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Cal Poly Journalism

@calpolyjournalism

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Official Instagram account for the journalism department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

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Four Cal Poly Journalism students recently traveled to Minneapolis to attend the 2026 Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) Convention, joining hundreds of journalists and students from across the country for a week of networking, professional development and inspiration.AAJA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander journalists through advocacy, training, career opportunities and community. At the convention, Ty Soria, Emi Orbero, Riya Minglani and Lauren Quijano attended workshops, connected with journalists from organizations including ABC News, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal and POLITICO, and explored career paths in journalism and strategic communication. • Lauren said she learned a lot about using data and research-backed resources to strengthen reporting and came away with new opportunities and resources for post-graduation. • Emi called her first AAJA convention an “enjoyable and valuable experience,” saying she was grateful for the opportunity to meet recruiters, attend professional panels and connect with fellow Asian American journalists. • Ty said meeting journalists eager to mentor students and connecting with the AAJA Sports Task Force “reinvigorated my passion for storytelling” while reminding him of the importance of identity and community in the newsroom. • Riya enjoyed learning from industry leaders, especially a POLITICO editing session and a hands-on radio reporting workshop that gave her new skills to bring back to the classroom.We’re proud to support opportunities that connect our students with industry leaders, expand their professional networks and prepare them for successful and impactful careers in journalism.Thank you to AAJA for an incredible convention, and congratulations to Ty, Emi, Riya and Lauren! by @calpolyjournalism

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Journalism seniors Leila Touati, Grace Gillio, Carly Heltzel and Archana Pisupati transformed their senior project into an opportunity to amplify student voices while building professional skills.Their project, “30 Years Later: Interviews with students of color detail ongoing isolation strikingly similar to that in 1995,” began after the group discovered a documentary in Kennedy Library examining the experiences of students of color at Cal Poly in the mid-1990s.“We quickly realized that what they were saying — feelings of isolation, disregard and transgressions still applied, 30 years later, to current students of color attending Cal Poly. We wanted to get testimonials from these students and honor their perspectives,” Touati said.As the project evolved, Touati received one-on-one mentorship from Lily Boyce, graphics editor at The New York Times, who helped shape the story’s visual presentation.“Working on this project under her mentorship was a dream experience. She offered so much support and insight into how to best display our story, and offered suggestions that I followed to be a better developer and journalist,” Touati said.Through the project, Touati learned to use ScrollMagic,a JavaScript library that helped create interactive visuals reflecting the emotional weight of the students’ experiences. After months of experimentation and collaboration with incoming Mustang Media Group Creative Director Anika Loganathan, the team completed the project.For Touati, the most rewarding part was sharing students’ stories with a broader audience. Her favorite element is the opening interactive feature.“I spent hours trying to perfect the ratio, appearance and movement of the graphics fading into the screen, dealing with hex codes of all the colors so it was easily visible, but still portrayed the darkness I wanted the piece to feel,” Touati said. The project was the result of months of collaboration, mentorship and dedication. Together, the students transformed their senior project into a meaningful piece of journalism that amplified student voices while giving them the opportunity to learn from industry professionals. by @calpolyjournalism

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Cal Poly alum and NASA astronaut Victor Glover returned to campus to speak at the “Mustangs To The Moon And Back” event just two months after piloting the Artemis II on its 10-day mission. Community members, students and supporters gathered at the Performing Arts Center to hear about his journey as a Cal Poly student, Navy pilot and NASA astronaut.Recent journalism alumni Lia Griffiths, Archana Pisupati and Dylan Allen covered the event and were able to attend a press conference with other local news outlets. They asked Glover about his career, experiences at Cal Poly and shared a laugh about being in the same alumni group. Glover congratulated the three on their graduation and took a selfie with them.Allen reported a story on Glover from the perspective of his athletic career at Cal Poly for the May print edition of Mustang News. The story looked into his connection with the wrestling program at Cal Poly, and how he is still rooted in the Cal Poly Athletics community. After the press conference, Allen shared his front cover story with Glover, who signed it and called it “incredible,” from the artwork to the story itself.For more on the event, visit mustangnews.net. by @calpolyjournalism

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Congratulations to journalism senior Amanda Avila for earning a coveted spot in the Sports Journalism Institute, a 12-week training and internship program designed to prepare aspiring journalists for professional careers while promoting diversity in sports media.Avila is part of the program’s 34th class, which is composed of just 15 journalists from across the country. After completing the institute’s two-week training in early June, she’s spending most of the summer as an intern at The Oklahoman newspaper in Oklahoma City.“Throughout the training program, we gained real-world experience by covering MLB, WNBA and NBA games under professional deadlines,“ Avila said.Avila said joining SJI has long been a goal of hers because many of her role models in sports journalism, such as ESPN journalist Malika Andrews, are program alumni. She views the experience as an opportunity to strengthen her career while learning from respected professionals in the industry.“I hope to continue building my portfolio, form meaningful relationships with mentors and industry professionals, and grow as a sports journalist through hands-on experience and feedback,” Avila said.Throughout the past year, Avila kept the internship as a primary goal, working daily to strengthen her writing and reporting skills. She said success in journalism comes from persistence and a commitment to improvement.“There is no shortcut or secret formula. You keep showing up, keep learning and keep getting better. Eventually, someone will see that dedication and give you an opportunity to take the next step,” Avila said by @calpolyjournalism

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Congratulations, Class of 2026!The journalism department is so proud of all you’ve accomplished during your time at Cal Poly. As you embark on your next chapter, know that we’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.We wish you all the best in your future endeavors!🎥 | Filmed and edited by Nicolas Nardi and Gabrielle Ottaviano by @calpolyjournalism

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At this year’s banquet, students came together to honor Professor Emeritus and former Department Chair Mary Michelle Glick through a video highlighting just a few of the many words that describe her impact: mentor, trailblazer, illustrious. As she prepares to retire at the conclusion of this academic year, we celebrate the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind.We are also proud to unveil the Mary Michelle Glick Desk, a permanent tribute in the newsroom celebrating her legacy and serving as a reminder that her influence will continue to shape the students, stories and community she helped build for generations to come.Thank you, Professor Glick, for your leadership, dedication and the countless lives you’ve touched along the way. Your legacy will always have a place in Building 26. by @calpolyjournalism

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Ever wonder what goes on inside the minds of Mustang Media Group’s managers and editors?A little Justin Bieber. Some Florence + The Machine. A touch of Rihanna. Just enough Green Day. A lot of chaos. And somehow, it all makes sense.Check out this video created by the MMG managers and editors for this year’s journalism banquet. by @calpolyjournalism

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Nicolas Nardi is a graduating senior majoring in journalism with a concentration in public relations. His passion for journalism stems from an early love of storytelling, though it was not until his sophomore year at community college that he officially chose the field as his career path.“I was struggling to decide what I wanted to do with my future, when my best friend from high school suggested I switch my major from business to journalism. I enjoyed business, but was unsure where I wanted to take it,” Nardi said. “Now, as a PR concentration, I feel I’ve found a perfect balance of my love for storytelling with my business-oriented mindset.”Throughout his college career, Nardi has taken on a variety of leadership and media roles. At his community college, he served as the art director for the campus magazine and worked as a multimedia reporter for the student newspaper. After transferring to Cal Poly, he joined the journalism department’s communications team and worked as a marketing assistant for Mustang Media Group.As he reflects on his college experience, Nardi points to this year’s Mustang Media Fest as one of his favorite memories. The event taught him the value of hard work while also strengthening the friendships that became an important part of his college journey.After graduation, Nardi will begin his career as the marketing and event manager for a winery in Paso Robles. He credits Cal Poly with preparing him for this next step through hands-on experiences with the journalism department, Mustang Media Group, and his public relations coursework. “Aside from being the most fun I’ve ever had in a classroom, Dr. McDonald-Liu’s crisis PR class taught me so many great skills in crisis management. I will absolutely be taking what I learned into my future career,” Nardi said. Looking ahead, Nardi hopes to find a professional community as supportive and meaningful as the one he built at Cal Poly. The friendships, experiences and opportunities he found there have left a lasting impact, one he knows he will never take for granted. by @calpolyjournalism

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Eamon Ryan, a fourth-year journalism student concentrating in media innovation, was drawn to Cal Poly’s journalism program after touring the campus in 2021. During the visit, he recognized how closely the field aligned with the interests he had developed throughout his childhood.“A lot of my childhood was spent creating mock articles, animating, making short films and podcasts, so journalism combined all of my interests in writing, audio & visual production, and creative storytelling,” Ryan said. Through his time at Cal Poly, Ryan has been a part of the Cal Poly Climbing Team and had the opportunity to study abroad in Germany at Stuttgart Media University. Professionally, he has gained experience working at Pacific Coast Television in San Francisco and currently interns at KSBY News. After graduation, he will remain at KSBY as a full-time producer.Through it all, one of his favorite memories has been taking JOUR 353: Advanced Broadcast Journalism Practicum. “Shooting and creating video packages for Mustang News T.V. and working in the studio was incredibly engaging and made me realize I wanted to focus more time on the broadcast side of journalism,” Ryan said. As Ryan reflects on his four years, he said the most rewarding aspect of his journalism education has been the opportunity to connect with people and learn from their experiences. Ryan credits these experiences for allowing him to be more confident socially and eager to share people’s stories. “I think I am just very happy with how journalism has developed my writing and storytelling skills. Journalistic writing is a very different type of writing compared to what I was used to before coming to Cal Poly, but I have definitely improved a lot during my time here,” Ryan said. by @calpolyjournalism

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Suri Moreno is a second-year journalism student who has always had a deep love for writing and reading people’s stories. Growing up, she became interested in nonfiction works that highlighted her own community, inspiring her to pursue journalism as a way to combine her love of storytelling with her commitment to sharing the truth.Currently, Moreno is the bilingual editor for Mustang News, a news reporter for KCPR and has worked on the “91.3 en Español” podcast. These experiences have shaped her time at Cal Poly, with one of her favorite memories being her first story for Mustang News. She interviewed Chicano artist Esteban Cabeza de Baca and had the opportunity to share both his story and motivation with the community.“For me, the most rewarding part is being able to reread the story and have family and friends tell me about it and their thoughts and knowing there is dialogue because of something I had written,” Moreno said. Through her involvement in these programs, Moreno has strengthened her interviewing skills and grown more confident in conversations with others. She realized that her shyness has disappeared more and more as she continues in journalism. Looking to the future, she wants to continue making a difference. “I hope to produce more stories that explores and showcases underreported people from all backgrounds,” Moreno said. by @calpolyjournalism

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Sedona Harris is a fourth-year journalism major concentrating in news. She credits her introduction to journalism course at community college, taught by Dr. Shermak, with setting her on the path to journalism. She was drawn to the field by the opportunity to learn people’s backstories.Harris currently works on the social media and video team for Mustang Media Group and helps manage social media for Milestone Tavern. Reflecting on her time in journalism, she says the list of memorable experiences continues to grow, but one stands out. At last year’s Shabang, she was able to interview with Almost Monday. She was amazed that she could interview and chat with a group whom she admired so much. Harris said the journalism program has been crucial in helping her build meaningful connections.“I feel blessed to have been able to learn from so many professors who truly care, want to see me succeed, and helped me to produce the best work I could. I also am so grateful for all of my classmates and coworkers from Mustang News who have made my time here so valuable, and I know will be in my life long past graduation,” Harris said. “It’s also been so rewarding to meet so many people in this community who have trusted me to tell their story and to hear from them post-print that they are happy with the work I’ve produced.”Looking to the future, Harris hopes to move back home to Hawai’i to shine a light on her local community through her reporting. by @calpolyjournalism

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Amery Gill is a first-year journalism major whose interest in the field began in her high school’s broadcast program. There, she gained experience writing scripts for daily news shows, anchoring live broadcasts, and shooting, editing and producing content.Now at Cal Poly, Gill has continued building her skills as a member of the Mustang Media Group sports video and photo teams. Her work has earned her the role of photo editor for Mustang Media Group for the upcoming year.Gill said her favorite experiences so far have come from the variety of hands-on classes offered at Cal Poly. One highlight was photographing the Cal Poly Rodeo and producing a photo essay.Gill also values the connections she has built with professors and peers, noting that collaboration has played a key role in her growth.“Through my time here with MMG, I have developed many of my previous skills through photography and videography,” said Gill. “As a sports photographer, I have been able to develop my knowledge on the key players and logistics of our sports, which ultimately allows me to better the quality of my work.”Looking ahead, Gill hopes to continue growing as a photographer and aspires to work for a professional sports organization such as the NBA or MLB. During her time at Cal Poly, she discovered a soft spot for photography. by @calpolyjournalism

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