School of Journalism and Media Studies Impact Report_FY24-25

College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts

Fiscal Year 2024-2025

Dear Donor,

Thanks to your generous support, the School of Journalism & Media Studies continues to provide students with transformative, real-world experiences that shape their futures.

The School of Journalism & Media Studies prioritizes real-world experiences that help students grow into successful professionals. Our students don’t just learn about media—they live it—using San Diego and the world as their laboratory to develop and refne their skills. Your contributions empower the next generation of storytellers by expanding access to hands-on learning, supporting our service to society, and giving JMS the tools to innovate and keep pace with today’s evolving media and technology landscape.

Achieving our goals requires commitment from faculty dedicated to top-tier teaching and research, staf who support student success, students pursuing their passions, and you—our alumni and community— who provide opportunities, mentorship, and vital fnancial support. Thank you for being an essential part of our story.

Temple Northup, Ph.D. Professor & Director School of Journalism & Media Studies

Propelling the SDSU Community Forward

John L. Baldwin and Shawn A. Baldwin Endowed Scholarship for Excellence in Journalism

Additional support was received for the John L. Baldwin and Shawn A. Baldwin Endowed Scholarship for Excellence in Journalism in homage to SDSU professors who instill in JMS students the art of storytelling through the Five Ws—Who, What, When, Where, and sometimes, Why. This journalism training is instrumental to student success in the classroom and in shaping their future careers.

Baldwin Family Newsroom Endowment

The Baldwin Family Newsroom Endowment will support journalism and media studies' student media program by funding the renovation and ongoing maintenance of the newsroom space, transforming it into a 21st-century classroom and newsroom. Additionally, the funds may support opportunities for students to cover important news events and participate in professional development experiences.

Thriving in the Aztec Experience

Miki Corsette, Class of 2025 Class Level: Graduate Student

College: Professional Studies and Fine Arts

Major: Learning Design and Technology

Miki Corsette was named the 2025 Outstanding Graduate Student from the Learning Design and Technology (LDT) program in the School of Journalism and Media Studies at SDSU.

A passionate advocate for lifelong learning, Corsette’s graduate work focuses on integrating AI, XR, and EduMetaverse technologies into instructional design to foster well-being and personal growth.

“My mission is to help others fnd their ikigai (sense of purpose) through innovative education,” Corsette shared. Her research and capstone project explored how immersive, AIdriven learning ecosystems can support both professional development and human fourishing. She published on EduMetaverse ecosystem modeling and developed a science education initiative using AI technologies.

Post-graduation, Corsette plans to continue advancing educational innovation through corporate learning design with a long-term goal of building learning systems that empower both individuals and organizations.

Guided by Okinawan values of yuimaru (community spirit) and nuchi du takara (life is a treasure), Corsette's work remains deeply grounded in empathy, connection, and a desire to uplift others through purposeful learning.

My mission is to help others fnd their ikigai—their sense of purpose —through innovative education. — Miki

Arleen Rasing, Class of 2025 Class Level: Graduate Student College: Professional Studies and Fine Arts Major: Mass Communication

Arleen Rasing was named the 2025 Outstanding Graduate Student from the Mass Communication program in the School of Journalism and Media Studies at SDSU. With a passion for media analysis and pop culture, Rasing’s academic work explored how representation impacts audience engagement and discourse.

Her master’s thesis, “And Where DEI Is, Let the Great Axe Fall,” critically examined audience reactions to the cancellations of streaming shows with intersectional representation, such as Genera+ion and Gordita Chronicles. Through this qualitative research, Rasing analyzed social media discourse to assess how viewers responded to industry decisions that afected inclusive storytelling.

Looking ahead, Rasing hopes to pursue a career in the television and flm industry or continue her academic path with a Ph.D. in media studies.

“SDSU helped me expand my research interests and deepen my connection to academic writing,” she shared. Known by peers and mentors as passionate, driven, and conscientious, Rasing brought a sharp, thoughtful voice to the future of media scholarship and storytelling.

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SDSU helped me expand my research interests and deepen my connection to academic writing. — Arleen

Katerina Portela, Class of 2025 Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts Major: Journalism

Katerina Portela was named the 2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Student from the School of Journalism and Media Studies at SDSU.

A driven journalism major, Portela made her mark through thoughtful storytelling, academic excellence, and a strong commitment to media that serves the public good.

After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in journalism as an investigative or arts and culture reporter, aiming to cover local issues and inform and enrich underrepresented communities through meaningful storytelling. “I want to use media to inform and empower communities,” she said, refecting the passion that defned her time at SDSU.

Portela credited Dr. Lourdes Cueva Chacón as the professor who had the most profound impact on her journey. “She empowered me to embrace my voice and to lead with purpose and clarity,” Portela shared. Dr. Cueva Chacón’s mentorship not only shaped her approach to journalism but also gave her the confdence to pursue ambitious goals. Portela graduated as a standout voice in SDSU’s media landscape—thoughtful, compassionate, and ready to make a diference.

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I want to use media to inform and empower communities.— Katerina ”

Celebrating Shared Success

Recent Rankings

According to Journalism-Schools.com, SDSU's journalism program is ranked:

#10 Journalism School in California

#5 General Journalism Program in California

#5 Speech & Rhetoric Program in California

#8 Broadcast & Telecommunications Program in California

Recent Highlights

SDSU students secured four frst-place fnishes at the 2024 Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) San Diego Area Journalism Awards, marking an improvement over the previous year's results. The Daily Aztec earned second place in both the Best College Newspaper and Best College News Media Website categories.

Recent graduates Noah Lyons and Serena Neumeyer received the San Diego Area Journalism Awards Merit Scholarship.

JMS Students work with Orange Hat Publishing, applying the efects of youth and media to published children's books.

Research Centers:

Media, Identity, and Communication (MIC) Innovation Research Lab: Established in 2023, this lab focuses on critical cultural media research and fosters innovative studies using creative media technology.

Center for Science and Media: A collaboration with the College of Sciences, this center aims to educate the public about science through strategic and ethical media use.

Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations: Named after a renowned public relations scholar, this center continues Dr. Broom's legacy by advancing the practice of public relations through research and professional development initiatives.

SDSU School of Journalism is ranked #10 Journalism School in California.

Lourdes Cueva Chacón, Ph.D.

Title: Assistant Professor, Journalism College: Professional Studies and Fine Arts

Achievement: Lourdes M. Cueva Chacón is an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2020. She earned her Master of Arts in Communication from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2010 and her Master of Science in Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005.

She has taught in various positions at the University of Texas at El Paso and the University of Texas at Austin, bringing years of bicultural multimedia journalism experience to SDSU. From 2008 to 2014, she served as the designer and digital content manager for Borderzine.com, an online digital platform and innovative journalism education initiative aimed at preparing young bilingual and bicultural journalists for careers in 21stcentury news media.

Her research addresses important questions about social, historical, and systemic forces, as well as individual traits, that infuence journalistic practices and routines—and their efects on the coverage of minority and marginalized communities in the U.S. Her work is informed by her teaching experience in El Paso and Austin, where she witnessed how Latinx and Black journalism students and graduates struggle to reconcile their life experiences and community knowledge with the demands of news organizations that often pressure them to relinquish those perspectives or pigeonhole them into reporting solely on their ethnic groups.

Dr. Cueva Chacón also researches Latin American journalism and how digital tools are transforming journalistic practices on the continent—particularly within investigative journalism— and how these evolving practices are helping to strengthen democracy in the region. Her research centers on the intersection of media sociology, race and ethnicity, and Latin American studies. Her work also explores the coverage of minoritized and marginalized communities in the U.S., informed by her professional experience reporting on the U.S.-Mexico border and teaching at Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations

The center continues to provide opportunities for undergraduate public relations students to develop into career-ready practitioners. This is accomplished through robust mentorship and personalized support, including assistance with attending professional conferences and participating in networking trips to the East Coast.

Highlights of Support and Student Engagement

Funded fve students to attend Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) ICON, a national conference.

Funded 32 students to attend the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Western District Workshop in Los Angeles, covering registration and travel costs.

Funded one student to attend the PRSSA Western District Conference in Los Angeles, covering registration and travel costs.

Funded two students to attend the PRSSA Leadership Assembly in North Carolina, covering travel expenses.

Supported the sixth iteration of the Broom Student Fellows Program by investing in a PR senior through tailored professional development opportunities.

Sponsored students' memberships in PRSSA.

Promoted and sponsored students’ pursuit of the PRSSA Certifcate in Principles of Public Relations.

Funded scholarly activities that advance public relations theory. Collaborated with area agencies, such as Nufer, Smith, Tucker (NST) PR, to create networking and professional development opportunities for PR students.

Provided ongoing support to the SDSU PRSSA chapter.