Recent News
Faculty and staff celebrated the department’s new status with sparkling apple juice during a department meeting.
May 23, 2024
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Mustang Media Group won a total of 37 national and state awards between the 2021 virtual ceremonies of the College Media Business and Advertising Managers (CMBAM) and the California College Media Association (CCMA). The Cal Poly Journalism Department’s student-run integrated media organization proved that despite the challenges of a virtual year, the organization continues to find innovative, creative ways to tell the stories of the community and rise to every occasion.
Student award winners (left to right):
Brynna Barton, Clare Giatzis,
Justin Vermeltfoort and Von Balanon
Mustang Media Group took home a total of 18 individual awards, ranging from advertising to video, digital, print and broadcast journalism. They won eight first-place awards, two second-place, five third-place and three honorable mentions from CMBAM. Meanwhile, from CCMA, they took home 13 first-place and six third-place awards.
“The business and marketing staff of Mustang Media Group had to find a way to sell products, market to students and connect with an audience under the most extreme conditions. I am thrilled to see their hard work all year long with the awards won at CMBAM,” Mustang Media Group General Manager Jon Schlitt said. “The editorial staff of Mustang Media Group did a fantastic job covering the outbreak of COVID-19, the return of students to Cal Poly’s campus and the Black Lives Matter movement. They did an extraordinary job in print and digital journalism all year long and their efforts were reflected as some of the best in California and even in the nation.”
CMBAM is a national organization run by a volunteer board of students and advisers from member newspapers. The organization focuses on bringing student journalists together to learn and share industry best practices with one another. The awards that
Mustang Media Group received from CMBAM are listed below.
-
Best COVID-19 Response Plan in the Nation - First Place
-
Best PR and Marketing Manager in the Nation - First Place, Justin Vermeltfoort
-
Best Designer in the Nation - First Place, Von Balanon
-
Best Sales Operation Manager in the Nation - Second Place, Claire Giatzis
-
Best Sales Representative in the Nation - Third Place - Brynna Barton
-
Best College Media Sales and Marketing Program – First Place
-
Best Sales Strategy for a Special Section – First Place
-
Best Self Promo Website – First Place
-
Best Single Digital Sales Promotion – First Place + Second Place
-
Best Social Media Strategy – First Place
-
Best Sales Incentive – Second place
-
Best Hiring/Recruitment Strategy – Third Place
-
Best Native Ad – Third Place
-
Best Special Event – Third Place
-
College Media Company of the Year - Third Place
-
Best Marketing Plan - Honorable Mention
-
Best Self Promotion Ad - Honorable Mention
-
Best New Idea - Honorable Mention
CCMA is a state-wide organization that offers support for student journalists across California. The media association, founded in 2003, just hosted its 19th annual Best of College Media competition. In addition to the competition, CCMA offers trainings and workshops, covering the most relevant topics for journalists today. The awards that Mustang Media Group received from CCMA are listed below.
-
Best Print Advertisement – First place, Elaine Do
-
Best Social Justice Coverage – First place, Aidan McGloin, Austin Linthicum, Diego Rivera, Kailey O'Connell
-
Best Non-News Video – First place Brady Caskey
-
Best News Video – First place, Samantha Spitz
-
Best Interactive Graphic – First place, Mustang News, Lauren Walike
-
Best Special Issue/Section – First Place, Mustang News Staff
2023 Hall of Fame Honorees Announced!
May 23, 2024
The Journalism Department & Mustang Media Hall of Fame recognizes the value of a vibrant student media operation at the center of the journalism department’s Learn by Doing curriculum.
The Hall of Fame was created in 2016 to honor those individuals who have made significant contributions to the department and its student media organizations or those who have used their student media experience to launch successful careers.
The Hall of Fame is located on the third floor of Building 26 across the hall from KCPR-FM. Past honorees include Bruce Flohr, Susan Houghton, Robert Kennedy, Bruce McPherson, George Ramos, Kevin Riggs, Al Yankovic and Ed Zuchelli.
Please join us in congratulating the 2023 honorees, who will be inducted into the Mustang Media Hall of Fame in a gala celebration on Friday, Oct. 27.
Melissa Figueroa Chechourka
CHIEF OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, CA HIGH-SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY
Jim Hayes
FORMER CAL POLY PROFESSOR AND SYMPOSIUM NAMESAKE
David Kerley
OWNER, FULL THROTTLE NEWSLETTER; FORMER ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT
David Kraft
VICE PRESIDENT/NEWS, ESPN
Mark Looker
OWNER, LOOKER COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTING
Conan Nolan
CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER, KNBC AND HOST OF “NEWS CONFERENCE”
Tracey Ozmina
PRESIDENT AND GLOBAL COO, SAGE PUBLISHING
Lauren Rabaino
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, VOX MEDIA
Festival of Journalism Coming this Fall!
May 23, 2024
Save the date! The journalism department is partnering with the nonprofit news organization CalMatters to bring you a two-day festival of journalism in late October.
Save the dates! October 26-27, 2023. The journalism department is partnering with the nonprofit news organization CalMatters to host a two-day festival of journalism.
Please join us in San Luis Obispo this fall for the first-ever festival of journalism -- a series of discussions to promote civic engagement around topics of vital interest to San Luis Obispo and the state. The festival will also feature our fourth Jim Hayes Symposium and the induction of eight new members of the Mustang Media Hall of Fame.
This two-day event will provide a great opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni, network with media professionals and meet current students and faculty – all while exploring media coverage of today’s critical issues.
Here’s a glimpse of what we have planned:
THURSDAY, OCT. 26
CalMatters Film Screening and Reception: Network with filmmakers and CalMatters journalists following the screening of a documentary in downtown SLO.
FRIDAY, OCT. 27
CalMatters Live: Local decision makers and thought leaders join CalMatters journalists in discussions that address important local issues, politics and policies.
The Jim Hayes Symposium: Former ABC News correspondent David Kerley moderates a thought-provoking conversation centered on trust in the media. Speakers include Emilio Garcia Ruiz, editor in chief of the San Francisco Chronicle; and Carolyn McGourty Supple, head of public affairs for Google Public Sector and former executive director of the Center for Ethical Leadership in Media.
Gala Dinner and Hall of Fame: We induct eight honorees into the Journalism Department & Mustang Media Hall of Fame.
Admission to all CalMatters events and the Jim Hayes Symposium is free. Tickets for the Hall of Fame Gala go on sale in August.
More details soon!
New Concentration in Media Innovation
May 23, 2024
The Cal Poly Journalism Department is now one of only a handful of programs in the country offering a concentration in media innovation, allowing students to focus their studies on the intersection of journalism, business and technology.
The department's curriculum committee, led by professors Patrick Howe and Patti Piburn, spent the past few years researching and refining the new concentration to best serve students who are entering a constantly evolving media landscape.
Media innovation students will learn how to develop new storytelling approaches, use analytics to understand audience behavior, foster inclusive civic participation, create innovative media products and experiment with revenue models.
Kim Bisheff, a long-time lecturer in the department who has expertise in everything from entrepreneurship to editing and multimedia production, will take on a new role as an assistant professor overseeing the new concentration.
Bisheff is eager to teach students how to come up with new ideas and solutions for problems facing the media industry related to credibility, polarization, engagement and minority marginalization.
“At a polytechnic university, this is where we should be innovating solutions to the big problems,” Bisheff said.
The media innovation concentration is one of four options students have in the department's redesigned curriculum. Other concentrations are news -- with specialties in either broadcast or print/digital -- a strengthened public relations program that includes a new PR research course, and a new "design-your-own" concentration.
“We believe that this new curriculum, which balances core skills in accuracy, writing and storytelling with a focus on diversity and inclusion, ethics and consumer priorities, will position our graduates to land jobs at the forefront of any industry they choose," department chair Brady Teufel said.
Here’s a short video of Professor Bisheff describing the value of the new concentration.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/817IqTkvAnE
You can view the new curriculum in its entirety here: https://flowcharts.calpoly.edu/downloads/curric/22-26.Journalism.pdf
Journalism Students on the Road Again
May 23, 2024
The journalism department is always looking for ways to support career networking for students, and this year dozens of them reaped the benefits of interacting with media professionals across the country.
Networking offers so many rewards outside the classroom, like expanding students’ understanding of different career roles, raising their profile within professional circles, discussing common challenges, exploring new perspectives and ideas and stepping outside their comfort zones to build important social skills.
Students traveled to conferences in four states and the nation’s capital. For the first time, we sent two students to Nashville, TN, to attend the National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting (NICAR), the annual data journalism conference hosted by Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE). Elizabeth Wilson and Amelia Wu, both student reporters for Mustang Media Group’s data team, participated in sessions that strengthened their skills for telling stories with numbers.
Journalism students Lena Van Duzer and Raleigh Elbert discovered the value of networking by attending their first professional conference in April. The two traveled to Tuscon, AZ, to participate in the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Western District Conference, where, they said, their eyes were opened to new possibilities. Both received career advice and started building networks that can help them find an internship or even a job after graduation.
“I had never been to a conference before and didn’t know what to expect,” Van Duzer said. “I honestly didn’t think it would have as big of an impact as it did.”
The journalism department has consistently sent Mustang Media Group students to college media conferences, and this year was no exception. Six students attended the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) conference in New York in February, five went to the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) Fall Media Fest in Washington, D.C., last October, and 22 students and faculty attended the March conference hosted by ACP and College Media Business and Advertising Managers (CMBAM) in San Francisco.
Catherine Allen, 2022-23 editor-in-chief, who attended the ACP conferences, noted the benefits of learning new skills.
“Attending conferences inspires us to push the envelope, execute new innovative ideas and strengthen our teamwork and collaboration,” Allen said, “and that's why we look forward to them every year.”
Cal Poly’s desirable location on the Central Coast is an attraction for students, but because it is far from major cities, they do not have frequent opportunities to rub shoulders with a variety of professionals in a social setting. In addition to sending students away for conferences, the department also hosts campus programs that bring professionals to students.
Whenever the Journalism Advisory Board is in town for its semi-annual meeting, the department hosts a career-focused event where board members review resumes and offer career advice. This spring, the event was expanded to include local media organizations looking to recruit journalism students.
Occasionally, students who attend a conference will build a professional support network that develops into personal friendships and further collaborations. As a student, Leah Pezzetti attended her first National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) News Video workshop in 2016. She has continued to participate in the organization, and this year in Seattle, where she is a journalist and meteorologist for KING 5 TV, she co-chaired the NPPA Best of Photojournalism Video Workshop and Awards, an event that attracted 80+ photojournalists from across the country.
All of these student networking opportunities are made possible by the support of donors to the Journalism Endowment, a fund created by alumni to enhance learning in the journalism department. (See “The alumni gift that keeps on giving”)
Summer 2023 Alumni Updates
May 23, 2024
2022
Jennie Le has started a six-month fellowship program at Marina Maher Communications, an integrated marketing and communications agency. She is also a graduate student in Communication Management at USC Annenberg.
Sophie Lincoln has started a six-month fellowship program at Marina Maher Communications, an integrated marketing and communications agency. She is also a graduate student in Communication Management at USC Annenberg.
Jordan Peterkofsky has recently completed the management training program and will be staying on as Food & Beverage Manager at the SLS Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills.
2020
Giselle Fernandez has started a new position as Public Affairs Specialist at KP Public Affairs, the largest advocacy and public relations firm in California.
Kallyn Hobmann is now Marketing & Communications Manager for Data Science Alliance in San Diego. Previously, she was morning anchor for KERO-TV in Bakersfield.
Kelsey Luvisa has started a new position as Senior Lifecycle Associate at HomeLight, a real estate technology company.
2019
Madison Burgess, Production Coordinator for AMC Networks, recently worked with a team from Reel Works to develop an Industry Upskill Course about different design fields in the media industry.
Katelyn (Biddle) Martin is a Marketing and Outreach Specialist for the Sacramento Children’s Museum.
2018
Megan Albee was selected as the Outstanding Student in the Master’s of Science in Business Analytics program at the The University of Montana.
Abby Cavanaugh is the Senior Manager, Product Communications at Aura, an identity-theft protection service.
Courtney Lucas was recently promoted to Managing Consultant/Go To Market for Robert Walters, a recruitment company. She’s based in Los Angeles.
2017
Taylor (Mosher) Danielson recently became the first Communications and Marketing Analyst for the city of Clovis, CA, her hometown. She is assisting all city departments with communications and marketing, managing websites and social media, assisting with events and outreach, and acting as the city’s Public Information Officer.
Molly O’Brien is a freelance travel and lifestyle writer and recently started working as an author for Matador Network.
Lauren Pluim has started a new position as Social Media Manager at A SHOC Energy.
2014
David Aguilar is the new nightside Executive Producer for KCRA in Sacramento. He leads the station's coverage for the 7 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. Most recently he was Executive Producer for KSBW in Salinas.
Kait Cohen is a Content Developer for the Consumer Customer Service Support team at Amazon. She recently helped kick off the first Cal Poly alumni event in Nashville, TN.
Kat Gore is working on a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University. She recently accepted a position as Library Associate for Jackson County Library Services in Jackson, OR.
2013
Joseph Corral is a project manager for Untitled Future, a strategic marketing agency focused on storytelling.
Kristin Kenney recently received her Masters in Business Management and Leadership at The City University of New York.
Ali Weiss has started new positions as Farmers Market Sales Associate at San Marcos Farms Honey Company and Guest Services Assistant Manager at MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation.
2011
Brandon Downing, after 27 years at KSBY-TV in San Luis Obispo, has accepted a position at Pacific Gas & Electric. Most recently, he was KSBY’s Director of Marketing, Creative and Community Affairs. He recently joined the Journalism Advisory Board.
1998
Mark Armstrong recently celebrated the first anniversary of Ursa Story Company, the podcasting company he started with authors Dawnie Walton and Deesha Philyaw. Apple Podcasts named it one of its "Shows We Loved" in 2022. They are now in the middle of a second season of Ursa Short Fiction, featuring audio stories and inspiring conversations with writers. It’s the first in a series focused on great storytelling. Ursa is also a full-service production company making podcasts and short-form videos for clients.
Support the Cal Poly Journalism department!
You're Invited
May 23, 2024
Plans are underway for a series of events in October that will focus on honoring alumni and friends for career excellence, exploring the topic of trust in the media and delving into critical issues confronting SLO County and the state.
Our first Festival of Journalism will take place October 26-27, 2023, in San Luis Obispo. This two-day event will provide a great opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni, network with media professionals and meet current students and faculty – all while examining the contributions of today’s journalists. The details so far:
CalMatters Live
Journalists from the nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization CalMatters will sit down with local thought leaders to discuss the topic of housing in SLO County and throughout the state. It will begin with a topical film screening followed by a reception with the director at the Palm Theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo on Thursday evening, Oct. 26.
Then on Friday, Oct. 27, CalMatters will host a conversation centered around the topics of homelessness and the cost of housing. These discussions will explore underlying causes and workable solutions.
Jim Hayes Symposium
Jim Hayes
Following the CalMatters programming, the journalism department will present its fourth Jim Hayes Symposium. The biannual symposium is a forum where media leaders talk of courage, truth and enduring values. This year the focus will be on trust in news -- how to establish it, contributing factors, how well media organizations are doing and the impacts on democracy.
Cal Poly Journalism alumnus and former ABC News correspondent David Kerley will moderate. Speakers include journalist Sally Lehrman, chief executive of the Trust Project; Emilio Garcia Ruiz, editor in chief of the San Francisco Chronicle; and Carolyn McGourty Supple, head of public affairs for Google Public Sector and former executive director of the Center for Ethical Leadership in Media.
About Jim Hayes: A Cal Poly journalism professor, chair of the journalism department and founding director of the Brock Center for Agricultural Communication, Jim Hayes was a staunch advocate for fact checking, integrity and ethics. For more than 60 years in his role as teacher, mentor, editor and writing coach, Hayes taught thousands of students, journalists and communication professionals.
The Jim Hayes Symposium is meant to inspire a new generation of storytellers to do the right thing.
Mustang Media Hall of Fame
On Friday evening, the journalism department will host a gala dinner and induct eight new members into its Mustang Media Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was created in 2016 to honor those individuals who have made significant contributions to the department and its student media organizations or those who have used their student media experience to launch successful careers. It recognizes the value of a vibrant student media operation at the center of the journalism department’s Learn by Doing curriculum.
This year’s honorees are:
-
Melissa Figueroa Chechourka, chief of strategic communications, CA High-Speed Rail Authority
-
Jim Hayes, former Cal Poly professor and symposium namesake
-
David Kerley, owner Full Throttle newsletter, former ABC News correspondent
-
David Kraft, vice president/news, ESPN
-
Mark Looker, owner, Looker Communications Consulting
-
Conan Nolan, chief political reporter, KNBC and host of “News Conference”
-
Tracey Ozmina, global COO, SAGE Publishing
-
Lauren Rabaino, chief of staff to the CEO, Vox Media
Admission to all CalMatters events and the Jim Hayes Symposium is free. Tickets for the Hall of Fame Gala go on sale in August. Stay tuned for details!
Support Mustang News and KCPR
May 7, 2020
Student work on Mustang News and KCPR is vital to the community -- now more than ever. MustangNews.net and Mustang News on KCPR have been covering the most important news event of our lifetime, with daily updates on the impact of COVID-19 on Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo.
Support Quality Journalism
May 7, 2019
Now, more than ever, teaching a new generation of journalists is important work. It’s a mission we embrace at Cal Poly. Our Learn by Doing approach empowers graduates to tackle the challenges increasingly faced by the profession. Through their experiences here, students learn to uphold values like accuracy, impartiality and humanity, while they master the latest storytelling technologies.
Cal Poly Student Media Wins 46 Awards
Mar 6, 2019
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Every platform of Mustang Media Group, the Cal Poly Journalism Department’s student-run media organization, received national recognition last weekend from three of college media’s most distinguished organizations—California College Media Association (CCMA), Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) and College Media Business and Advertising Managers (CMBAM).