strategic communication

2 minutes with: Gianna Girardi

Hannah Stewart — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:50:57 +0000

2 minutes with: Gianna Girardi Hannah Stewart Wed, 10/14/2026 - 10:50

CMDI alumna Gianna Girardi (StComm'24) is one of the in-game hosts for the Rockies. Photo courtesy of Gianna Girardi.

Hannah Stewart

Being an in-game host is a lot of work, but Girardi makes it look easy! She took us behind the scenes for a day in her life, and you can check it out on Instagram.

CMDI alumna Gianna Girardi (StComm'24) is one of the in-game hosts for the Rockies. Photo courtesy of Gianna Girardi.

Having an uncle who was a manager and player for the New York Yankees means one of two things: You get tired hearing about baseball or you love it. For Gianna Girardi (StComm’24), it was definitely the latter.

She said she was “pretty much in a baseball stadium her entire life,” and seeing the in-game hosts sparked her interest in sports reporting. So, when it came time to apply to college, CMDI was an obvious choice because of the sports media minor. Now, Girardi is an in-game host for the Colorado Rockies—another team her uncle played for—and more recently, the Buffaloes, so you may catch her at Folsom.

Responses edited for length and clarity.

I gotta ask: Who’s your baseball team?

I grew up in Fort Collins as a Yankees fan and a Rockies fan at the same time—gotta support the family—but every other sport, I'm a Colorado fan till I die.

What’s it like working for a team you love?

It’s been a blast! People go to sporting events for entertainment, and it's cool to see how sports can pull so many different people together. The best part of my job is definitely being able to tell a story about something fun.

Tell me a little bit about what you do.

I’m working for the Rockies, and now CU, hosting the games. It’s been fun to be back in Boulder for Buffs games. As for the Rockies, I run around a lot to host various “hits,” or segments, throughout the game. Sometimes it’s game updates, but a lot of times they’re promos for different companies, which has related to my strategic communication major—my emphasis was advertising.

Hosting for CU is such a full-circle experience for me. I truly got my start in sports media in Boulder and loved getting to interact with the fans and players. Homecoming was especially fun since there’s so much energy and I’m really grateful to be back at my alma mater doing something I love.

Favorite class from your time at CMDI?

That’s hard, there were two. One was History Through Baseball and it taught me a lot. I had never dove into the history of any sports or how they came to be.

And then I took a sports broadcasting class with Eric Pelloni, and that's where I got more hands-on experience, like when I produced and was the on-screen talent for an assignment. I’d never done anything on the production side before, and it was so beneficial to learn.

Girardi is following in her uncle's footsteps by working for the Rockies, the same team he was the catcher for in the 1990s. Photo courtesy of Gianna Girardi.

Sounds like those were really helpful to what you do now. What about internships?

My sophomore year, I interned with the MLB Network, in New York, and had another internship with Altitude Sports covering the Nuggets and Avs. I also worked with CU’s sports department.

Impressive! Do you have advice for students wanting to get into the industry?

Get as much experience as you can, whether it's volunteering at your local high school or working for CU Sports. Getting into sports broadcasting isn’t linear—there are so many paths you can take.

Hannah Stewart graduated from CMDI in 2019 with a degree in communication. She covers student news for the college.

Gianna Girardi (StComm’24) practically grew up in a baseball stadium. Now, she’s not only an in-game host with the Rockies, she’s also back in Boulder covering the Buffaloes.

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2 minutes with: Lucy Snow

Jayden Fortner — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 16:49:24 +0000

2 minutes with: Lucy Snow Jayden Fortner Fri, 09/18/2026 - 10:49

Lucy Snow, right, and Mia Jochamowitz-Endersby Chikhani met with students at the CMDI Involvement Fair. Photo courtesy of Lucy Snow.

Hannah Stewart

Summer is synonymous with “internship season,” and Lucy Snow was on the hunt for something big. After applying to what felt like a hundred positions and not hearing back, she shifted gears and went to CMDI Career Services for help.

Thanks to the help of Nate Jones, assistant director of advising and professional development, she not only found a summer internship, she landed a job for the 2026-27 school year. Now a senior, this strategic communication major is helping fellow students with their own internship and job searches.

Lucy Snow, right, and Mia Jochamowitz-Endersby Chikhani met with students at the CMDI Involvement Fair. Photo courtesy of Lucy Snow.

Responses edited for length and clarity.

Did you really apply to more than a hundred positions?

Yes! My most recent search was really tough and discouraging. I was honestly a little desperate to find anything. The most unique one was a job selling insect repellant door-to-door in California. That was one of the few jobs I had the opportunity to interview for.

Sales can be cool, but the summer California sun—not so much. What changed?

I met with Nate Jones and was completely blown away. He’s so connected and is happy to introduce you to people in so many industries. He told me about a production internship with Peter Lasser (Comm’76), filming the USA swim team out in California. I got it and it was one of the best months of my whole life!

Way better than bugs! What’d you do?

I got to help out on set and sit inside the production truck when they were filming and editing. Everyone I talked to in the production truck and on set said they had never experienced a director like Peter, who was so hands-on, which goes to show his dedication to his craft. I’d love to go back to California after I graduate in May and work for an ad agency there.

Amazing! Tell me about your work with the college.

As a student assistant with CMDI Career Services, I reach out to recent graduates to build our alumni network. I also go through Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed and other job boards to collect opportunities I think students might be interested in, then post those to our department Canvas pages. I struggled so much in my own search, so I love helping other students find jobs.

Best piece of advice for students?

Reach out to people—on Handshake, on LinkedIn and especially the Forever Buffs Network. There are so many alumni there who are willing to talk with and mentor students. You can also request a meeting with us. We want to help students get employed and are here to help anyone who’s feeling lost in their job search.

As part of her internship filming the USA swim team, Lucy Snow, a strategic communication major, got to help behind the scenes. She looks forward to helping other students find internships with her role on the CMDI Career Services Team. Photos courtesy of Lucy Snow.

Visit Career Services!

Hannah Stewart graduated from CMDI in 2019 with a degree in communication. She covers student news for the college.

Strategic Communication senior Lucy Snow went to CMDI Career Services for help getting an internship, which she later landed. And she got a job with the team, too!

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Spring 2025: 2 minutes with Max Pollak

Jayden Fortner — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:09:57 +0000

Spring 2025: 2 minutes with Max Pollak Jayden Fortner Mon, 02/02/2026 - 12:09

Hannah Stewart

Max Pollak (Advert'10)
Creative Director, Deutsch LA

After years away from Boulder, Pollak returned to CU for a collaboration between NerdWallet and Travis Hunter. Pollak and his team shot a video where Hunter talked about the “Smartest NIL” campaign and a giveaway where fans could win a collectible cutout piece of Hunter’s contract with the brand. The highlight for Pollak? A selfie with “Heisman” Hunter.

How did you land Travis Hunter? In his Heisman season, no less?
I’m a huge CU fan with season tickets, and it just so happens that NerdWallet already has a partnership with CU. I knew Travis Hunter would be a great brand ambassador, and we even sneaked into the Coach Prime documentary.

As to the Heisman, I thought he should win it and I thought there was a big chance. I’m happy it happened, but I can’t say I predicted it.

You used to be a firefighter. What’s something memorable about that job?
You never want something bad to happen—but there’s [an adrenaline rush] when you hear the bells and sirens.

My best friend—also a volunteer, now with FDNY—and I were driving to a car show when we got the page that his house went up in flames. We had to put out a fire that was going through his house, which we had played in as kids. It makes you sympathize with people.

Best compliment you’ve ever received?
I was at Barchetta recently and my wife was sitting there with our kid, and this guy walked up to me and said, “You have a great spot”—meaning the table in the restaurant. I thought it was weird, but I said, “Yeah, I know.” He was like, “Wow, how confident!” and walked away. I saw my wife was dying laughing, and she told me what he actually said was, “You have a great smile!”

Hannah Stewart graduated from CMDI in 2019 with a degree in communication. She covers student news for the college.

After years away from Boulder, Max Pollak returned to CU for a collaboration between NerdWallet and Travis Hunter.

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Fall 2024: 2 minutes with Jill Painter Lopez

Ellie Chase — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:08:02 +0000

Fall 2024: 2 minutes with Jill Painter Lopez Ellie Chase Mon, 02/02/2026 - 12:08

Joe Arney

Jill Painter Lopez (Jour’94)
Reporter and analyst for CBS/KCAL Los Angeles

Lopez was the only local journalist granted an interview with Caitlin Clark when she accepted the Wooden Award for outstanding collegiate basketball player this spring.

How did you score the interview?
It goes back to my CU journalism days. We were always taught about developing your sources and being aware. I knew the Wooden Award executives and watched the schedule, and so that’s how I got it.

How does interviewing someone like Clark change how you prepare?
I don’t think it did—the research you do for an interview should be the same, whether that’s a 13-year-old golfer or the most polarizing player in basketball.

Your three favorite athlete interviews.
Kobe Bryant, John Elway, Tiger Woods.

Favorite college memory?
The CU-Nebraska game in 1991. I grew up on Broncos football, my family had season tickets, we love football—and I can’t believe I left at halftime because it was below freezing. It ended up in a 19-19 tie.

Favorite place to visit in Colorado?
Fort Collins—not because of Colorado State! It’s where I grew up. I love to get back to Boulder every year, but Fort Collins is my favorite.

Best part of your job?
Telling people’s stories. I love to bring out what makes people unique. I’ve been doing it for a long time, and I still love it.

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

Jill Painter Lopez was the only local journalist granted an interview with Caitlin Clark when she accepted the Wooden Award for outstanding collegiate basketball player this spring.

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Fall 2024: 2 minutes with Huck Sorock

Jayden Fortner — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:45:09 +0000

Fall 2024: 2 minutes with Huck Sorock Jayden Fortner Mon, 02/02/2026 - 11:45

Joe Arney

Huck Sorock (StratComm’23), Co-founder and CEO of Refr Sports

Refr Sports

As a CMDI student, Sorock created Refr Sports, which digitizes how youth sports leagues schedule, hire and pay referees. He took second prize in ��ñ��’s 2024 New Venture Challenge.

You want to make life easier for referees. That puts you in pretty small company.
I started reffing in high school, where I saw a lot of problems with the industry, in terms of how you’re scheduled to work and long delays before you get paid.

Tell me about the business.
We’ve basically built a CRM, or customer relationship management, platform for referee assigners—who schedule refs to work youth games—to manage their business, while offering technology to help refs pick up games and get paid faster.

Describe your team.
My co-founder and I complement each other well. While I focus on the front end—raising capital, sales and marketing—he handles the back end with his technical and analytical expertise, managing operations and leading our team of developers.

How did you start a business as a college kid?
I was bred into entrepreneurship. My dad is a serial entrepreneur and when it came to jobs—which he always called “the J-word”—he’d say, “We make those. We don’t get them.”

Best part of your job?
Learning—from doing and from my network. I’m a young entrepreneur. I’d rather learn from someone else’s $50,000 mistake than make that mistake on my own.

Photo by Glenn Asakawa (Jour'86)

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

As a CMDI student, Huck Sorock created Refr Sports, which digitizes how youth sports leagues schedule, hire and pay referees. He took second prize in ��ñ��’s 2024 New Venture Challenge.

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2 minutes with: Hannah Kijner

Hannah Stewart — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:14:12 +0000

2 minutes with: Hannah Kijner Hannah Stewart Wed, 01/21/2026 - 14:14

Hannah Stewart

Hannah Kijner Strategic communication

When Hannah Kijner stepped foot on the ��ñ�� campus as a first-year student, she never dreamed that by joining a student organization, she’d have the opportunity to network with public relations professionals at a national conference in Washington, D.C.

Now a senior, Kijner has spent the last four years studying public relations at ��ñ��’s College of Communication, Media, Design and Information.

“I love storytelling, and I didn’t want to stop enjoying writing for fun. Strategic communication is business-y, but it leaves more room for creativity than most majors,” she said.

That passion led her to the school’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, which gave her the chance to represent the college at the national ICON conference, in October. She credited Dawn Doty, then-PRSSA advisor, and the club’s president, Leah Szabo, with encouraging her to be involved.

Kijner was part of a team that collaborated with the PRSSA team from Colorado State University to raise approximately $10,000 toward the trip.

“When students go to conferences, like ICON, a lot of pieces start to click together because they’re practicing professional skills,” said Jolene Fisher, an associate professor in the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Design and faculty advisor for the group.

We chatted with Kijner about her experience at ICON and what she learned.

Responses edited for length and clarity.

Tell me about how you got involved with PRSSA and the ICON fundraising team.
Last summer, I applied to be one of the summer fundraiser and volunteer coordinators. We did a lot of email outreach to raise money. That’s when I learned it’s all about networking—it’s being kind, following up, seeing who’s in your area and using LinkedIn. And preparing yourself to hear no, a lot.

Over the summer, we raised a little more than $5,000 for each school and also got to attend events like the Gold Pick Awards. That was cool because I got to get to know people from different PR firms in Denver. A lot of those people were also at ICON in the fall—so while the big conference was intimidating at first, I got to see the CSU people that I worked with and other familiar faces.

Favorite part about ICON?
Lauren Graham’s keynote—she's been my idol since I was young. I’ve always loved writing, so she really hit home with me when she talked about universal ideas. I really liked how she talked about prioritizing moments people can connect to.

It was also really cool listening to Kamala Harris' speechwriter, Stephen Kelly. I really loved when he talked about taking your writing to happy hour. You have to remember your audience isn't always the industry, it's people. So, it’s important to make your message clear, concise and understandable for everyone.

Would you say that was your biggest takeaway?
My biggest takeaway is you can make your own connections. If you work hard enough, and you put yourself out there, you’ll have the opportunity. It's all about hard work, dedication and then finding your community, which is everything.

I made a ton of connections at ICON, but my goal was really to make a few very good ones. The professional world can be competitive, but it’s important to have fun at these conferences and take the time to listen to people and make friends.

When you get out of school, a lot of people will have a resume very similar to yours. So what's gonna make you stand out? It’s those people who know you and share those connections.

Hannah Stewart graduated from CMDI in 2019 with a degree in communication. She covers student news for the college.

Ahead of her senior year, Hannah Kijner helped PRSSA raise money to send five strategic communication students to the national ICON conference where they networked and learned from public relations professionals.

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‘Not afraid to say yes:’ CMDI mourns actor Pat Finn, who taught unique improv class

Joe Arney — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 22:29:18 +0000

‘Not afraid to say yes:’ CMDI mourns actor Pat Finn, who taught unique improv class Joe Arney Mon, 01/12/2026 - 15:29

Pat Finn laughs in this file photo as he watches students working in an improv course he taught at the college. Finn, a well-known actor whose work included roles on The Middle, Seinfeld, Friends and many others, died of cancer in December. Alumni and faculty remembered Finn as a passionate teacher who made improv less intimidating. Below, Finn offers pointers to a group of students during class. Photos by Kimberly Coffin.

Joe Arney

As she prepares to start a new job, Erin Baptiste is reflecting on one of the more unusual classes she took as a senior in the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information.

The course—a special topics class around improv and strategic communication taught by character actor Pat Finn—challenged students to bring a different set of skills to the kinds of challenges awaiting them as advertisers, marketers, public relations experts and designers.

“Something that stuck with me from that course was not being afraid to say yes—to be open and go with the flow,” said Baptiste (StratComm’18), who is leaving a design, social media and events management role at Groove Toyota, in Englewood, to become marketing director at University Bicycles, in Boulder.

“Anytime I start a new job, I go in feeling—well, like a bit of an idiot,” she said with a laugh. “There’s so much you don’t know. And that openness that Pat encouraged in that improv class showed me it’s OK to not know everything. Saying ‘I don’t know’ isn’t showing ignorance—it’s opening up a chance for other people to share with you.”

Finn, a lecturer at the college between 2016 and 2022, died from cancer in December—a loss that was felt at Boulder and beyond, as Finn’s own acting career led to guest roles on Seinfeld, Friends, Murphy Brown, The Middle and elsewhere.

“There are moments in college that have been lost to time. Pat’s course is not one of those,” Baptiste said. “He brought such joy and kindness to the classroom. Pat was so open to whatever you were feeling. He was excited to take that journey with you, and made an experience like improv feel a lot less scary and easier to grasp and use.”

Bringing ‘yes, and’ to the curriculum

Finn’s use of “yes, and”—an improv technique that’s found home in organizational leadership as a tool for building trust and collaboratively solving problems—was something Lori Bergen, founding dean of the college, mentioned in bringing Finn on board in CMDI’s early days. She first met Finn as dean of Marquette University’s Diederich College of Communication, which includes a major in theatre arts, alongside traditional media and communication studies; Finn was an alumnus.

“‘Yes, and’ is almost a cliche in improv, but the idea of keeping things positive, of making other people on your team look good—after all, you’re there together—that’s just what he did, how he taught and how he lived,” Bergen said. “He reached out to me shortly after I started in Boulder to congratulate me, and of course he used ‘yes, and’ to pitch me—‘Who’s innovative enough to bring improv to strategic communication?’ How was I going to say no to that?”

“He was so good at encouraging us to experiment and take risks while being gentle and making sure you felt safe.”

Harrison Morof (StratComm’18),
associate director, Duncan Channon

Finn was not a headliner, “but he’s someone you’d recognize, because he always played such cool roles,” Bergen said. “And that was a reflection of who he was as a person—he worked so hard to make other people feel seen, especially our students. And his generosity and warmth of spirit always made you feel special.”

Harsha Gangadharbatla, who was among the founding faculty of CMDI, recalled enlisting Finn to run a workshop for faculty in the early days of the advertising, public relations and design department.

“He really helped bring our faculty together and instill that ‘yes, and’ attitude and approach to solving problems,” said Gangadharbatla, now a distinguished professor and senior associate dean for the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “He played a key role in building the department’s culture during its early days.”

Bergen echoed that, saying Finn’s ability to make people feel special made the workshop, which she attended, a hit.

“Most of us are programmed to not say the first thing that jumps into our head when we’re solving a problem,” she said. “And when you do that, you’re suppressing creativity and imagination. Pat’s workshop was great because in the early days of the college, those were two things we couldn’t afford to bottle up.”

Teaching students to think on their feet

Gangadharbatla said Finn’s skill as an actor and teacher made students comfortable applying lessons from improv to think on their feet and quickly make decisions.

“Pat helped many of the APRD students hone in on their presentation skills and learn how to get comfortable in front of a crowd,” Gangadharbatla said, adding that Finn’s impact was especially felt at the National Student Advertising Competition, where his guidance helped students earn second place in the district in 2018.

It was perhaps unusual for a Hollywood actor to wind up teaching in Boulder, but Harrison Morof (StratComm’18) remembered him talking about his daughters, who both graduated from CMDI and work in entertainment. Cassidy Finn (Comm’17) worked on Michelle Obama’s The Light We Carry and Rupal; Caitlin Finn (Comm’19) has held roles at Netflix, ESPN and elsewhere. His son, Ryan, attended Marquette.

“It was a very touching, sweet thing,” Morof said. “I’m sure he was teaching here to be closer to his daughters, which I think we all admired and appreciated.”

Morof, associate director of media and analytics at Duncan Channon, grew up watching improv on Saturday Night Live, and saw the chance to take the course with Finn as a truly unique opportunity.

“He had a way of making everyone feel welcome and important,” Morof said. “Going up in front of your peers and wanting to impress them—I remember being nervous about that, but he was so good at encouraging us to experiment and take risks while being gentle and making sure you felt safe.”

Making quick pivots

Improv lessons also have helped him rapidly pivot when change happens at work—important, since many of Morof’s clients are in healthcare.

“We worked on California’s COVID-19 vaccine campaign, and things were changing by the day,” he said, including who was eligible, how patients got it, moving supply to meet demand, even the period when the Johnson & Johnson shot was temporarily paused. “Figuring out how to solve those kinds of dynamic problems was absolutely influenced by flexing that improv, ‘yes, and’ muscle.”

It’s a sentiment Baptiste shared, as well—especially when her work has taken her places where she may be the only creative professional on the team, surrounded by finance or analytics experts who don’t get the rush of seeing an idea take form as a campaign.

“When you’re on a team where other peoples’ work doesn’t have the same public visibility as yours, it becomes so much more important to hear what they’re saying and recognize how they are informing your process,” she said.

“I have been struck several times in my career about how much I think about improv as a result of that class—like, my team and I should do a class like that, or my husband and I should, because it just opens up communication so much. In such a short time, Pat made such a huge impact on my life.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

He was best known for roles on The Middle, Seinfeld and Friends, but alumni and faculty best remember his joy and kindness—and an impact that extended into their careers.

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Playing to win

Regan Widergren — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:43:36 +0000

Playing to win Regan Widergren Mon, 11/17/2025 - 17:43

Iris Serrano

As the growing sports media industry seeks people with data, communication and social media skills, CMDI has created different pathways to prepare students for rewarding careers.

Photos by Kimberly Coffin and Jack Moody.

When Kathryn Castanoli worked in a backstage production role during Super Bowl LIX, it wasn’t just a dream come true—it was a glimpse of a career that once seemed out of reach.

“I almost gave up trying to get into the sports media industry,” said Castanoli, a junior studying strategic communication. “But coming to CMDI—a college of entrepreneurs, artists, go-getters and leaders—really inspired me to keep pursuing my dream.”

Castanoli is just one of a growing number of CMDI students breaking into sports media. Although journalism has long been a path of study for students interested in this specialty, the changing nature of both sports and media as industries means different skills are needed.

“Sports media has become a convergence of different fields,” said Rick Stevens, associate dean of undergraduate education and associate professor of media studies. “Our majors are particularly well positioned to take a piece of the puzzle and help students understand more cohesively what sports media is.”

Students get a close look at those connections in Prime Time: Public Performance and Leadership, a course Stevens created last year. Guest lectures from prominent alumni like Kordell Stewart (Comm’16), Joel Klatt (Econ’07) and Brent Schrotenboer (Jour’96) round out class discussions led by CMDI faculty, with occasional appearances from Coach Prime.

The course counts toward the sports media minor—the largest in the college. But it’s more than just classroom learning. With a new global seminar, media outlets like Sko Buffs Sports, and conferences and networking events, students have numerous opportunities to develop the skills needed to break into the industry.

Lila Nuttle, a sophomore studying journalism, is already putting those skills into practice. An aspiring sports writer, she is a reporter for the CU Independent and has produced content for Sko Buffs Sports, which gives her on-the-field reporting experience.

Our professors are always telling us it’s not only what you do in class, or what grade you get, but your portfolio and actually getting experience.”

Lila Nuttle

"These organizations offer a really great way to jump in and get that experience, while also providing a good community.”

There’s more to sports media than what you can see from the sidelines. Priscilla Hopper (InfoSci’22; MS’23) works as a senior reporting and data analyst at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Avalanche, Nuggets and other Denver-area sports franchises.

“There’s an expectation that if you’re working in sports media, you’re going to be on the field, in action,” said Hopper, also a lecturer of information science. “But there’s a whole other side to it, and every year, half of my students want to steal my job,”

Her ability to quickly analyze data and make them digestible for those without technical backgrounds gave her an advantage when interviewing for her role at KSE.

“I graduated able to interpret, adapt and analyze,” Hopper said. “That’s pretty much the entire basis of information science, and my degrees meant I was ready to be
catapulted into any role.”

Michael Burns, an assistant teaching professor of communication, also understands what it’s like to have a nontraditional job in the sports industry. He has worked behind the scenes at eight Olympic Games for NBC’s Today show, and now serves as faculty director for Communication, Culture and Sport, a global seminar that takes place in the United Kingdom.

“There is an army of people who are doing all the research and logistics and planning, which enables and empowers the journalists, the PR folks and the camera people to do their jobs,” Burns said.

CMDI’s alumni network also plays a critical role in launching student careers. Michael Davies (Jour’94), an executive vice president at FOX Sports, said there’s no one way to make it in the industry.

“Everybody has their own origin story—some of them come from networking, some come from internships,” he said. “One thing that’s consistent and is required is passion for the sports business and focus.”

Davies graduated at a time when there were fewer paths to a career in sports media. He regularly visits the college to meet students, and is impressed with CMDI’s approach to preparing the next generation for the evolving industry.

“The school’s only 10 years old, it’s still new, it’s still innovative, and I think that it’s a very exciting time to go to CMDI,” he said.

Game on

CMDI is preparing for the return of its annual Sports Media Summit in the spring semester. This multiday event is intended for students who are curious about the industry, as well as alumni and community members looking to expand their networks and transition into this fast-growing field.

Follow CMDI on social media and keep an eye on colorado.edu/cmdi for updates.

Iris Serrano is studying strategic communication and journalism at CMDI. She covers student news and events for the college.

Photographer Kimberly Coffin graduated from CMDI in 2018 with degrees in media production and strategic communication.

Photographer Jack Moody graduated from CMDI in 2024 with a degree in strategic communication.

Through relevant courses, networking opportunities and student-led organizations, CMDI is helping students turn their passions into careers in sports media.

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10 for 10: Notable newsmakers

Amanda J. McManus — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 06:11:51 +0000

10 for 10: Notable newsmakers Amanda J. McManus Thu, 11/13/2025 - 23:11

Because of the multidisciplinary nature of their work—and their fearlessness in confronting the biggest problems—CMDI faculty are regularly featured in local and national media. Here are 10 times over the past decade when major news outlets have featured our faculty.

The New Republic: Nathan Schneider wrote an essay on the Slow Food movement, arguing a slow computing approach could repair our experiences with technology. May 19, 2015.
The Denver Post: Chris Vargo studied Twitter data to see how vaccine misinformation spread and took hold in particular American communities. Sept. 27, 2017.
The Washington Post: Angie Chuang wrote an op-ed on the problems her race and journalism class tries to solve, and the struggle businesses like Starbucks have faced in confronting them. June 13, 2018.
Forbes: Casey Fiesler sat for a Q&A on the need for ethics in the technology industry, particularly social media. Jan. 14, 2021.
The Guardian: Elizabeth Skewes talked about her research on whether news media covering school shootings influences future acts of violence. May 12, 2023.
Scientific American: Leysia Palen talked about the dangers of information isolation during disasters that knock out telecommunications services. Sept. 11, 2023.
KUNC/NPR: Josh Shepperd talked about the history and influence of public media, especially amid great economic change in the journalism industry. April 10, 2024.
The New York Times: Following the publication of her most recent book, on romance writing, Chris Larson explained the circumstances behind the breakup of Romance Writers of America. July 24, 2024.
The Associated Press: Erin Willis was interviewed about her work on patient influencers and the language used in pharmaceuticals advertising. Nov. 14, 2024.
Denver7 (ABC): Jed Brubaker discussed the launch of the Digital Legacy Clinic and the need to proactively manage our digital footprints before we die. Dec. 11, 2024.

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Band together

Amanda J. McManus — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 22:14:09 +0000

Band together Amanda J. McManus Tue, 11/11/2025 - 15:14

Joe Arney

What role does CMDI play in the university chancellor’s vision for an institution that leads on sustainability? From left, faculty experts Phaedra C. Pezzullo, Caitlin Charlet, Hong Tien Vu and Morgan Young explored that question from their different areas of expertise. The group was photographed at the tree office, which was built by environmental design students and installed on the ��ñ�� campus in 2016. Photos by Kimberly Coffin.

Phaedra C. Pezzullo is a professor of communication and director of the Sustainability and Storytelling Lab. She is an expert on communication’s role in shaping and influencing environmental and climate justice movements.

Caitlin Charlet is an associate teaching professor of environmental design, specializing in regenerative architecture and urban ecologies. Her research is situated at the experimental intersection of transformative design strategies, biogenic materials and the built environment.

Hong Tien Vu is the director of the Center for Environmental Journalism at CMDI. His work examines journalism and communication practices in addressing global challenges, from environmental degradation to societal inequalities.

Morgan Young has decades of experience in branding, strategy and creative execution—including managing campaigns about, and clients working in, sustainability. He is an associate teaching professor of advertising at the college.

��ñ�� Chancellor Justin Schwartz has been clear that he expects Colorado’s flagship university to be a leader in sustainability. But what does “sustainability” even mean? How do we get there without becoming discouraged? And in the current political and social moment, how do we advocate for the steps needed to advance sustainability?

At the time of this conversation, Hong Tien Vu—an associate professor of journalism and director of the Center for Environmental Journalism—was so new to the college that most of his belongings were still in boxes after relocating from the University of Kansas to CMDI. But he has a long track record of doing environmental journalism, so we threw him into the deep end with three faculty experts who have been doing sustainability long before it became a buzzword—whether directing ad campaigns, being mindful of building materials or podcasting about plastics.

This conversation was edited for length and clarity.

Vu: I’d like to start by asking each of you about sustainability, and how you define it.

Pezzullo: I’m a little nerdy about the definition of sustainability. There’s a new edition of my textbook out now, and we literally have a boldfaced definition I make my students memorize. So, for me, sustainability is the capacity to negotiate environmental, social and economic needs and desires for current and future generations.

Charlet: I rarely use the word “sustainability,” actually. There needs to be something regenerative—not just sustainable—in how we build and design. I’m interested in the long-term cultivation of regenerative relationships, in terms of materials, ecosystems and communities. For most of human history, we’ve built with what we’ve been able to grow locally, and it’s been able to go back into the earth. There was care for the environment, animals and humans. That changed with the Industrial Revolution.

Young: I come at this from a different perspective. Advertising and branding is both a leader and a follower in society. And at this moment, the industry is more of a follower, as people try to figure out what’s going on in this administration.

Pezzullo: I think, interestingly, that the ambiguity Caitlin was talking about, around the term “sustainability,” works well in this moment. It’s not a banned word, because we could be talking about anything. We could be talking about, for instance, economic sustainability.

There’s no reason why CMDI can’t be a leader in sustainability, particularly with the incorporation of environmental design."

Morgan Young, associate teaching professor

Vu: That’s an interesting point. I’d like to hear more from you all on what you’re seeing in the world as it relates to those organizations and sustainability.

Young: One example: I’ve done a lot of work with General Motors; in fact, I was the first person to make a commercial for an electric vehicle. It was the Chevy Volt, and it was their first ad talking about a sustainable future. And, in my classes, we do projects on how brands can create extensions to existing product lines. How can we use sustainability as a marketing tool to reach people who will respond positively to that information?

Pezzullo: I think it’s important to note that over the summer, ��ñ�� transitioned away from all single-use plastics in beverage bottles on campus. It’s a great sustainability story, because it’s a tangible difference in our everyday lives that was made systemically, following the wisdom of the growing climate justice movement.

Charlet: I’ve been working on a documentary to collect the stories of how women have used collaboration as a foundation to run material science departments in academic settings, and work toward scalable alternative material solutions—and to show how they will have a major impact in changing our built environment.

Pezzullo: Collaboration is the only way to get things done for systemic change. Otherwise, you just have individuals, which isn’t enough to generate impact. In my work with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, we co-create story maps of the five most-polluted communities in Colorado. And working with those communities—instead of just about them or at them—creates better outcomes for public participation.

Charlet: Oh, I agree. Individual behavior won’t solve this problem. How do we educate a generation of architects and designers to choose better materials? That’s a radical notion for an architecture school. And the choices they make in building things will have a larger impact, because the construction sector is responsible for so much destabilization—humans, animals and topographies—and carbon emissions. There is no one solution, but biogenic and regenerative architecture and design is a basis for a scalable, forward-looking model.

Vu: We talked about how to define sustainability earlier, but Morgan, I wonder if you can talk about challenges you have faced in working with brands and avoiding overuse of the term, so they’re not accused of greenwashing.

Young: The reality is, even some of the brands we think of as being best for the environment are greenwashing. And as an advertising person, we’re not so deep into the business that we can look at their entire supply chain and influence that. If you hire someone like me, I’m going to focus on the best things to accentuate for a specific target audience—but what we’re missing is the rest of that chain that doesn’t have that positive impact. And in advertising, we have to be careful not to get in front of our skis and pretend a client is someone they’re not.

Vu: So that’s kind of mobilizing companies. Phaedra, I know you’ve done a lot in terms of initiatives that mobilize communities. Can you share some of the challenges you’ve faced there?

Pezzullo: Well, there’s a reason I use the word “sustainability” in my lab—I was launching it knowing the administration was going to ban words. I was set up to work with the Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental justice office, and the week I was supposed to present to them, they sent me an email and said the department was being shut down. Part of what’s exciting about this campus and the Boulder community is that we’re not giving up on our values.

Young: To build on that, on this campus, we are different. I had 13 students with me in London for a month, and we were really struck by the complete absence of reusable water bottles there. They don’t have their Yetis or their Hydro Flasks like we do in Colorado. The point I’m trying to make is, much of the world is not there with us.

Vu: We’ve brought up current events a couple of times now. I wonder if we could talk about what the shift in public perception around sustainability has meant for your students, or the way you teach.

Young: A lot of my students are very business-minded. Some want to do advertising for the Environmental Working Group, the League of Conservation Voters or Earthjustice. But some would rather work for Chevron, Sephora or a fashion brand, like Kith. So, my goal is to create a student who can do external communications that show sustainability is good business.

Pezzullo: I think one of our biggest challenges, in communication, is A.I., which has radically changed our classrooms and what we understand labor to be—for creative content makers, for storytellers and for people just doing research. This generation is going to need to rise to the challenge of whether A.I. can become sustainable.

Charlet: I love this question. I’ve taught a design course where I challenge students to create a resilient ecological strategy for urban design with A.I. And the biggest thing that they learn is that it’s really hard to design with A.I.—it’s a tool like others already in use in architecture. It isn’t magic. In parallel to that, I ask them to consider the environmental detriment of using A.I.—not only the energy use, but the building facilities themselves. What impact do they have on communities? Where do the materials come from? Considering those two aspects of A.I. in parallel is really important for them to think about.

Vu: Caitlin, is that what students are looking for, from the standpoint of their career paths?

Charlet: Architecture is often seen as an exciting, but inherently safe, choice for students. It rests somewhere between the creativity of art and the challenges of engineering—so it’s a middle ground, and a respected profession. And I think the students come in with confidence, knowing they will be able to get a job. In terms of environmental design, there’s such a movement toward regenerative and biogenic architecture now, and the reuse and recycling of materials within buildings. There are a lot of firms with research departments that our students feel very comfortable and very prepared to go right into, and work on certifications like LEED, WELL and Passive House.

Young: I already mentioned advertising is more of a follower than a leader right now, but oftentimes, advertising is a reflection of society, as well. Right now, we see companies pulling back and hiding on sustainability issues. There are good companies—Patagonia, Outside magazine—that will continue to stand up and fight. But those that are more about their bottom line will let go of their sustainability programs to keep making money. This is where we have to work with our students, to show them these companies don’t have a moral high ground and will change with whatever the environment is in order to look good. But—is this important to all our students? I’m not sure, en masse, that they’re much more focused on sustainability than past generations were.

Pezzullo: There are lots of reasons to be alarmed and depressed, and I’m Italian American, so I can have, like, 100 emotions in five minutes. But I do have hope. You know, when South Park started—it was written by two ��ñ�� grads, you know—

Young: Yes! I went to college with them.

Pezzullo: That’s right, so you know they began South Park making fun of climate change, saying Al Gore believes in this thing called ManBearPig, and there’s no such thing. But South Park has, over time, recognized climate change does happen, and they even apologized to Al Gore. It’s important to remember that attitudes change, and we can shape public opinion in creative ways.

There needs to be something regenerative—not just sustainable—in how we build and design.”

Caitlin Charlet, associate teaching professor

Vu: Let me ask one final question. After listening to your colleagues, what’s one thing you’re inspired to explore?

Charlet: I’m inspired by and appreciate the chance to learn more about my colleagues’ work. Especially advertising—that’s a field I’ve never delved into. How might that impact the field I’m working in? Does it pertain to architecture firms and how they forefront buildings and construction ethics? Is there a measurable impact?

Pezzullo: That’s what I love about being part of a college like this—the opportunities to publish, edit, co-author or just talk to people in so many different disciplines. So, when we have a challenge like sustainability, we approach it from a more systemic, holistic perspective. We all bring different experiences from the institutions and companies and communities we’ve worked with.

Young: I think this college is in a rapid growth trajectory. We are very well positioned to have a big impact on the next generation—specifically, A.I. I’m inspired by people like Caitlin, who are already building A.I. into their syllabi, because I don’t have a handle on how A.I. will be incorporated into our academics. But I am worried about intellectual property rights around it—specifically related to advertising, but also areas like architecture, design and communication. Our college needs to tackle that—it’s a great opportunity for us to become a leader within that sector, because right now, nobody has a handle on it.

Vu: So, can CMDI be a leader in sustainability communication?

Young: Absolutely. I think our students are more concerned about this matter than those at other universities. There’s no reason why CMDI can’t be a leader in sustainability, particularly with the incorporation of environmental design.

Pezzullo: I absolutely agree with you, Morgan. It’s not that we don’t know the science, or what’s wrong, or what we could do to have a more sustainable future. It’s that we have to find ways to bridge differences, and that’s a strength of ours. With our expertise across a wide range of human expression, I really believe CMDI has a strong role to play in sustainability in the future.

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

Photographer Kimberly Coffin graduated from CMDI in 2018 with degrees in media production and strategic communication.

When it comes to sustainability, individual actions aren’t enough. The same is true for how we look for solutions, so we asked a group of CMDI experts how collaboration might save the day.

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