CommConnect FALL 2020 Exploring new territory IN THIS ISSUE Faculty, students continue transitions in teaching, learning amidst a pandemic

ommunication Studies faculty and students took on challenging transitions Crequired for teaching and learning as the coronavirus Welcome new faculty pandemic continues. Three Communication Studies · 2 · faculty members were selected to help lead a special “online summer camp” for just under 900 of their faculty colleagues wanting to learn more about online teaching. Dr. Kimberly Aguilar, assistant professor, Dr. Jacqueline Irwin, professor, and Timi Ross Poeppelman, lecturer, joined other faculty in leading the three-week course. Offered by the College for Continuing Education, Information and Resource Technologies and the Center for Teaching and Learning, it was funded by a $1 million grant awarded to Sacramento State. During the camp, faculty received specifi c instruction about how to move elements of their regular in-class teaching to an online format. “We were all required to move our work, including all classes, to the virtual world with only a few days’ notice,” said Dr. Gerri Smith, department chair. “I am so proud of the faculty for their creativity and perseverance in making the Anti-Racism Task Force transition.” For Poeppelman, the arrival of the pandemic and the need to move to online · 4 · teaching, was a moment where preparation met opportunity. “I have been teaching online for about fi ve years now, and serving my department as well as working with the summer camp was a way for me to invest in my colleagues.” The summer camp was the largest faculty training session ever offered by Sacramento State University. “I really enjoy teaching teachers,” Poeppelman said. “When we begin teaching, we are not given much training in the logistics of teaching, and it can make some teachers unwilling to look and see if there are other and/or better ways to teach.” Irwin took an optimistic viewpoint to the process noting, “Good teaching is good teaching regardless of the mode of instruction. Organization and consistency is key so that your students have a predictable schedule from you. This can help both the professor and students feel secure and centered Alumni News throughout the journey of a semester.” Aguilar noted that her expertise in instructional communication · 7 · cyberpedagogy compelled her to get involved. “I thought I could • continued on page 6 2 CommConnect • Fall 2020 Grad Welcome new faculty program Communication Studies welcomes new professors in Public Relations and Rhetoric grows hree new professors joined the Department of Communication Studies faculty this fall. he graduate program Dr. Carlos Flores joins Sacramento State as an assistant in Communication T professor of rhetoric from the University of Nevada, Las Studies continues Vegas. A first-generation college graduate, Flores earned his Ph.D. Tto grow, with in rhetorical theory and criticism from Arizona State University. 38 students currently He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at California State completing their master’s University Northridge. degrees. A native of Los Angeles, Flores’ research interests include Applications for the rhetorical theory and the public sphere, digital rhetoric and popular Fall 2021 cohort are being culture. accepted until Jan. 15, 2021, Dr. Cheng Hong, assistant professor in pubilc relations, joins according to Dr. Shawna Sacramento State after serving as an assistant professor at Virginia Malvini-Redden, graduate Commonwealth University. She earned her Ph.D. in strategic program coordinator. communication and her M.A. from the University of Miami. She Our new Fall 2020 cohort received her undergraduate degree from Peking University in Beijing, included the following China. students: Hong’s research interests include brand activism, consumer boycott • Alondra Botello and buycott behaviors, controversial sociopolitical issues, corporate • Keeley Ciccarelli social advocacy, and social media. • Nickolas Crabtree Dr. Andrea Terry, assistant professor in rhetoric, comes to • Kat LaGrande Sacramento State from California Polytechnic State University. • Ilde Mora She holds a Ph.D. in rhetoric and public affairs from Texas A&M • Trish Pilas University. She earned her master’s degree at Sacramento State, and • Cassandra Quinonez her undergraduate degree at Cal Poly. • Trenton Sanders A rhetorical critic who studies the U.S. presidency, Terry is • Louise Thao interested in the interaction between political and religious discourse, including the role of spiritual advisers in the presidency. MA student Robert “We are truly excited and proud to have Drs. Flores, Hong and Terry Moon was elected Graduate on our faculty, and to see how you are already contributing to your Director for Associated fields and our community,” said Dr. Sheree Meyer, dean of the College Students Inc., while recent of Arts and Letters. MA grad Erik Ramirez led two breakout sessions during the Fall Convocation on Anti-Racism at Sacramento State. To learn more about graduate students in Communication Studies at Sacramento State, click on: www.csus.edu/college/ arts-letters/communication- studies/graduate-study- communications.html Dr. CARLOS FLORES Dr. CHENG HONG Dr. ANDREA TERRY 3 CommConnect • Fall 2020 Communication Studies faculty news REMEMBERING • Dr. Kimberly Aguilar, and Phillip Reese, assistant professors, LINDA KAY represented the Department of Communication Studies at the TUCKER “Fall in Love with Sac State” event (formerly known as “Future Friends and colleagues were sad- Hornets Day”). dened to learn of the passing of Dr. Linda Kay Tucker, faculty emeritus • Sigrid Bathen, emeritus from the Department of Communi- faculty, moderated the panel cation Studies. discussion, “California in Crisis: Tucker died Sept. 11, 2020 in COVID-19,” sponsored by Capitol Folsom, CA, where she lived. She Weekly and Open California. She are co-authors of a paper titled, was a professor of organizational also recently published legislative “Frameless Cinema: Proposal for communication at Sacramento wrap-up articles for Capitol Weekly a Narrative Engagement Scale State for 30 years before retiring. on landmark legislation passed to for Virtual Reality” published in During her tenure at Sac State, she address mental health issues in the Electronic Yearbook of Studies in also taught while on sabbattical state, as well as an article about how Social Communication Dissertations, at both Dublin City University in law enforcement offi cials respond to in Colombia. Bonilla is also the Ireland and Bangkok University in calls involving individuals struggling author of a prologue in Spanish titled Thailand. with mental illness. Bathen also “Challenges for the creation (and Active in her community, Tucker conducted an online Q&A with research) of complex narratives” for was a board member for the Ameri- Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg a new book, Complex Narratives, can Cancer Society, the Sacramento (D) about the Mental Health published by Ria Editorial in Health Council, and the board of Services Act that he authored while Portugal. trustees for the Stanford Home for a member of the California State Children. Senate. • Professor Molly Dugan was She lent her expertise for more named the College of Arts & Letters than 25 years leading communica- representative on the Anchor tion training activities for hospice FACULTY NEWS University Advisory Council formed programs across Northern Cali- by Sacramento State University fornia, and led various grief and President Robert S. Nelsen. bereavement recovery groups. • Dr. Diego Bonilla, professor, “Vibrant is a great description of is the subject of an essay in • Mark Herzig, lecturer, produced Linda,” said Dr. David Zuckerman, Colloquia, an academic journal of “get out the vote” videos featuring professor. “She was a wonderful the Sorbonne University in Paris. current and former Sacramento teacher. She will be missed.” The article, by Dr. Hector Perea, State students which were posted Tucker was preceded in death by is titled “The Plots of the Plot in to Vimeo prior to the November her husband, Dr. William Tucker. the Reconstruction of Time: Diego election. She is survived by her daughter Bonilla’s Unlimited Cinema.” Bonilla Michelle Ison, and her son Michael and Dr. Rodolfo Mata, Universidad • “The Flipper, “ the latest creative LaRue, six grandchildren, six great- Nacional Autonoma de Mexico writing piece by Dr. Elaine Gale, grandchildren, and three siblings. (UNAM), are co-authors of a new professor, was recently published in electronic anthology titled, “Tablada the competitive nonfi ction literary Hipertextual.” The anthology journal, Hags on Fire. Gale has also is published by the Institute of formed a new creative partnership Philological Research of the UNAM. with Rod Lathim, president of the The edition contains a prologue by Marjorie Luke Theater in Santa Bonilla, in Spanish, titled “About Barbara, CA, to launch a fully online the importance of computational TrueStory series, based on feature thinking and literature.” In addition, nonfi ction stories from people all Bonilla and Dr. Helena Galan, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, • continued on page 4 4 Corporate Newsletter • April 2012 • Issue 214

Conversations on race Department forms djunct instrutor Trinette Marquis and Natalie Nash, director of Anti-Racism and Communications for the Crete-Monee School District, a suburban Chicago school district, moderated a panel, “Say What? Building a Social Justice APositive Framework for Hard Conversations about Race, Equity and Culture” at the National School Public Relations Association Conference in July. Work Group “We both felt that breaking through the discomfort of this issue was chal- lenging people, but it was exactly what was needed in schools and communities An Anti-Racism and Social throughout the country,” explained Marquis. “We wanted to go beyond the idea Justice Work Group has been of racial justice to practical considerations about how to facilitate productive formed in the Department of conversations that lead to change.” Communication Studies. Nash and Marquis developed a workshop focused on how to create a safe space “This work group will begin for educational stakeholders to explore implicit/explicit biases and develop a important conversations and plan on how to start a positive conversation. They also developed a framework action about how and in what for providing leadership, direction, and advocacy so that schools can continue to ways we as a department move systems to better serve all students and families. will respond to racial injus- tices internationally, nation- ally, locally, as well as on our Faculty news — campus,” said Dr. Gerri Smith, department chair. • continued from page 3 Faculty members expressed enthusiastic support for the over the country. Gale was invited by Dr. Sara Safari, director of idea of an Anti-Racism and development for the Empower Nepali Girls organization, to be a guest Social Justice Work Group, speaker for an audience in Katmandu, Nepal. Gale gave a talk about Smith said, and 19 full-time communication, writing and self-expression as well as her experience of and adjunct faculty members being a woman in academia. and graduate students have volunteered to serve. • Dr. Cheng Hong, assistant professor, has four publications in print Members of the Anti- in 2020, including as lead author on “An Examination of Information Racism and Social Justice Behaviors Surrounding Controversial Sociopolitical Issues: Roles of Moral Work Group are: Emotions and Gender” for the International Journal of Communication. This paper was co-authored with three University of Miami scholars, • LeRoy Austin Weiting Tao and Wan-Hsiu Sunny Tsai, and Bo Ra Yook, Fairfi eld • Sonia Borg-Thepot University. She is also the lead author of “How to Turn Lurkers into • Dan DeVere Donors? A Study of Online Social Support Interaction Between Nonprofi t • Molly Dugan Organizations and their Followers” for the International Review on Public • Elizabeth Earle and Nonprofi t Marketing. Her co-author was Cong Li, University of Miami. • Dr. Carlos Flores Hong co-authored “Effects of Uniqueness, News Valence, and Liking on • Dr. Elaine Gale Personalization of Company News” for Journalism & Mass Communication • Dr. Cheng Hong Quarterly. Her co-authors were Li, University of Miami, and Zifei Fay • Kathryn Kasic Chen, University of San Francisco. Hong is also one of four authors of • Donna Knifong “Echo Chambers and Social Mediators in Public Advocacy Issue Networks” • Trinette Marquis for Public Relations Review. Her co-authors were Tsai, Tao and Ching-Hua • Dr. Kikuko Omori Chuan from the University of Miami. • Patricia Pilas • Dr. Gerri Smith • “Flora My Dear,” a fi lm by Dan Janos, assistant professor, tied for Best • Dr. Carmen Stitt Experimental Short in the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, and is also • Dr. Andrea Terry an offi cial selection of the Chicago Underground Film Festival. • Andrea Yarletz • Owen Young • Cynthia Zeiden • continued on page 5 5 CommConnect • Fall 2020

Her papers, presented with Dr. Hiroshi Ota, Aichi Faculty news — Syukutoku University in Japan, and Rachel Keiko Stark, Sacramento State University, included “Standing • continued from page 4 at the Crossroads of Intergenerational Communication: Acculturation Orientation, Communicative Behavior, • Kathy Kasic, assistant professor, published an and Communication Satisfaction Among Japanese interview with artist Jonathan Marquis on cyanotype Americans,” “Signposts at the Crossroads Where Age photography of melting glaciers within Glacier National and Culture Meet: Group Salience and Intergenerational Park, published in Media + Environment journal. Communication Satisfaction Among Japanese Americans” and “The Ethnic Identity of Japanese • Dr. Shawna Malvini Redden, associate Americans is at a Crossroads: Internment Camp professor, is the co-author of a new study, “Taking Experience, Acculturation Orientation, and Code- Responsibility: How Working-Class Youth Use a Switching” (awarded the outstanding faculty paper Rational, Responsibility-Orientation to Social Media award by the Japan-U.S. Communication Association). Communication and Meaning-Making Online” for Omori also was a panelist at the NCA in two discussions, the Journal of Applied Communication Research. Her “Intercultural Communication Scholarship at the co-author was Amy Way, University of Villanova. Crossroads: Critical Refl ection on Generational Shifts in She is also a listed author of “It’s Hidden, After All: A the Evolution of Japan-U.S. Communication Research” Modifi ed Delphi Study Exploring Faculty and Students’ and “Scholars at the Crossroads: Mentoring, Networking, Perceptions of a Graduate Professional Seminar in and Building Community as Asian/Pacifi c American Communication” for the Journal of Communication Scholars.” Pedagogy. The other authors are Krista Hoffmann- Longtin and Maria Brann of Indiana University-Purdue • Phillip Reese, assistant professor, wrote an article University at Indianapolis and the Professional Seminar about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health in Delphi Working Group. California. Titled, “Feeling Anxious and Depressed? In California, You’re Right at Home,” the article appeared • Dr. Rebecca LaVally, lecturer, in The Los Angeles Times and U.S. News has been elected president of the FACULTY NEWS and World Report. Reese’s story noted board of directors for the Children’s that by July 2020, more than 44 Receiving Home of Sacramento. The nonprofi t home percent of California adults reported levels of anxiety provides key services to children suffering from abuse and gloom typically associated with diagnoses of and neglect. generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder. Reese’s story for Kaiser Health News, • Dr. Fred Molitor, lecturer, had a manuscript published “California’s Deadliest Spring in 20 Years Suggests COVID in the American Journal of Health Promotion, titled Undercount,” was cited in recent reports appearing in “Dietary Behaviors and Obesity of Children from both The Washington Post and The New York Times. Low-Income Households by Gender of Caregiver and Child.” In October, Molitor presented “Racial/Ethnic • Forrest Rule, lecturer, is the co-author of “The Practice Disparities in Access to Healthful Foods, Intake of Sugar, of Digital Religion” published the Handbook of Social and Obesity Among Mothers and Their Children Across Practices and Digital Everyday Worlds, March 2020. The California” for the annual conference of the American study of digital religion examines the infl uence religion Public Health Association. and new media have upon one another. His co-author was Dr. Heidi A. Campbell, Texas A&M University. • Dr. Barbara O’Connor, emeritus professor, was a panelist for “Navigating November 3rd” considering the • Dr. Andrew Stoner, associate professor, is the author 2020 election. The panel was sponsored by the Placer of a new true-crime book, Courthouse Chaos: Famous & and Hornets Policy & Politics Alumni chapter. O’Connor Infamous Trials, Mob Violence & Justice from Blue River was also interviewed by The San Jose Mercury News for Press. He also recently appeared before The Philadelphia its coverage of the debate between Vice President Mike Inquirer’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, discussing Pence (R) and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA). his 2019 book, The Journalist of Castro Street: The Life of Randy Shilts. Stoner was a panelist during the 2020 • Dr. Kikuko Omori, assistant professor, presented convention of the Association for Education in three papers at the National Communication Association 2020 conference as the fi rst author. • continued on page 9 6 CommConnect • Fall 2020 Faculty summer camp — STATE HORNET • continued from page 1

SNARES AWARDS contribute to the overall goals of the Faculty across the Communication team, and I had previously taken Studies Department have shared The State Hornet was the Quality Learning and Teaching amongst themselves the reality that named a fi nalist for the sessions so I felt comfortable and if professors are bored, or irritated or Innovation Pacemaker Award excited about leading colleagues unwilling to pivot to the requirements at the ACP/CMA 2020 Nation- through these aspects of virtual/online of an online teaching modality, al College Media Convention. teaching and learning.” students will be as well. In addition, The Hornet won Although the “rigor” of a working Aguilar said she advises fellow six “best of show” prizes in the summer camp is over, Poeppelman and faculty to focus on patience “with national competition, includ- others continue to act as a resource for both themselves and their students.” ing the year’s top podcast. faculty for questions that come up as Patience includes taking time to test National classes move along. or play with available online tools “best of For now, the university has already and “above all, remember how to be a show” announced that Spring 2021 classes student again by asking questions and recognit- will continue in an online format. seeking. All of these approaches allow ion As such, Poeppelman recommends us to utilize technology in a way that included professors and students keep an open complements our teaching.” a fi rst mind. “All of us have to be willing to be As Poeppelman put it, “I think our and vulnerable and have a can-do attitude,” students are sponges and if we spend STUDENT NEWS fourth she said. our time in class complaining about place In addition, Poeppelman thinks technology and how ‘being online fi nish for podcasting; a fi fth there may be some “silver linings” sucks,’ then our students will adopt and seventh place fi nish for to the requirement to move classes this same behavior as well.” broadcast packages; and 10th online: “It really allows, or rather place awards for both forces teachers to evaluate everything COVID-19 reporting and web- they were doing in the in-person site (for universities of more classroom setting. It’s a painful than 10,000 students). time, but it can be important for our Three “honorable mention” personal and professional growth.” awards were also captured, including Multimedia Story of the Year by Khala Clarke, Kelly Kiernan and Leticia U-Nite celebrates its eighth year Sanchez; Photo of the Year by Eucario Calderon; and Story ight years after it was started professor, who is now in a memory of the Year by Shiavon by Dr. Elaine Gale, professor, care facility surrounded by COVID-19 Chatman. U-Nite continues to celebrate restrictions. Seventeen representatives Ethe creative achievements of Also at U-Nite, Dr. Edith LeFebvre, of The Hornet attended the Sacramento State faculty. professor, presented a National College Media This year, Gale participated discussion and review of her Convention conducted online in a panel moderated by Dr. paintings in metaphor and in late October. Sheree Meyer, dean of the abstract expressionism. “This is an impressive College of Arts & Letters, Kathy Kasic, assistant showing for an organization about the formation of U-Nite. professor, screened a music that only launched podcast Also on the panel was Dr. video she made for King Ropes’ and broadcast teams a year Michele Foss-Snowden, rendition of the song, “Girls Like ago,” said Stu VanAirsdale, professor, a former U-Nite Us.” faculty advisor to The Hornet. coordinator. Co-sponsors of U-Nite Gale also presented a piece called are Crocker Art Museum and the “Sunset Moonrise” about seeing her Sacramento Metropolitan Arts mother, Dr. Linda Lyman, a retired Commission. 7 CommConnect • Fall 2020 Communication Studies alumni news

ALUMNI NOTES

• Dr. Aubrie S. Adams, MA13, is an assistant professor at Cal Poly San Luis Obismo.

• Margherita Beale, BA20, is an assistant editor at Forbes magazine, based in Sacramento.

• Kayla Brown, BA20, has been named a digital news producer for WHTM-TV, an ABC affi liate in Harrisburg, PA.

• Casey Camacho, BA19, won the Elly Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jack Kelly in “Newsies” at the Woodland Opera House, Woodland, CA. ADAMS BEALE • Shiavon Chatman, BA20, is writing a chapter about The Notorious B.I.G. album, “Life After Death,” as part of a book published by Halfway Books.

• Will Coburn, BA19, is a reporter for The Rio Grande Sun in Espanola, NM.

• Comm Studies alum Courtney Dempsey was recently honored for her 25 years of work in the Sacramento community and as anchor of the popular CBS 13 “Good Day Sacramento” television show. BROWN CAMACHO • Rob Fatal, BA06, was recently accepted as one of the 2020 Sundance Film Institute Film Fellows. Fatal is a former lecturer in the Sac State fi lm program.

• Rebecca Gardner Moy, BA99, an attorney at HMS Law Group, LLC, and adjunct faculty, was a speaker at the Sac State Career Buzz Event.

• Rabbil Green, BA06, an executive with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), was a speaker at the Sac State Career Buzz Event.

• Fizza Khan, BA19, has been named a Resource/ CHATMAN COBURN Communication Associate for Mutual Housing, an organization focused on housing issues confronting the Sacramento and Davis communities.

• Brenda Ledezma, BA16, is a senior tour clerk at Warner Brothers Studios in Hollywood. She was recently featured in a Warner Bros. video celebrating Latnix Heritage Month.

• continued on page 8 DEMPSEY FATAL 8 CommConnect • Fall 2020 Communication Studies alumni news • continued from page 7 ALUMNI NOTES

• Former student Shelly Sharma has been appointed to “Project Homekey,” an emergency program formed to help protect the state’s homeless population amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

• Former student Dwight Turner is the founder and director of Courageous Kitchen in Bangkok, Thailand, that serves homeless persons and families.

• Monica Velez, BA15, won the 2020 IRE Journalist of Color Investigative Fellowship. She is a reporter for The Fresno Bee. GARDNER MOY GREEN

• Gary von Raesfeld, BA00, has been named Associate Director of Athletics for St. Vincent de Paul High School in Petaluma, CA.

• Adria Watson, BA20, is an education and community affairs reporter for The Connecticut Mirror in Hartford, CT.

• Kara L. Winkler, BA09-MA11, is a lecturer in Communication Studies at the University of Houston, Downtown campus. She is completing her Ph.D. at the KHAN LEDEZMA University of Connecticut.

OWEN von RAESFELD SHARMA

TURNER VELEZ WATSON WINKLER 9 CommConnect • April 2012 • Fall 2020

From humble roots, Diaz guides Latinx students to success

nside a Bay Area migrant camp trailer where her family however, of tutoring, advising and mentoring programs. lived after arriving from Mexico, young Viridiana Diaz Those programs, and others across the campus, are began dreaming of a different kind of future. now translating into higher graduation rates for I She wanted to learn English. She wanted a stable Latinx students, and better outcomes for all students, job with benefi ts. She wanted more opportunities than her she said. mother, who labored in seasonal jobs in agricultural fi elds and — Cynthia Hubert canneries. “I didn’t know I could dream bigger than that,” she said. Communication Studies senior But a few years later, while she was a student at McClatchy High School in Sacramento, a counselor from Sacramento supporting ‘fi rst-gen’ students State’s College Assistance Migrant Program convinced her that larger goals were within her reach. ominic Robey, “Sac State completely transformed my life Every year, I a senior major- become a new version of ing in Communi- myself, because the uni Dcation Studies, is versity has given me the part of a special team of opportunity for growth,” students selected to assist Diaz said. in guiding fi rst-generation Diaz earned not one but students arriving at Sac- four degrees from Sacra- ramento State University. mento State; a bachelor of The Center for First- arts in Communication Generation Student Initi-atives is designed to help the Studies; a master of art in more than one-third of Sac State students who are “fi rst- Spanish, a second masters of gen” students, such as Robey. At any given time, more art in History and a doctorate than 10,000 ‘fi rst-gen’ students are enrolled at Sac State. in Educational Leadership “The center brings together faculty, staff, students and and Policy. alumni to support ‘fi rst-gen’ scholars through a variety Her career at Sac State of programs, workshops and other resources,” said Chao has spanned nearly two Vang of Student Academc Services. decades. She currently is the university’s ALUMNI NEWS associate vice Faculty news — • continued from page 5 president of Strategic Student Support Programs, overseeing academic Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC). He was advising, counseling, tutoring, mentoring, and other support also a guest presenter for the Media and Communi- for fi rst-generation migrant, undocumented, and other cations Team at Harvard University. underserved students. The programs are a bedrock of Sac State’s efforts to recruit, • Dr. Andrea Terry, assistant professor, was a panelist retain and graduate Latinx students, culminating in its for “Making Sense of an Election Like No Other” selection as a recipient of a coveted national Seal of Excelencia presented prior to the November election by Friends of certifi cation. the Library & Project for an Informed Electorate. Diaz tries to translate her own experiences as a fi rst- generation college student for every one of the students • A screenplay by Cynthia Zeiden, lecturer, tiled “The who come to her offi ce seeking assistance. She partiuclarly Change,” has been accepted at several fi lm festivals, embodies the “relentless spirit” she experienced with Sac State’s including Austin After Dark Film Festival, Fright CAMP counselor (while she was still a high school student) to Night Film Festival, Oregon Scream Week Horror each student she helps today. Film Festival. In addition, both “The Change” and her “As a fi rst-generation student, I didn’t know what it took to TV pilot script, “Caravan,” were honored by the Indie go to college,” she said. “There wasn’t an understanding of the Horror Movie Awards. benefi ts of college in my family.” When she fi rst set foot on the Sac State campus, Diaz was insecure about her chances of succeeding. She took advantage, 10 CommConnect • Fall 2020

Sacramento State Distinguished Alumni enrollment up to Dr. Jamillah Moore fi nds satisfaction, purpose in guiding students 31,510 students

Sacramento State rom their “college on the hill” in University enrolled a record Redwood City, Jamillah Moore’s number of students this fall, (BA 92, MA 95) students can bucking nationwide trends Fglimpse Stanford University, a and exceeding expectations shining symbol of opportunity. during an unsettling time for Moore is president of Cañada scholars and faculty. College, a public community college in The university enrolled the heart of Silicon Valley that serves 31,510 students for the Fall 2020 semester, 354 more students seeking to build better futures than last year. The total for themselves and their families. marks a 1 percent increase, “We are three freeway exits up from said Vice President for Stanford,” Moore said. “It’s a wonderful Student Affairs Ed Mills. backdrop for our students. We trans- Sac State also retained at form lives here.” historic levels students Moore, who holds two degrees from moving from their fresh- Sacramento State, is the recipient of a 2020 Distinguished Service Award from man to sophomore years the University’s Alumni Association. and documented signifi cant “Sac State prepared me for life,” she said. “I had so many mentors. I learned gains in the number of credit how to be a good student, a good citizen and most importantly a good human hours that freshmen are being.” taking per semester. The improvements are A native Californian, Moore grew up in “a family of strong women” led by especially notable at a time her mother, Velma Lee Moore, a nurse who raised six girls on her own. “Every- when most scholars are thing I do I dedicate to my mom,” said Moore, who also holds a doctorate in In- studying at home amid the ternational and Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco. COVID-19 pandemic, Mills “We didn’t grow up with a lot, but her support and her tough love taught said. The pivot to online me to navigate that reality and to deal with whatever life brought my way,” she learning has been stressful added. for many students and Moore, the fi rst in her immediate family to attend college, lived on campus faculty, yet most are at Sac State and worked as a resident assistant. She took advantage of resources persevering, the data show. for underserved students, including the Educational Opportunity Program. She In terms of enrollment, Sac learned how to manage her time, studies and fi nances. State seems to be beating the Moore originally dreamed of being a television journalist, but veered from odds during the pandemic. Preliminary data from the that path after an internship at the State Capitol and later as a member of the National Student Clearing- California Senate Fellows program. She boarded a bus each day from Sac State house Research Center found to the statehouse, where she met power brokers and saw public policymakers that nationwide undergradu- working together to serve their constituents. ate fall enrollments are down She later worked as a legislative staffer and consultant to the Senate Select 2.5 percent compared to last Committee on Higher Education Admissions and Outreach, writing policy and fall. advocating for students. During her time at the Capitol, Moore became known “Our professors have been for her skills in tackling diffi cult issues within education, and for her passion very sensitive to the progress and commitment to students. of students who are in dif- Soon, the California Community Colleges system recruited her for a vice James fi cult situations,” said chancellor position. Later, when Compton College faced an accreditation crisis, Dragna, executive director Moore’s name again surfaced. She became the school’s interim superintendent of University Initiatives and Student Success. “They are president, helping it through fi nancial diffi culties. offering more fl exibility in Moore served in a variety of other leadership positions within the commu- an effort to help students nity college system before becoming Cañada’s leader four years ago. progress.” • continued on page 11 11 CommConnect • Fall 2020 Distinguished alumni — NEWSLETTER OF DEPT. OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES • continued from page 10 Sacramento State University 5014 Mendocino Hall One of her tasks has been to implement its facilities master plan, which al- 6000 J. St. lowed the college to open a new Science and Technology building. Another point Sacramento, CA 95819 of pride is the college’s Working Adults Program, through which older students can obtain their associate degrees. DEPT. CHAIR: Gerri Smith Moore co-chairs a Basic Needs Task Force for the San Mateo County Commu- nity College District and volunteers weekly at a drive-through local food bank, OFFICE STAFF: Katrina Roose, where she distributes boxes of goods to hungry people, some of them Cañada Vicenza Weeks, Aleah Fisher College students. FULL-TIME FACULTY: “I never imagined that we would see a time when students are sleeping in cars Kimberly Aguilar; Diego Bonilla; Steve and don’t have enough food,” she said. “But it’s a reality.” Buss; Molly Dugan; Elizabeth Earle; Moore’s upbringing and her experience at Sac State, both as a graduate and as Carlos Flores; Michele Foss-Snowden; an adjunct professor, taught her that “you should always give back.” Elaine Gale; Cheng Hong; Timothy Howard; Jacqueline Irwin; Dan Janos; “My leadership is grounded in the belief that, as educators, we must engage Kathy Kasic; Edith LeFebvre; Mark our whole selves to bring about transformational teaching and learning oppor- Ludwig; Shawna Malvini Redden; Kikuko tunities for students,” she said. “I have worked to honor that which my ancestors Omori; Phillip Reese; Gerri Smith; Jenny have taught me: build community, build authentic connections, and build capac- Stark; Carmen Stitt; Andrew Stoner; Don ity in people to love and fi ght for justice. Taylor; Andrea Terry; Kristen Tudor; Stu “It was the CSU system that prepared me for college, to do research, and later to VanAirsdale; John Williams; Mark teach,” said Moore. “My experience at Sacramento State made me fall in love with Williams; David Zuckerman the CSU.” PART-TIME FACULTY: Each year since 1972 the Sacramento State Alumni Asociation honors accom- Michael Althouse; Jared Anderson; plished alumni and friends through the Distinguished Alumni Awards. The Dis- Adam Austin; Alexandra Boyd; Sonia tinguished Service Award is given in recognition of professional achievements, Borg; Nancy Caselli; Evan Clark; Miles community service, prominence in their chosen fi eld, and for bringing distinction Cochran; Rebecca Gardner; John Gilgun; to the university. Gordon Leland; Kristina Gorgevich; Patty Harris-Jenkinson; Sheryl Hurner; Samuel Johnson; Scott Kirchner; Donna Knifong; Becky LeVally; Mike Luery; ‘40 Under 40’ honors two Comm Studies alumni Chris Maben; Trinette Marquis; Fred Molitor; Edward Ortiz; Chris Patterson; wo alumni of Timi Poeppelman; Mark Powers; Ryan Communication Pritchard; Alan Ray; Bob Reich; Chema Studies Salinas; Pam Sanger; Joni Stead; Mark Tare among the Stoner; Karen Vasquez; George Warren; elite group of “40 Under Frances Winters; Walter Yost; Cynthia 40” honored by The Zeiden Sacramento Business GRADUATE TEACHING Journal for 2020. ASSISTANTS: Recognized were Scott Ault; Annie Connelly; Bethany • Roshaun L. Davis, Davis; Ben Deci; Kevin Hendricks; CEO of Unseen Heroes, Warren Jamison; Storm Sharar; Evelyn an event and marketing Villalobos; Ceridyn Wood; Andrea agency based in Sacramento, and, Yarletz; Owen Young • Kristy Prince, senior program manager at Amazon.com. NEWSLETTER EDITOR: According to the editors of The Sacramento Business Journal, annual Andrew Stoner winners for this honor are selected based on their professional COPY EDITORS: achievements, leadership qualities and contributions to the community. Molly Dugan, Mark Ludwig, Gerri Smith, Final selection of honorees are made by a group of their peers — all Stu VanAirsdale former 40 Under 40 winners — and editorial team of The Sacramento Busi- ness Journal. 12 CommConnect • Fall 2020 Communication Studies considers police-community race relations ommunication Studies intersects with almost every issue of importance to a people or Ccommunity. That is especially so when considering ongoing issues arising between police departments and their communities, especially as related to race relations. Sacramento, like many cities across the nation, experienced protests of various levels following the troubling case of George Floyd, Jr., a 46-year-old Minneapolis man who died in police custody in May. Four Minneapolis police offi cers face a variety of felony charges, such as second-degree murder for Floyd’s death and their handling of his arrest. Protests in Sacramento related to police conduct are not new, however, as several demonstrations took place in the city in the weeks and months following the March 2018 fatal shooting of Stephon Clark, 22, by Sacramento police offi cers. Clark was later determined to be unarmed. In September, student members of the Society of Professional Journalists organized a special panel, “Discussing Coverage of Back Lives Matter Protests,” that featured Sara Nevis, multimedia editor of The State Hornet, former State Hornet reporter Will Coburn, and Los Angeles Times photojournalist Molly Hennessy-Fiske. The SPJ panel was coordinated by Camryn Dadey, vice president of the chapter. The panel offered writers and photographers an opportunity to detail some of the experiences and strategies in covering police protests. One Comm Studies alum, Rick Braziel, who completed both a BA and MA in Communication Studies and served as Chief of Police for the City of Sacramento from 2008-12, is still working on police-community relations. Above, photos by State Offi cials in Springfi eld, OR have contracted with Braziel to help investigate Hornet multimedia editor and study a clash between police and protestors there in July. Braziel will Sara Nevis depicting recent conduct critical incident reviews and assessments in communication, police protests in Stockton community policing and leadership from the incident. and Sacramento. Serving as vice chair of the California Commission on Peace Offi cer Standards and Training, Braziel is also an executive felow at the National Police Foundation. Braziel and Dr. Virginia Kidd, faculty emeritus from the Department of Communication Studies, are the authors of the well-received book, “Cop Talk: Essential Communication Skills for Community Policing,” published in 1999 by Acada Books of San Francisco. Braziel and Kidd’s book is aimed at helping police offi cers improve their communication skills in the fi eld, a powerful, effective and essential tool in policing. 13 CommConnect • Fall 2020 State Hornet speaker series links students to award-winning journalists he State Hornet’s speaker series provided valuable links between students Tand three award-win- ning journalists for the Fall term. Although in-person interaction was not possible because of coro- navirus restrictions, students and faculty conducted Zoom-based meetings with journalists Russ Buettner, Wesley Lowery and Brian M. Rosenthal. BUETTNER LOWERY ROSENTHAL Buettner, a Sac State Communication Studies alum and former reporter Reporting for his work writing The Washington for The State Hornet, discussed his current exclusive Post’s landmark “fatal force” series that provided a reporting via The New York Times regarding the still- comprehensive review of police-related shootings to-date not disclosed tax returns of President Donald across the U.S. He is also the author of a New York Trump. Times best-selling book, “They Can’t Kill Us All: The Times made national headlines when Buettner, Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America’s along with colleagues Susanne Craig and Mike Racial Justice Movement.” McIntire, began reporting on more than two decades Rosenthal, an investigative reporter with The worth of federal tax returns Trump has refused to dis- New York Times, and formerly a reporter for The close. Trump is the fi rst major presidential candidate Houston Chronicle and The Seattle Times, also spoke (or sitting President) in decades to refuse to release his to a Sac State audience online. Rosenthal won a personal fi nancial information publicly. Pulitzer prize in 2020, and is a board member of As The Times reported, “The returns are some of the the respected Investigative Reporters & Editors most sought-after, and speculated-about, records in organization. He was previoulsy nominated for recent memory. In Mr. Trump’s nearly four years in Pultizer Prizes for reporting in both 2015 and offi ce — and across his endlessly hyped decades in the 2017. public eye — journalists, prosecutors, opposition poli- ticians and conspiracists have, with limited success, Debate Team goes online sought to excavate the enigmas of his fi nances.” Lawyers representing the president have said the he Sac State Debate Team has competed in returns and resulting stories based on them are false. fi ve online tournaments this fall, a new Regardless, Buettner, Craig and McIntire reported on format for certain, but one allowing the several groundbreaking revelations contained in the Tteam to enter contests all over the country. tax returns. Several awards were won this fall, including: The new 2020 reporting by Buettner and others is • NCFA Tournament — Ayyah Al-jibouri, fi rst just the latest journalistic coup he has been a part of. place in Open Division Buettner was a part of a 2019 Times’ reporting team • Alexis Elliott Round Robin — Al-jibouri was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting invited as one of the top 14 debaters in the U.S., and for previous exclusive reports about the fi nancial and fi nished in the top half of the fi eld. business empire of Trump prior to entering politics. He • Lafayette College (PA) — Tony Escalante was an was previously nominated for a Pulitzer in 2012 for octofi nialist, and third place overall Sweepstakes his reporting on gaps in the system of care for people Honors went to Sacramento State. with developmental disabilities. • Lewis & Clark College (WA) — Mahala Rogers Students also heard from Lowery, a CBS News won fi rst place in the Novice Division, while journalist and 2016 Pulitzer Prize winner for National Al-jibouri was an octofi nalist. 14 CommConnect • Fall 2020 Communication Studies students host mental health project for senior project team of six graduating Sacramento State communication studies majors are dedicating their senior seminar project to their “Men- Atal Health and Wellness Talk” in November via Zoom, which focused on providing mental health resources. The goal of the event was to invite students and Sacramento community members to a 30-minute session that provided stress relief techniques, breathing exercises and advice such as encouraging everyone to look at the bigger picture, said group member Cara resources, it also posts songs of the week to help Shuman. uplift people during the pandemic, Saechao said. “I hope what people can get out of it is a bit of “We’re all in this pandemic, we’re all feeling perspective,” Shuman said. “It feels like a break from down,” said group member Cindy Delgado. “The everything going on.” only way you can get your information out there Shuman said the group decided to work with Ronald is through the internet.” Lutz, director of counseling and psychological services Delgado said she has struggled with her own at Sac State, to help facilitate the mental health and mental health during the pandemic and has wellness talk. learned a lot by hearing others’ testimonies dur- The group was aware of many mental health ing this project. She said she often recalls Lutz’s resources available on campus, but wanted to stream- advice to enjoy small victories that are important line the information in one place, said group member in daily life such as hobbies, habits and routines Heidi Woods. that are helpful to relieve your mind, body and “For the six of us, we all had in mind to do mental soul. health awareness and to share Communicating with resources about food, housing, fi nancial STUDENT NEWS others helps make mental resources,” Shuman said. “Even with illness less of an individual school, stress relief in general is the aspect we wanted problem, Woods said. to focus on.” Woods said she has an invisible disability Pamela Sanger, adjunct faculty, who teaches the herself and knows the stigma surrounding COMS 181 class, said the project centers on community mental health. service and students had free rein to decide their senior “It’s really diffi cult for people who don’t deal project topic. with this kind of thing to be able to empathize “They can dictate what the project is,” Sanger said. in some way, it’s not something you can see,” “Each project is unique because it refl ects the people Woods said. “We want to be known for what and what they’re passionate about and what they want we’re good at, not from what we suffer from.” to do with it. They haven’t needed much help.” Woods said the group’s Zoom event will be Group member Sabrina Saechao, said she has also a space for people to talk about their feelings been struggling with her mental health and shelter-at- and receive help, or even gain understanding by home fatigue, which has encouraged her to reach out to silently observing. others. “By us talking about it, it allows for other To further their reach, the group also created their people to also talk about it,” said group member own chapter of Strength In Numbers on Facebook in Kaylin Moua. hopes of spreading information about campus — State Hornet story by Estefany Nunez, resources and their events. Strength in Numbers refers graphic by Mercy Sosa. to a Facebook community where people bond over mental health. Not only does the Facebook page share