Media Production

Communication in the Caribbean

Jayden Fortner — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:02:32 +0000

Communication in the Caribbean Jayden Fortner Mon, 10/05/2026 - 13:02

America Cabral

Photos by Hannah Howell

In the spring, Danielle Hodge, an assistant professor of communication, offered an education abroad component for her course—Race, Anti-Black Racism and Communication—that concluded with a trip to the Dominican Republic. There, students saw lessons from the class brought to life. It was the first time the course offered a study abroad experience; students America Cabral (text) and Hannah Howell (photography), both majoring in media production, documented their experiences from the trip.

Students America Cabral, center, and Shaun Smith, right, practice with some instruments under the guidance of community residents and performers. Host families prepared meals for the students and staff, including lessons on traditional Dominican cuisine and a chance to all eat together.

What I learned in class, and how it affected my experience:

I’m proud to be a first-generation college student, though I’ve struggled with how harmful higher education can be when the wrong person organizes research and shares one-sided narratives. It was unfortunate to learn how anti-Black racism informs and justifies certain scientific findings and academic writings. For instance, I learned about Gomes Eanes de Zurara, the chief chronicler of Portugal in the mid-1400s, who defended the trade of enslaved Africans. On the trip, we learned about Joaquin Balaguer, former president of the Dominican Republic, whose writings downplayed the horrors of slavery while villainizing Haiti and Haitians.

What gave me hope and changed how I see the world:

The scholars we studied during the course were threatened, prosecuted or exiled for their refusal to accept a white supremacist narrative. However, their love and appreciation for their Blackness, and determination to bring humanity to Black life, proves, as Imani Perry wrote in The Atlantic, that while racism is terrible, Blackness is not.

The scholars and activists we met on our trip also changed how I see the world. Two I most enjoyed learning from were Ruth Pion, who led a tour exploring the African roots of the Spanish colonial empire in the Dominican Republic, and anthropologist Jonathan De Oleo Ramos, who was prosecuted for his curiosity about the history of the food, music and culture of the country—all of which can be traced to African ancestry.

What my professor brought to class discussions and the trip:

Through class discussions and on the trip, we were met with uncomfortable truths about the ways anti-Black rhetorics have plagued our world. Through carefully crafted units and insightful reflections, Professor Hodge always brought us back to the power of what it means to reclaim Black life, and armed us with the knowledge to discern and disrupt anti-Black rhetoric.

A course on anti-Black racism sent 10 CMDI students to the Dominican Republic, where they were able to reflect on lessons related to communication and critical thinking.

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Lessons in the history of music and dance in the Dominican Republic came to life during a performance just outside of Santo Domingo.

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Driven to succeed

Ellie Chase — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 19:58:19 +0000

Driven to succeed Ellie Chase Sat, 10/03/2026 - 13:58

Iris Serrano

Most students are still asleep as Carey Kronhart wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to catch a flight from Denver to yet another motorsports event. When he arrives, he’ll go straight to the racetrack and begin the work of a production assistant and runner for Fox Sports, where he supports live racing broadcasts.

Kronhart, a senior majoring in media production with a minor in sports media, said the nonstop pace of covering NASCAR and IndyCar is exactly what he wants.

Carey Kronhart on the track at the Grand Prix of Arlington, in Texas, as part of his work with Fox Sports. ‘I’m in a different place every week,’ he says. ‘It’s awesome.’ Photo courtesy Carey Kronhart.

“Being a student is slightly limiting, but I’m in a different place every week. It’s awesome,” he said. “In St. Petersburg (Florida), I don’t think there was a single day when I worked less than 15 hours, but it’s rewarding work.”

His path to racing has been nontraditional, even as it was auto-adjacent: Before transferring to ��ñ��, he worked as a car salesman, where he developed communication skills that prepared him to make the connections needed to break into the fast-paced sports media industry.

CMDI encouraged those connections through his classes, including those for the sports media minor, and events like the Sports Media Summit. There, he bonded with Michael Davies (Jour’94), a Fox Sports executive vice president,
over a love of motorsports.

“What made Carey stand out to me was that he knew exactly what he was interested in,” Davies said. “It made it very easy for me to find an opportunity for him in the operations side of TV and motorsports.”

Davies was impressed not only by Kronhart’s work ethic but also by the professionalism and curiosity he brought to work every day.

“He’s extremely polite and outgoing,” Davies said. “He listens and always has his radar up for different pieces of knowledge that he can use on his journey.”

As a production assistant and runner, Kronhart spent his first races learning the ins and outs of live television production. He describes himself as a jack-of-all-trades, helping out on set wherever he’s needed. His responsibilities range from moving equipment to distributing schedules and tearing down gear once the broadcast wraps.

The work came with a lot of pressure, but after impressing his supervisor during his first race, he was invited back for additional events.

As Kronhart’s professional opportunities and responsibilities grew, he faced the challenge of balancing them with a full course load back in Boulder. Cory Lopez, a lecturer who had Kronhart in a sports broadcasting class last spring, said he saw Kronhart use his experiences from the job to be a better student.

“Carey is just one of those guys who is going to do this for a very long time. He’s already in the middle of the grind and just loves it,” said Lopez, who also works in sports broadcasting and public relations. “He’s got real talent.”

Iris Serrano graduated from CMDI in 2026 with degrees in strategic communication and journalism. She covers student news and events for the college.

A CMDI senior lives for the fast lane—which is why he relishes the chance to do production work for NASCAR.

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The persistence of memory

Joe Arney — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 17:55:31 +0000

The persistence of memory Joe Arney Mon, 09/28/2026 - 11:55

The clothing worn by victims of the Rwandan genocide on display at the Nyamata Genocide Memorial Center. A new book from a CMDI expert combines thoughts on remembering and reconciliation in understanding how media influence the way we interpret such horrors.

Joe Arney

Like many people growing up in the 1990s, Andrew Young remembers the violence of the Rwandan genocide playing out on nightly newscasts, with anchors warning viewers of the violent imagery they were about to encounter.

It was only when he went back to study media coverage of the atrocity as a graduate student that he found memory and history were out of alignment.

“Things did not happen exactly as I remembered them. The U.S. media didn’t even have reporters based in Rwanda when the genocide started,” said Young (Film, Hist’08), an assistant professor of media production at the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information.

What he found, in studying network nightly news segments from the time, was “shocking discourse and ill-informed analysis going on by journalists—though they were doing the best they could with what they had.”

That sense of misremembering has fueled Young’s creative and scholarly interests. That includes a documentary, Kigali100, completed as a student, and two publications this year—including a book, Identity and Discourse in Contemporary Rwandan Media: Rethinking Reconciliation, that came out in the spring. It also might characterize Disavowed, a game he created in 2021 to explore the idea of recall and identity against misremembering a historical event.

The book and article, which was published in the Journal of 20th Century Media History, draws on the work he started while creating the documentary. Young analyzed news broadcasts to examine kinds of coverage, the attitudes of media toward the atrocity and the ideological content of those broadcasts. The terminology used by anchors and reporters, he said, reveals a racialized and exoticized posture of those broadcasters that he said should challenge us to think critically about news reporting in general.

Something Young became curious about during the course of his work were the “reconciliation villages” that made neighbors of Tutsi victims and Hutu perpetrators after the atrocity—something that caught his attention while visiting Rwanda to make the film.

Critical thinking around reconciliation

“Everything I do starts with a question—something I don’t understand, something I’m trying to grasp, and usually it revolves around my own limitations as a human being,” Young said. “I wanted to understand how people in that context could forgive one another—like, if you orphaned your neighbor’s children, then adopted those children in order to atone for that—I struggle to rationalize that.

“There’s a lot of scholarship, particularly out of journalism, that’s asking what reconciliation actually means in Rwanda, when people have had to erase their core ethnic identities in this sort of post-ethnic state,” Young said. “Who doesn’t love forgiveness, right — but what are the actual implications of that? Because there is this sort of underbelly to it.”

Andrew Young

The hybrid approach of creative practices and critical studies-meets-journalism is something special about CMDI, which combines different, but related, perspectives in ways that prepare students to become critical thinkers who search for ideas and answers in the places where disciplines intersect.

In fact, Meghan Sobel Cohen (Jour’09), who joined the journalism faculty this fall as an associate professor, is familiar with Young’s work from her own research interests into media systems in authoritarian contexts. She said Young’s work helps people understand how Rwanda’s carefully cultivated image was built—“through decades of deliberate media discourse that fused forgiveness, unity and loyalty to the state into a single, difficult-to-question ideology.”

“Understanding Rwanda’s media architecture is essential for anyone trying to make sense of how ‘reconciliation’ gets defined, marketed and enforced,” Cohen said, “especially amid ongoing global conflicts; A.I. use; and the rapid, borderless spread of state-driven narratives across digital platforms.”

Young’s contribution in the face of the geopolitical landscape is a major point of pride for him. The country’s free speech protections are weak, limiting Rwandan scholars from speaking and publishing as candidly as he was able to.

“The deeper I went into my research, the more I realized the incredible risk that Rwandan scholars take in writing about their country. I don’t know if my contributions will ever open up a space for Rwandan scholars to be able to do this kind of work, but I hope they do.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

A CMDI expert’s reflections on the Rwandan genocide come from his interest in misremembering—as well as reconciliation.

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‘I love it here’: CMDI’s Class of 2030 eager to turn creative passions into careers

Ellie Chase — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:21:55 +0000

‘I love it here’: CMDI’s Class of 2030 eager to turn creative passions into careers Ellie Chase Thu, 09/24/2026 - 07:21

Ellie Chase

When it came time for Nolan Vuldy to choose a university, he thought back to the lights, lasers and sounds that captivated his childhood.

The chance to dive deeper into production effects, and build a network and career path that will allow him to further explore his interests, led him directly to ��ñ��’s College of Communication, Media, Design and Information.

“I hope to start a production company someday,” Vuldy said. “CMDI stood out the most to me—I think this is a place that can help me with my career goals.”

Originally from France, Vuldy’s family moved to Colorado when he was a child to pursue opportunity. Now, he joins CMDI’s Class of 2030, one of 516 new first-year students eager to make their mark on ��ñ��.

Though new-student enrollment is slightly down from last year—following years of growth after the pandemic—students in CMDI’s Class of 2030 are among the high-achieving undergraduates in the college’s history. Here are some highlights:

54% of students enrolled were in the top 25% of their high school class.
The average SAT score among enrolled students rose to 1243, from 1230 last year.
CMDI also welcomes 62 new transfer students and 50 new graduate students.

“Each opportunity I’ve had to speak with our new first-year students—whether during their orientation or seeing them around campus over the last few weeks—has left me impressed with both their intellectual curiosity and their passion for creativity,” said Lori Bergen, founding dean of the college. “I’m really excited about the potential this group has to shape CMDI and, with what they’ll learn here, the world.”

Chris Bell (PhDMediaSt'09), speaks with new CMDI students after his speech for CMDI Go. (Kimberly Coffin)

Vuldy, a media production major, is a self proclaimed DJ and producer who hopes his peers can influence his future projects.

“I’m a very creative person, so being around other creative people is something that really excites me,” he said.

Dawson Justus, a Texas native who is studying architecture at CMDI, is also pursuing his degree based on an early fascination. In his case, it’s design.

Justus has family in the architecture industry who introduced him to the discipline. His dream is to design an aquarium or a zoo—both of which were among his favorite places as a child.

“I’ve always been drawn here, mostly by the architecture and environmental design department,” Justus said. “I really appreciate how we get to diversify our studies, learning about product design, urban planning and landscape architecture in our first year.”

The family trade is no stranger to Charlotte Callahan, who draws inspiration from her mom, formerly a traveling journalist for Inside Edition. Callahan grew up admiring her career and adventures abroad.

With a passion for speaking with people and sharing their stories, Callahan will be pursuing a journalism degree from CMDI. Her interest in the environment is what drew her to Boulder, and she’s considering environmental science as a second major.

Her dream job? Working for National Geographic.

“Journalism is so important, especially now,” she said. “We really need good journalism and better access to information.”

Callahan’s recognition of Boulder’s remarkable environment is not lost on other new students. The campus’ beauty and vibrant student life brought Elizabeth Lockhart from California to CMDI.

“I toured campus and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I love it here.’ When I got accepted, I almost cried,” she said.

Lockhart is majoring in strategic communication, with an emphasis in public relations.

Her goals in public relations offer a perfect intersection of youthful passions with career—she wants to work for Disney. She also has interest in PR for Formula One drivers, seeing an opportunity to bridge the gap in gender representation in motorsports.

“There’s not many women in F1—and it’s detrimental because a lot of their fan base is women, but you don’t see representation,” Lockhart said.

“I just love the campus and the people—everyone is so friendly. It feels good knowing I’ve already found my people.”

Violet Valentin

Violet Valentin shares Lockhart’s enthusiasm for public relations. Valentin is a strategic communication major, as well, and spent part of her summer with the Pathways to Excellence program. The summer bridge program introduces incoming students to CMDI’s majors and builds community before school starts.

“I just love the campus and the people—everyone is so friendly,” Valentin said. “It feels good knowing I’ve already found my people.”

Information science is the smallest major in the incoming class, but its unique blend of computing, social science and the humanities interested Heidi Welsh, who is curious about hospital technology, which involves studying data to create preventative technology.

“I want to be hands on,” she said. “I want to go out in the world and apply what I know to help people. I’m so excited for all of my classes—I think it’s going to be so different from anything I’ve ever done.”

Ellie Chase is studying journalism at CMDI, with a minor in business. She covers students and student news at the college.

CMDI welcomes its Class of 2030, an academically accomplished group with big dreams for the future.

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Tea(house) party

Jayden Fortner — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 19:16:22 +0000

Tea(house) party Jayden Fortner Thu, 06/04/2026 - 13:16

Hannah Stewart

Hundreds of pieces of what appears to be a deconstructed Tajik teahouse like the one in downtown Boulder were found in crates in a Maryland barn. Last summer, a team from CMDI traveled across the country to document the crates' contents. Photo by Eloisa Samper.

Being behind the camera has always been Eloisa Samper’s cup of tea.

As a child, she would simply “capture moments,” but by the time she was in high school, she was taking photos and videos for their sports teams, even making a documentary for one of them. So when it came time to choose a college major, media production at ��ñ��’s College of Communication, Media, Design and Information was obvious.

But before she even attended her first class, she had an opportunity most first-year students could only dream of: With her camera, she helped a professor document and authenticate a rediscovered teahouse, packed in dozens of boxes, that had been sitting in a Maryland barn for more than 20 years.

“I would have never considered that this would be a possibility,” she said. “I felt like an archaeologist, almost—like I'm gonna be part of the next big thing.”

And that’s exactly Nate Jones’ hope.

Jones, a lecturer in the environmental design department at CMDI, said he wouldn’t call himself an expert of Tajik teahouses, but he “knows enough to be dangerous.”

As the assistant director of advising and professional development at CMDI, Jones facilitates opportunities for students to get hands-on experience during their undergraduate years. One way has been connecting architecture students with the Tajik artisans who periodically come to Colorado to perform maintenance on Boulder’s teahouse; since 2016, Jones has been on the board of Boulder-Dushanbe Sister Cities.

A tale of twin teahouses

There had long been whispers about a second teahouse made by the same craftsmen, but records of it had been lost to time—until a contractor was hired to clear out a barn in Maryland and he stumbled upon the disassembled pieces.

His research into what he had found led that contractor to a book, An Architecture of Dialogue: Learning from the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, about Boulder’s teahouse. He then reached out to Jones—who co-authored the book with Shawhin Roudbari, an associate professor of architecture, and Kate Sector Gregg (EnvDes’19)—to see if he could help.

Given his involvement on the Boulder board, Jones contacted a group of Tajik investors who had long expressed interest in creating a cultural center in Colorado. Perhaps, he thought, if the crates could be authenticated, the building could be brought here, studied and reassembled into such a community space.

He reconnected with Sector Gregg, who worked on a Dushanbe teahouse restoration as a student; she now works at a Texas-based architecture firm that does both new construction and historic preservation work. Jones also wanted student help in documenting the process, eventually choosing Samper.

Not all the pieces found in the crates were completely finished. "There were all these things that I think the artists had packed knowing they would want them for the future assembly," said Kate Sector Gregg (EnvDes'19). Photo by Eloisa Samper.

“When you bring together students and professionals, that’s where the magic happens,” Jones said.

The trio embarked on a three-day trip to Maryland. Photos, video footage and rudimentary 3D scans of various pieces in the crates were sent to the Tajik artisans behind Boulder’s teahouse.

“The artists looked at the pieces and they said, ‘We know that work. That was us. We never knew what happened to this,’” Jones said.

He hopes the crates will be sent to Boulder, so their contents can be more thoroughly documented. For example, using lidar would enable the team to create a 3D rendering of the building. Since no blueprints exist, Samper’s photos and initial scans will be key in understanding how the pieces fit together.

“Eloisa represents the first in a hopefully long line of students and other folks in the college participating in this project,” Jones said. “Hopefully we can get the thing here and get students and faculty from other departments involved, too.”

For now, the experience has confirmed for Samper that media production was the right move for her. She said she loved having the opportunity to not only work alongside faculty on a once-in-a-lifetime project, but to connect with the contractor who found the pieces.

“It definitely showed me how much I love documentary work, and it genuinely brought me so much joy,” she said. “I’m confident it’s something that will help me move on to bigger projects in the future.”

Over the course of three days last summer, Nate Jones, Eloisa Samper and Kate Sector Gregg photographed and documented hundreds of pieces they believe belong to a lost Tajik teahouse. Eventually, Jones hopes the pieces can come to Colorado for more students and faculty throughout CMDI to get involved in the project. Photos courtesy of Eloisa Samper and Kate Sector Gregg.

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

Before even attending her first class in CMDI, first-year student Eloisa Samper was part of a small team sent to Maryland to authenticate a long-forgotten Tajik teahouse.

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2 minutes with: Brooklyn Sadler

Ellie Chase — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:00:02 +0000

2 minutes with: Brooklyn Sadler Ellie Chase Tue, 06/02/2026 - 15:00

Hannah Stewart

“Growing up as a twin, I was consistently referred to as a unit instead of an individual, and I became accustomed to it,” said Brooklyn Sadler, a third-year media production major. “And when I decided to take a series of self-portraits for a class project, I was originally going to use my twin sister.”

We sat down with Sadler to learn more about how a seemingly basic assignment turned into a deep dive into her own identity.

Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Sadler.

Responses edited for length and clarity.

You were going to use your sister for a self-portrait?
Yeah, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do at first, and when she fell through, I had to rethink my approach. My process is to see what feels right, and for these photos, I wanted to try something different, like with double exposure.

Interesting—double exposure almost leans into the idea of twins. Tell me how you found yourself through the process.
Well, I wanted to show how I’ve grown out of that, which you see through the symbolism of the flowers growing in my hair, and the butterfly. The central element to these photos is the long exposure transparent faces, which I used to illustrate the falsehood of that “unit” idea I held.

It also helps to have your own work—something you can call your own. So, becoming a filmmaker and a photographer has helped me realize that I am my own individual. And even though my sister has helped me with sound design for another project, she’s a psychology major, so that helps, too.

Is identity a major theme in your work?
This was actually the first time I explored it visually. Nature is where my biggest interest lies—I camp a lot—that’s where I base a lot of my work around.

When you’re not behind the camera or camping, what else do you do?
I’m a dog groomer! And I also recently toured the radio station with my class, so I’m thinking about getting involved in that.

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

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CMDI brings the conversation on immigration to center stage

Joe Arney — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:33:18 +0000

CMDI brings the conversation on immigration to center stage Joe Arney Thu, 10/16/2025 - 14:33

Courtesy Motus Theater

Joe Arney

Courtesy Motus Theater

For the first two years of its existence, the CMDI Distinguished Speaker Series has invited nationally recognized guests to provide insights on relevant topics like how technology encodes inequality into its products and services, and how to remedy a deeply polarized society.

While the focus on impact and important topics is the same, this year, the college invited local voices to share the stage and lead a conversation on immigration.

Boulder-based Motus Theater, which creates original works to facilitate dialogue on important contemporary issues, will stage a performance that will be followed by a panel discussion featuring journalists from The Colorado Sun, 9News and Colorado Public Radio.

If you go

What: Reapproaching Media and Migration

When: 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 22, CASE Chancellor’s Hall, fourth floor.

Who: Motus Theater, which brings silenced histories and marginalized voices to the stage, will give a performance of UndocuAmerica, followed by a panel conversation featuring local journalists.

Why: The CMDI Distinguished Speaker Series showcases some of the most pressing challenges of our time and invites future journalists, communicators, designers and technologists to consider their responsibilities as citizens and storytellers.

The event is open to all members of the ��ñ�� community and the public.

Learn more

“What this series demonstrates is that CMDI is at the center of important conversations in our society,” said Nabil Echchaibi, associate dean of scholarly and creative work at CMDI and a professor of media studies. “We’re not just isolated in our own world. What we teach, what we do research on, what we explore creatively, it all has direct relevance to the world.”

Echchaibi encountered Motus as an advisor to one of the company’s performances, and invited the group to participate in a seminar class he taught a few years ago to help the students sharpen their media literacy skills.

“One of the things Motus excels at is reframing the conversation about these communities, around undocumented immigration,” Echchaibi, noting the company has been doing such productions since 2011.

UndocuAmerica, the project Motus will perform at CMDI, was created to counter the dehumanizing portrayal of immigrants through thoughtful engagement on the challenges facing the undocumented community, as well as the assets new arrivals bring to the United States. Motus works with leaders from the undocumented community to help them write powerful stories about their lives and experiences, then showcases them in moving monologues.

Echchaibi said he hopes the audience of communicators, storytellers and designers leaves with a better understanding of “our obligation as citizens, neighbors, journalists and educators to immigrant justice and honoring life for everyone.”

“I see CMDI as a convener of these conversations at a time when fewer people are having them,” he said. “We want to give a sense of perspective, some clarity about what we are all dealing with on a daily basis. Those conversations don’t only happen in the classroom—we are trying to foster a culture of meaningful and constructive discussion about issues of great public concern.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

A performance by Motus Theater headlines this year’s Distinguished Speaker Series.

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Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Amanda J. McManus — Wed, 28 May 2025 19:44:19 +0000

Congratulations, Class of 2025! Amanda J. McManus Wed, 05/28/2025 - 13:44

More than 900 graduates were celebrated at CMCI’s annual recognition ceremony this past May. Our newest class of Forever Buffs arrived amid pandemic and leave as outstanding scholars and accomplished leaders.

View the 2025 Graduation Celebration

William W. White honorees
Meet the most outstanding students from each CMCI major, as chosen by our faculty.

‘A rock star who is going places’
The top student in her class, Sarah Carleo, discovered her passion for public relations as a student. She’s now off to Next PR, where she previously was a standout summer intern.

Getting the message
Andrew Johnson made the most of a New York City internship with BBH USA. The top strategic communication major is thrilled to return in an account management role as he gets another bite at the Big Apple.

Bylines are fine, but…
Most college students would be thrilled at getting an Associated Press byline. So is Celia Frazier, but she measures her work in impact, not clips. She graduated as CMCI’s top journalism major.

Meet the environmental design Class of 2025
Get to know some oustanding seniors and watch the recognition ceremony.

Celebrating ENVD

Connections through design
For Serena Langdon-Dimidjian, a graduate with a dual degree in architecture and ethnic studies, design is about building community, asking deeper questions and making space for connection.

"Everything you’ve done up to this moment has prepared you to succeed in a world where you can feel the ground moving under your feet.

Lori Bergen, PhD
Founding Dean
CMCI

Our newest class of Forever Buffs arrived amid pandemic and leave as outstanding scholars and accomplished leaders.

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Summer 2025

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Class of 2024: William W. White Honorees

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2024 23:17:34 +0000

Class of 2024: William W. White Honorees Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/01/2024 - 17:17

William W. White Outstanding Seniors are chosen by department faculty to recognize academic merit, professional achievement and service to the college. The Outstanding Graduate award honors the CMCI student with the highest overall GPA in his or her graduating class.

White, a Boulder native, graduated from CU’s School of Journalism in 1933. He was a reporter in Boulder, Denver and New York before becoming the foreign editor of Time from the early 1940s through the mid-1950s, based in London, Brazil and Montreal. At the advice of his friend Edward R. Murrow, who told him “it doesn’t matter what you do, what matters is that you do it where you want to live,” White returned to Boulder, where he started the White and White public relations firm. White and his wife, Connie, established this endowment in 1998.

Meet our graduates and read their stories.

Andrew Schwartz: College of Media, Communication and Information

Andrew's advice to students is to try everything and talk to as many people as you can—especially outside your major. That way, you'll broaden your perspective.

When it comes to impact and being able to make something I’m proud of, a big part of that is being able to make technology for the people to use it, and make things that people enjoy using and improve their lives. Info places a big emphasis on that."

Lisa An: Department of Critical Media Practice

Lisa started her CU career as a computer science major before switching to media production. She said this was one of the best decisions she ever made because through the program, she discovered a passion for photography.

"I learned that keeping your work to yourself because of the fear of not being good enough does no good. If you share your work and receive feedback, you are able to improve your craft and obtain opportunities you otherwise never would have been able to.

Elijah Boykoff: Department of Information Science

Going into college, Elijah's goals for himself were to learn as much as he could and make it to the finish line. He says he's made good on those goals, and this award is an exciting bonus.

Your professors are people just like you. Get to know them—if you are able to resonate with your professors on a deeper level, you will be much more enriched by the knowledge they have to share."

Bianca Perez: Departments of Communication, Media Studies

Bianca is the first CMCI graduate to win outstanding student honors from two different majors. She's now off to a prestigious Ph.D. program.

"What I have is like a wish coming true. You can work very hard and that can still not be enough, and I’ve seen that happen to people around me my whole life.

Sujei Perla Martinez: Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design

For Sujei, a first-generation college student, graduating means she's carving a new path for her family.

My community helped foster a place for self-discovery and encouraged me to be unapologetically myself while helping me grow within my values and beliefs."

Nic Tamayo: Department of Journalism

Nic's CMCI experience in three words: fulfilling, inspired, treasured.

"I will take with me the connections I’ve been able to make with people from so many corners of life. They’ve taught me lessons that I may never have learned without their friendship and mentorship.

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Outstanding senior: Lisa An

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2024 22:39:07 +0000

Outstanding senior: Lisa An Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/01/2024 - 16:39

Iris Serrano

Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm’18)

“Unpredictable” is how Lisa An describes her college experience.

“I learned that keeping your work to yourself because of the fear of not being good enough does no good. If you share your work and receive feedback, you are able to improve your craft and obtain opportunities you otherwise never would have been able to.”
Lisa An

She felt pressured to pursue a computer science major, in preparation for a technical career path, but realized it wasn’t her calling. Eventually, she came across media production and enjoyed the creative freedom that came with it.

“It ended up being one of the best decisions I made,” An said. “I often struggle to find the right words to describe what I'm feeling. With photography, I’m able to create something where the emotion I pour into the piece can speak for itself.”

She carried her curiosity and love for creativity and completed a second major in Art Practices with minors in Art History and Sociology. Now she’s graduating as the William W. White Outstanding Senior for the Department of Critical Media Practices. The White awards are chosen by CMCI faculty and honor students for their academic accomplishments, professional achievements and service to the college.

The award didn’t come without hard work and effort. An has completed countless projects for her media production classes, but the one that stood out most was a book she made compiling her photography and design work. It was, she said, “rewarding to see my creation come to life physically, as well as being a part of the entire process of creating something.”

She has also completed an internship at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, which she said gave her a clearer picture of what to expect in the field after graduation.

Her path may not have been linear, but she said that journey helped her surround herself with friends who guided her on the way.
“One thing I’ll miss is the sense of community and support I received from my professors and peers. I could feel that they all genuinely cared for my success and pushed me to produce work that I could be proud of,” An said.

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.

The outstanding senior in the Department of Critical Media Practices, Lisa said her winding path helped her meet mentors and friends that set her up to succeed.

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