, justice and more.