Media Studies

2 minutes with: Kaoutar El Ouadi

Jayden Fortner — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:08:25 +0000

2 minutes with: Kaoutar El Ouadi Jayden Fortner Thu, 04/16/2026 - 13:08

Jayden Fortner

Kaoutar El Ouadi's jam is music. The Aurora native interns at Fox Theater and has a great vinyl collection. She is the William W. White outstanding senior for the media studies department, and also studied political science at 91��ý.

At CMDI, Kaoutar El Ouadi explored her love of music. Photo courtesy Kaoutar El Ouadi.

Conversation edited for length and clarity.

So, I know you're really into music. Tell me about that.
Yes, I'm a very big concert person. And I love collecting vinyls, cassettes, that sort of thing. And I'm an intern at Fox Theater.

Wow. What's that like?
I do marketing over there. It's great, because I get to go to niche, cool concerts. There is this one band, called Winyah, I'm really into, even though I'm not as into indie music.

You must have some incredible playlists from a job like that.
Those aren't my only lists, actually. I have a bucket list in my Notes app—a full list of everything I want to do before leaving Boulder. My biggest thing was probably going to a concert here at Red Rocks, which I did do!

Speaking of Red Rocks—if you could be anyone for a day, who would you pick?
I would love to be John Summit for a day! Like, what do you mean, you were an accountant, and now you're a DJ? I wanna test that out. I'll go DJ for the night, then do someone's taxes the next day, and then be in Red Rocks again, as the DJ.

Was there a professor who made a big difference for you?
Professor Jon Featherstone. He was phenomenal; he was one of the first professors who treated us like peers, but was still very professional. He wasn't talking at us, he was talking with us.

Where do you see yourself after graduation?
I would love to go to California or New York— two of my favorite spots. And I feel like that's where all the music and entertainment is based. I feel like I can have a real shot there.

Favorite memory with friends?
The summer of my junior year, when I was studying abroad, my friends and I rented miniature motorcycles. And we rode across the beach at night, which was phenomenal.

One more question. I heard you speak three languages?
Yes! When my parents first came to the US, they struggled to speak English, so they went straight to Spanish—and when they're talking, they mix the two. So, English, Spanish and Arabic. And then I just kind of grew up listening to it.

Jayden Fortner is pursuing degrees in journalism and strategic communication at CMDI, with a minor in sports media. She covers students and student news at the college.

Celebrating the Class of 2026

The outstanding graduate in the media studies department, Kaoutar El Ouadi is a music aficionado who has an enviable internship at Fox Theater.

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And the Grammy goes to…

Jayden Fortner — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:27:35 +0000

And the Grammy goes to… Jayden Fortner Thu, 04/09/2026 - 08:27

Hannah Stewart

Len Brown, of the Recording Academy, came to Boulder last month to meet with students across the college. 'I always knew I wanted to be in the entertainment industry, but I didn't start there,' Brown, giving a peace sign at center, said during a Q&A session at a joint student group meeting. Throughout his visit, he shared his time in the industry, saying he hoped his insights would be inspiring for students. Photo courtesy of Radio 1190.

It was the third day of being the special guest at various meet and greets with 91��ý students, but Len Brown felt anything but drained.

Last month, Brown visited the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information to share his experiences working in the music industry. Now a senior manager of hip-hop, R&B and reggae at the Recording Academy, Brown lives and breathes music—not necessarily picking Grammy winners, but educating people about joining the academy and how to get nominated.

In a Q&A session at a joint student group meeting, he explained that day-to-day, he works with many teams to develop business strategies, and finds a lot of joy in the interpersonal responsibilities of his job, like managing artist and media relations as well as connecting with students during visits to campuses like 91��ý.

91��ý’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and Ad Club invited him to their meeting last month to learn more about the industry. Both organizations have a strong presence within CMDI, and the room was nearly full with the number of students who showed up for the conversation.

Over the course of an hour, Brown fielded questions covering everything from his experience breaking into the music industry to whether or not he was concerned about generative artificial intelligence. (He’s not a fan, but thinks it can be a tool, and hopes there will ever be an A.I. category at the Grammy’s).

As a senior manager at the Recording Academy, it was natural for Len Brown, right, to stop by Radio 1190, where he chatted with students like Elliana Nickel about what it's like to work in the industry. Photo by Ella Krelovich.

“It’s important, in any industry, to be inquisitive, open minded, willing to ask the hard questions—so it feels pretty good and refreshing to be able to speak to students that are genuinely curious,” he said.

The Grammys’ mission is to advance a strong culture of diversity, largely through advocating for and educating music creators. Brown’s role directly plays into this goal through his personal mission of including more voices in the academy for voting purposes. For example, although he doesn’t directly work with Grammy U, he said the program is a worthwhile way for young people to get, and hopefully stay, involved in the industry.

“I would love to speak to more students. I just hope my perspective and experiences can help people,” he said. “You should never stop learning, and I’ve learned a lot just by interacting with the student body here. There’s a bright future ahead for them.”

Even after the event formally ended, a number of students stuck around to ask Brown additional questions, many remarking that the conversation gave good insight into the industry.

“I thought it was super beneficial to hear how Len made the shift from working in other fields to being in music and then being super dialed in,” said Zoe Stillman, a strategic communication junior and member of the Ad Club who will be president of the organization in the fall. “The recording academy is a dream company. I've always wanted to work in music.”

This semester, Stillman is interning with Boulder’s Sterling-Rice Group, an independent, female-owned creative agency who has done work for clients like Snooze, Avocados from Mexico and Almond Board of California. Working as an account intern, Stillman has learned a lot about the logistical side of advertising and loves it.

“I now have a good foundation of how things work at an agency,” she said. “So now, no matter who the client is—whether it’s culinary or entertainment—I know how to communicate with clients in a way that's beneficial and feel confident I can take that experience and implement it if I were to get a job in music.”

That’s a reason Josh Shepperd, an associate professor and undergraduate chair of media studies, brought Brown to campus.

“We teach our students how to build and engage a team, but it’s important to not just talk about it,” Shepperd said. “You have to see it in action by meeting the people who’ve made it to the top—that’s why we invited Len.”

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

Len Brown was a special guest to CMDI last month for a series of talks and Q&As on hip-hop, sound and careers in the music industry.

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Spring 2025: 2 minutes with Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe

Jayden Fortner — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:23:47 +0000

Spring 2025: 2 minutes with Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe Jayden Fortner Mon, 02/02/2026 - 12:23

Joe Arney

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe
PhD Candidate, Media Studies

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe is a PhD candidate in media studies who runs a multimodal art gallery, Space__Space, in East Boulder. Her first exhibition, “Phones are Heavy,” ran from November through January; “Archive Fever Dream” opens in March.

Why did you want to open a gallery?
This space is public scholarship. I’m interested in creating discourse on cultural issues that transcend the limits of the law. I also ran a gallery in Boston where I gave solo shows to artists who hadn’t had one before, and it’s gratifying to elevate emerging artists and underrepresented ideas.

Was there a gallery you had in mind as you envisioned what Space__Space could look like?
I did an artist/curatorial residency in New York, at Flux Factory, and that has been a big influence on my drive for cultivating experimentation and community.

Something you hope visitors notice as they walk through the gallery?
The work, of course. And maybe the sunset-pink trim. Pink has connotations of being frivolous, but I see it as subversive—a power color. So I put it in the bottom trim around the gallery, where it’s a secret signature that doesn’t get in the way of the work.

Tell me about those sunsets.
I’m used to underground, windowless art spaces in New York and Boston. From the back of Space__Space, you can see mountains, and from the front, you get the sunset. Someday, I want to do a site-specific installation that harnesses sunsets, because they are so spectacular.

Biggest surprise?
Being able to do it. Every time you take the risk of creating something—like in Boston, running Space 121 out of my apartment, I wasn’t sure what would happen. But I’ve started to believe if you build it, when there is a thirst, they will come.

Wait, the gallery in Boston was out of your apartment? What did your landlord say about that?
They never found out. (Laughs) We had openings; we just called them parties.

Last one. A favorite work from your first exhibit?
The brilliant Flora Wilds flew in to install her sculptures, which was a magical collaboration. But I will say everyone who came in had a different favorite, and that is a mark of a resonant and successful show.

A selection of works from Space__Space’s inaugural exhibit, which closed in January. From left, works by Maya Buffett-Davis, a 91��ý graduate student; Ana González Barragán; Devon Narine-Singh; and Flora Wilds. Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm’18).

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe is a PhD candidate in media studies who runs a multimodal art gallery, Space__Space, in East Boulder.

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Spring 2025

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Announcing the fall 2025 dean's list

Ellie Chase — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 22:57:57 +0000

Announcing the fall 2025 dean's list Ellie Chase Wed, 01/28/2026 - 15:57

More than 800 CMDI students were named to the dean's list for the fall semester. To qualify, students must complete at least 12 credit hours of 91��ý coursework for a letter grade and achieve a term grade point average of 3.75 or better. Each receives a notation on their transcripts and a letter from the dean. Congratulations to all honorees!

Alejandro Abarca
Matt Abatangle
Saroon Abayenh
Marlo Abrahamson
Shea Ackman
Emilio Adams
Phillip Adams
Tassilo Adams
Quinn Ahrens
Lucy Alagna
Maria Alali
Rosie Aldridge
Caitlin Alexander
Kenzi Alipit
Sophie Allaway
Anthony Allen
Trinity Alvord
Saleh Alzamil
Alexandra Anaya
Bridgette Anderson
Molly Anderson
Lila Angelopoulos
Sierra Anguiano
Jaxon Archer
Mia Archuleta
Jazmin Armijo
Remy Arnold
Sydney Arnold
Natasha Arzt
Kaylee Austin
Niles Ayer
Ben Babson
Roxanne Bachana
Alexia Bailey
Owen Balboa
Austin Balconi
Tyler Bales
Cadyn Banerian
Jose Banuelos
Katie Barcroft
Evan Bardinelli
Caleigh Barletta
Julia Barlow
Thomas Barrett
Marina Barretto
Tomas Barrientos
Maddy Barth
Owen Barton
Kate Bashore
Mekdes Bass
Ellena Bassoukos
Leah Baumann
Klaire Bautz
Katie Baxter
Juliana Beans
Lily Becker
Savy Behr
Johnna Belveal
Jane Bengston
Tess Betman
Eliot Bevier Dill
Charlie Bickham
Jack Bigelow
Ezra Billig
Teagan Bischoff
Korinne Bishop
Katie Bixler
Mary Black
Miley Black
Kenna Blank
Sam Blatt
Miranda Bleau
Riley Blomstrand
Sophia Bobier
Sophia Bolich
Piper Bolin
Anvitha Bompalli
Matthew Boothroyd
Carmen Boyle
Reed Bracero
Anna Bradburn
Norah Brady
Kate Branscomb
Antonio Bravo
Elizabeth Brechtel
Olivia Brehm
Keeley Brei
Hannah Brennan
Adeline Briggs
Erin Brinkman
Jack Bronchetti
Elly Brooks
Mia Brosterhous
Samantha Brouhard
Addison Brower
Olivia Brown
Chase Browne
Lili Brownell
Callie Browning
Emma Browning
Eva Bruce
Tessa Buchanan
Tyler Buchanan
Ashley Budy
James Bui
Morgan Burcar
Alena Burris
Parker Burt
Tyler Byrne
America Cabral
Luke Cadenaro
Carli Camens
Claire Cameron
Evan Caplan
Rhiannon Cargo
Jessie Carlin
Gemma Carlson
Gabriella Carnevale
Laila Casanueva
Meredith Case
Madison Cashin
Kathryn Castanoli
Mia Castro
Dominic Celaschi
Zachary Chagnon
Isabella Chan
Emily Chang
Madelyn Chang
Connor Chase
Ellie Chase
Hayden Chedid
Cameron Cheney
Avery Childs
Kate Cho
Anika Chowdhury
Megan Chung
Coco Ciardelli
Malaya Cimino
Abi Clayton
Kay Clifford
Annalia Clifton
Avery Clifton
Emme Clymer
Morgan Coffin
Ava Coffman
MacKenzie Cole
MacKenzie Cole
Jaci Collins-Falcon
Joanna Conforti
Andrew Conley
Sarah Connor
Breah Conradson
Sophie Coombs
Zenden Copeland
Avery Corliss
Susie Cormack
Gilberto Corral
Amelie Couret
Sarah Cowell
Findlay Coykendall
Marissa Crenshaw
Elizabeth Cropper
Maddie Crosier
Chloe Cross
Heidi Crowther
Eryn Cryer
Kaylie Cunningham
Gracyn Custin
Cody Cutone
Liz Cutting
Avery Czachor
Teresa Da Silva
Clara Dailey
Abby Dalrymple
Abikael Daniel
Maya Dank
Olivia Darby
John Davis
Katherine Davis
Mason Davis
Turner Davis
Billy Dayton
Ramon De Arcos Tapia
Brandon De Pena
Olivia DeGregorio
Bella Demartin
Maddy Demmert
Luca Denicola
Rune Denolf
Helena Desoto
Charles Deutser
Leo Dienstfrey
William Dinh
Quinn Dobbs
Sydney Dobriner
Connie Dolati
Lexi Dolsak
Luke Donis
Eric Donjuan
Hunter Donovan
Brodie Dorko
Emily Doskow
Sydney Dossa
Daniel Doupe
Averie Dow
Brady Dowd
Lucas Drager
Irene Drapszo
Baylee Drevno
Kayla Drumke
Emma Dudley
Wyatt Duesenberg
Rowan Dulfer

Carolyn Dunlap
Nicollette Dunn
Etienne Dunoyer
Emily Duvall
Abby Dwyer
Ryan Dye
Ryann Dyk
Esperanza Edwards-Satragni
Avery Ehrig
Riley Eisenstein
Molly Elert
Ryan Elliott
Jenny Ellis
Kaoutar Elouadi
Libby Emery
Ava Esposito
Lucy Esquivel
Felix Estes
Angel Estrada Zarco
Quinn Etheridge
Morgan Evans
Emma Evars
Sienna Fahey
Maddy Farmer
Nolan Farrar
Liam Fehlau-Barton
Aysla Fenner
Peyton Fenner
Anika Fergis
Clare Finnigan
Carolyn Fish
Elena Fisher
Maddie Fisher
Marli Fisher
Tate Fitzgibbons
Emma Flanagan
Aiden Fliszar
William Flockton
Soleil Floyd
Delaney Flynn
Joe Fogler
Callie Forrest
Ellie Foster
Rhen Fowler
Tatum France-Kelly
Natalie Free
Ellis French
Jayne Frey
Rylee Frey
Isabelle Friedrich
Adelene Frymoyer
Colette Gagliano
Kaija Galins
Cassidy Gallagher
Jacalyn Gamble
Lydia Gammon
Gaby Garcia Armendariz
Katelyn Gardner
Abigail Garza
Caitlyn Garza
Zoey Gassner
Samson Gear
Nick Gehring
Carly Gelfand
Piper George
Alex Gertzen
Olivia Gewanter
Hannah Giacomin
Orion Gibbs
Ink Gibson
Caroline Gilchrist
Lauren Gillespie
Danny Gillis
Gigi Gittelman
Graham Givan
Anna Gledhill
Jessie Gleitsman
Arlie Goldman
Susannah Goldsmith
Deborah Gomez
Karlyn Gonsalves
Max Goodman
Salem Goodman
Bella Goodson
Drew Gorman
Avery Goss
Chloe Graham
Kylie Graham
Nora Graham
Ariana Grant
Sophia Graup
Rachel Greenberg
Logyn Greer
Willow Gretsch
Erica Griffiths
Tristan Grosam
Caitlin Grossman
Vivan Guida
Grayson Guinan
Griffin Gurewicz
Owen Guzik
Aric Gyekis
Anthony Haberkorn
Trey Haggarty
Paxton Haines
Hanna Hale
Sabina Hall
Alsa Halquist
Norah Hampford
Nate Hankins
Audrey Hansen
Ella Harris
lanier Harvey
Tyler Harvey
Nick Haseman
Josie Hayes
Keeley Haynes
Brooke Haynie
Skyler Haynie
Madison Hays
Lorraine Healy
Will Henrickson
Vanessa Hernandez
Jane Hershberger
Carter Hessen
Kainoa Hiatt
Tyler Hibri
Bella Hill
Cassidy Hill
Hannah Hillen
Hannah Hoffman
Jason Hoffman
Cruz Hoitsma
Ella Holden
Dylan Hommes
Max Hostetter
Taylar Houck
Mira Hougen
Donavon Houston
Owen Houtakker
Brooklyn Howard
Taylor Hoyt
Oleksa Hryciw
Haley Hubbard Godfrey
Kendra Hudgins
Livia Hughes
Ronan Huizar
Ellie Hultgren
Wyatt Humble
Camille Hunt
Susanna Imhof
Maxine Inman
Samantha Isaacson
Jules Isenberg
Grace Jackman
Grant Jackson
Paige Jaeger
Monroe Jasper
Alana Jenks
Grace Jenks
Alexis Jennings
Annika Jobanputra
Mia Jochamowitz-Endersby Chikhani
Addison Johnson
Tanner Johnson
Liv Johnstad
Neda Jonaitis
Gianna Jordon
Max Julian
Danielle Jung
Emma Kaiser
Nina Kanavati
Chase Kanger
Faith Kaplan
Kush Karamcheti
Lola Karimi
Bailey Karraker
Brooklyn Karraker
Skye Karsh
Ty Keeley
Nicole Keffer
Thomas Keller
Audrey Kelley
Henry Kelty
Charlotte Kendall
Rachel Kennedy
Riley Kenny
John Kerklo
Grayson Kern
Riley Kerstiens
Josh Kesner
Amy Kibort
Madeleine Kiel
Hannah Kijner
Kenzie Kimball
Myra Kirk
Marin Kirkman
Avery Kissinger
Ian Kligora
Ally Klinefeldt
Leia Kliska
Jackson Knapp
Maggie Kocher
Alexa Kofman
Cameron Kolinchak
Jon Kolvereid
Colton Kominski
Alden Koskoff
Kristin Kraml
Riley Krane
Quinn Kreck
Ella Krelovich
Katie Krochalis
Carey Kronhart

Viktoriya Kukarekina
Justin Kulas
Brayden Kurzawa
Emily Kwon
Amy Labontu
Bentley Labrecque
Genevieve Lacey
Devin Lafave
Ella LaMura
Kadence Landis
Skyler Landry
Dalton Lanham
Delaney Lantz
Ben LaPlante
Leighton Larsen
Blake Larson
Maddie Lasker
London Lawrence
Sarah Lawrence
Alex Lazarou
Kaija Lazda
Camille Leach
Lauren Leclair
Lou Leclercq
Alice Lee
Skyler Lee
Chloe Legere
Asher Leish
Aubrey Leneweaver
Brian Leuthold
Charlotte Levine
Kara Liguori
Jasmin Lin
Ahnnali Lindgren
Isabelle Lingo
Joe Lingold
Mia Lioudis
Alexander Lipka
Margaret Lipscomb
Lucy Lloyd
Aramis Loma-Guzman
Luke Lommatzsch
Leif Lomo
Skyler Longerbone
Lauren Lopez
Deborah Loseke
Katelyn Love
Lexi Lower
Stella Lowery
Janie Ludington
Julia Luther
Bailey Luts
Maille Lyon
Claire Macaluso
Molly Machoskie
Julia Maclean
Natalie Madeira
Maxwell Majors
Carly Malamut
Julianna Maldonado
Devon Malling
Mel Malloy
Patrick Mancuso
Lily Maniotes
Emelia Mantz
Alexis Manzo
Nicholas Marcin
Kea Margolis
Annaliese Markel
Isabella Marquez
Sedona Marshall
Taylor Martin
Mia Martinez
Maggie Marusin
Eloise Masciola
Carolyn Mason
Keely Matthews
Alden Mazur
Grace Mcanany
Finn Mccarthy
Evan Mccormick
Elizabeth Mccoy
Wyatt McCune
John Mcdermott
Teague Mcdonald
Maeve Mcerlane
Andrew Mcfadden
Lucia Mcgetrick-Dima
Fiona Mcginnis
Delaney Mckernan
Abbey McMahon
Margaret McQueen
Ava Melen
Alex Melvin
Jenna Mendelssohn
Claire Mercer
Ava Merias
Olivia Meyers
Allison Miller
Channing Miller
Creed Miller
Ellen Miller
Hailey Miller
Maggie Miller
Morgan Miller
Ashley Mohrbach
Camryn Montgomery
Gigi Montgomery
Justice Montoya
Bronte Moore
Emily Moore
Felipe Moore
Jenna Morley
Chaney Morris
Maya Morse
Scout Mortenson
Nathan Mosley
Madison Moss
Trevor Mueller
Ally Murphy
Reese Murphy
Rue Murray
Mason Mutz
Becca Myers
Emma Myers
Aahana Nandy
Caitlin Neil
Remi Netupsky
Natalie Newmann
Taylor Nickerson
Matthew Nielsen
Maximillian Noble
Charlotte Norton
Anna Novak
Lila Nuttle
Remy O'Connell
Nora O'connor
Olivia O'Haver
Addie O'Neil
Brinley O'neill
Ashlyn Oklesh
Taylor Oldenburg
Annabelle Olson
Sofia Olsson
Alexandra Organa
Annika Ort
Maddie Osterkamp
Max Osterman
Alina Ouligian
Emmett Owenby
Josie Pachla
Phoebe Paletta
Aly Pardo
Katy Parks
Macie Parsons
Lauren Paschke
Liliane Patrick
Kaya Patterson
Audrey Patton
Izzy Pell
Caroline Pellerito
Ava Pelster
Lily Pemberton
Mia Pendergast
Paige Pennell
Annie Peragine
Jaclyn Pereira
Kennedy Perez
Brisa Perkins
Emma Perlmutter
Eliza Perry
Isabelle Perry
Quetzal Peterson
Patrick Pethybridge
Ellie Phillips
Bell Piccirillo
Norah Pietras
Mackenzie Pinksa
Macy Place
Alison Plagge
Nico Plaisted
Skye Platto
Liliana Poast Soler
Lilly Polak
Katharine Polep-Sawyer
Ella Policastri
Ashley Pomeroy
Lyla Ponce
Norah Pope
Elle Pottinger
Dax Prata
Bradley Pratt
Addisson Pribble
Elle Price
Giana Pritchard
Taylor Pulley
Sutton Raeburn
Jacob Rainsberger
Samantha Ramirez
Olivia Randazzo
Maya Raulf
Nick Rauscher
Huston Rawls
Madelyn Ray
Rachel Ray
Cameron Reed
Hailey Reed
Jenna Reed
Molly Reed
Katrina Reghitto
Anna Rehak
Jack Remington
Jake Reuss
Katie Reuter

Ella Revivo
Peyton Rhodes
Katie Ridgway
Jackie Rivera
Eliza Roberts
Caniya Robinson
Ella Robinson
Michael Robinson
Abby Robison
Gabrielle Rodriguez
Cole Rogers
Laura Rogers
Salome Rojas
Lauren Romero
Diana Romero Bermudez
Brynna Roscoe
Jenna Rose
Sophia Rose
Sierra Rosen
Alison Rosenbaum
Eli Rosenthal
Sierra Rossman
Piper Roth
Taylor Roth
Ava Rotman
Giova Rubenstein
Sophie Rubinstein
Reagan Russell
Sam Russo
Brenna Rutherford
Emme Rutherford
Catherine Rutman
Jessica Ryanczak
Brooklyn Sadler
Sosan Safi
Rylee Sahl
Joaquin Salinas
Yahir Sanchez Diaz
Lydia Sarbacker
Ramey Sattich
Christopher Schepers
Riley Schermerhorn
Carly Schiller
Stephanie Schmitt
Addie Schneider
Emma Schneider
Jaimie Schoenke
Sydney Schrader
Teagan Schreiber
Willow Schulz
Aubrey Schwartz
Ben Schweiger
Ella Scolnick
Grace Scott
Madeline Scripp
Olivia Scussel
Grace Seaback
Veronica Seal
Ella Seevers
London Selah
Michael Seward
Krish Shah
Jack Shand
Ava Shanrock
Marissa Sharon
Danny Sheedy
Jenna Shenbaum
Daniel Sher
Cody Shoelson
Zoe Showalter-Flowers
Rainna Shrull
Aaron Siegel
Matthew Silver
Harrison Simeon
Gannett Simonton
Ella Skoloda
Mac Skudlarczyk
Cj Slattery
Moe Slintak
Marie Slotnick
Ella Smith
Matthew Smith
Ryan Smith
Jack Snyder
Eli Sobel
Edgar Soberon Munoz
Sevi Solari
Ewan Sookswat
Noel Sookswat
Madelyn Speights
Sophia Spheeris
Simon Spillane
Matthew Spivack
Samantha Spiwak
Bella Stamper
Kaeden Stander
Brady Stark
Kate Starke
Ashlin Stasswender Swasey
Trent Steffen
Alexander Stein
Zachary Steiner
Evan Stellino
Cole Stephan
Ariele Stern
Sarah Stern
Samuel Stevens
Jordyn Stewart
Braden Stirrett
Stella Stone
Anna Stout
Mary Strasser
Ava Strauss
Xander Sucich
Elizabeth Suffian
Luke Suitts
Lucy Suja
Aoife Sullivan
Clara Sullivan
Olivia Sullivan
Taylor Sutton
Dennis Swanson
Jackson Swartzendruber
Leah Szabo
Willow Tachna
Harper Tagg
Emi Takaoka
Nano Takeda
Mira Talusani
Sophia Tambascio
Jack Tannenbaum
Annie Tanner
Natalie Tapia
Raquel Tapia
Tyler Tatman
Hailey Taylor
Sarah Taylor
Skylar Taylor
Cecelia Tecu
Jordan Teicher
Josie Terry-Lloyd
Annabelle Thomas
Sage Thompson
Channing Thomson
Sol Tirado - Jensen
Brooks Tolany
Grace Toomey
Zohair Toor
Annabelle Torgove
Clio Torrance
Alexa Tovar
Hendley Tracy
Eduardo Trejo Trinidad
Carly Tremaine
Ricky Tuka
Jazzy Tung
Audrey Turley
Braden Turner
Caroline Valdes
Christian Valentino
Ann Vanderveen
Maya Vanvleet
Celia Vargas
Maddie Veasey
Sydney Venetsanopoulos
Bella Vetta
Holden Vincent
Andrew Vogt
Saanvi Vookanti
August Vrielink
Fiona Wachter
Ashtyn Waddle
Chloe Walsh
Catherine Ward
Lauren Ward
Kieran Warger
Evie Warner
Kadyn Warner
Valerie Warszawski
Ryder Watkins
Kylee Watrous
Leila Watters
Liam Watters
Jordan Watts
Greta Wattson
Taylor Weatherwax
Jenna Weil
Kennedy Weiss
Erin Wheeler
Kennah White
Ella Whittall
Abigail Williams
Jackson Williams
Ranney Willis
Piper Wills
Holly Wininger
Emma Winkelbauer
Amanda Winslow
Mia Winstead
Trent Wobschall
Zachary Woodbury
Alexandra Woodland
Lily Wright
Owen Wright
Jackie Wynne
Maggie Yalmokas
Gabrielle Yates
Savannah Yates
Nate Yearous
Hannah Young
Elsie Zerega
Emily Zhou
Matt Zimmermann

More than 800 CMDI students were named to the dean's list for the fall semester.

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When retreat trumps the rise of global free markets

Joe Arney — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 19:34:07 +0000

When retreat trumps the rise of global free markets Joe Arney Wed, 01/28/2026 - 12:34

Joe Arney

For Colette Perold, seeing an imperial power throw its weight around in Latin America isn’t news—she’s an expert on how multinational IT companies have exerted influence in this part of the world.

What she finds curious about Donald Trump’s approach to diplomacy is how out of step it is with the desires of many businesses.

Colette Perold

While the interests of the state and corporations don’t always align, “what’s fascinating about the second Trump administration is that much of its foreign policy appears to undermine the liberalized overseas markets that allowed U.S.-based multinationals to become dominant,” she said. “For that to be replaced by this scattershot, unpredictable type of foreign policy execution is new terrain for them.”

Perold, an assistant professor of media studies at the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information, researches the relationship between media technologies, labor and foreign policy. It’s work she became interested in following her work as a labor organizer and an editor for NACLA Report on the Americas, a quarterly journal on Latin American politics and social movements.

In her best-known work, Perold traces IBM’s investment in Brazil—the company was a dominant force in the country from the 1930s into the late 1970s, and was effectively a monopoly in the region for decades—including how the company contended with, and overcame, labor movements and domestic pressure for economic autonomy. That research is the subject of a forthcoming book, which was supported by the prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship.

The rise of IBM

IBM’s priorities largely reflected those of the U.S. government, which was eager to build a liberal international order as it expanded its influence and economic might in the post-World War II era. By kidnapping a foreign head of state and exhorting American oil companies to reinvest in Venezuela, Trump has signaled a return to a time when the nation’s interests were less global in scope.

How we got here

Seeing the Monroe Doctrine in the headlines was probably the first time most Americans thought of it since high-school history class. The doctrine was an early foreign policy declaration that established the United States’ opposition to European intervention in the hemisphere.

In reasserting the Monroe Doctrine, Donald Trump is returning to a period when U.S. intervention in Latin America was not just the practice, but the stated policy. That changed in the Good Neighbor days, but during the Cold War, the United States reasserted its interventionism in Latin America.

The 1990s marked a return to economics as the primary form of domination; today, “it looks like military intervention and other forms of ‘extra-economic’ coercion are becoming both practice and stated policy again,” Colette Perold said.

When Franklin Roosevelt introduced the Good Neighbor Policy, committing the United States to nonintervention in Latin American affairs, “that became the starting point for building a liberal hemispheric and international trade order, to remove barriers to trade and open markets,” Perold said. “Trump is retreating from all of that through his ‘America First’ diplomacy.”

IBM, she said, is a perfect example of how companies benefited from that liberal order. When the company arrived in Brazil in 1917, the tech industry looked nothing like it does today, but as it went from tabulating machines to mainframe computers, IBM was increasingly able to benefit from changing legal obligations, new regulations and shifts in labor markets.

“My interest here is understanding the technological changes alongside the political and economic changes, and how those feed each other,” she said. “By looking at these different players—the IT companies, the U.S. foreign policy apparatus, labor—we can understand, strategically, how we got to where we are today.”

The United States’ decades of commitment to that international order allowed it to stifle political movements in Latin America, most visibly to the benefit of companies like United Fruit, or industries like mining, Perold said. “But while no one really thinks about the unbelievable amount of political power IBM exerted in Brazil, it was very much part of building a liberal international order from the 1930s until its influence started to wane in the late 1970s.”

Signals in foreign policy noise

In examining the White House’s national security strategy, released late last year, she has found some potential signals in Trump’s noisy foreign policy execution.

“It seems like a lot of this strategy is motivated by the last two decades of increasing Chinese investment in Latin America,” she said. U.S. strategy, she said, is about expelling foreign powers, including a return to military force. China, Perold added, “is the subtext throughout the section of the document on the Western Hemisphere.”

“From the Trump administration’s perspective, the liberal trade order that gave us the rise of China is what’s hurting U.S. interests in Latin America. In other words, liberal internationalism was working for American interests in Latin America until it wasn’t—so now, our foreign policy is to directly dominate a sphere of influence, rather than manage it through markets.”

“By looking at these different players—the IT companies, the U.S. foreign policy apparatus, labor—we can understand, strategically, how we got to where we are today.”

Colette Perold, assistant professor, media studies

One of her favorite things about teaching this research, Perold said, is that few students are aware of the history at a time of both fast-moving foreign policy and rapid change driven by the tech industry. When she teaches students about the rise of Japan as a semiconductor giant in the 1980s, many are surprised to see, in U.S. media, the same language and signals aimed at China today.

“Two of the most influential of the so-called Atari Democrats,” who guided their party from organized labor to the largely nonunion information economy, “were senators from Colorado, and we have their papers right here at Norlin Library,” she said. “So, my students were looking at these documents about the supposed threat of Japan—and the real threats to organized labor—and going, wow, this is so similar to how politicians talk about China today.

“The beauty of teaching history classes about media and computing is seeing students get that shock, that this isn’t all new. It’s such a cool experience to watch them recognize that there is precedence to the cultural and technological phenomena they are steeped in every day.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

A historian and labor expert says companies like IBM typified how the U.S. dominated the post-World War II global order. Trump’s retreat from that stage “undermines the free markets corporations want.”

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All together now: 2025 at CMDI

Amanda J. McManus — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 02:22:15 +0000

All together now: 2025 at CMDI Amanda J. McManus Mon, 12/15/2025 - 19:22

In a year where the college’s biggest story was its name change—following its integration with the environmental design department—CMDI’s community also found itself at the center of the biggest conversations shaping our time—from sustainability and A.I., to media literacy and the future of journalism.

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John Oliver segment on public media gets major assist from CMDI

Joe Arney — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:13:50 +0000

John Oliver segment on public media gets major assist from CMDI Joe Arney Tue, 11/18/2025 - 11:13

Joe Arney

Host John Oliver introduces his show while the cover of Josh Shepperd's book is shown onscreen. Shepperd's work on the history of public media helped inform an episode on the federal government's dramatic cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Photo courtesy HBO.

When Josh Shepperd first discovered his research interest—the historical connection between the origins of communications research and public broadcasting—he was a University of Wisconsin graduate student eager to find his voice in the academic community

Today, that voice is carrying in directions he never could have imagined, with his work prominently featured in the season finale of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, on Sunday night.

“My work is explicitly focused on democracy and media,” said Shepperd, associate professor of media studies at 91��ý’s College of Communication, Media, Design and Information. “The idea that there is interest in preserving the different types of ways that institutions, agencies and people try to build and maintain infrastructure for access and recognition is core to my research.”

As far as late-night comedies go, Oliver’s show consistently scores high marks from critics for its humor, as well as the deep dives it does on controversial topics, which this season included sports betting, presidential libraries, A.I. slop and deportations.

Shepperd consulted with the Last Week Tonight team over the course of two months, culminating in a timely episode about the federal government’s drastic cuts to public media.

“You put in these long hours in the archives with the hope that people will consider the historical context of what you’re saying, and use that context to inform the decisions we make today.”

Josh Shepperd, associate professor, media studies

Oliver’s monologue was a thorough overview of topics raised by Shepperd’s work; the producers even used the cover of his book, Shadow of the New Deal: The Victory of Public Broadcasting, as an on-screen graphic during the show.

“I think Oliver and his group learned about the book through the press I’ve been doing for the book, because a lot of folks at the show have close ties and sympathies with the public media sector,” Shepperd said.

Shadow of the New Deal is notable as the first academic attempt to present communication studies and public broadcasting as historically connected media reform enterprises. It was published in 2023, at a time when uncertainty about public media’s future—not to mention poisonous criticism of journalism in general—was growing. Shadow has since won the Book Award from the Broadcast Education Association and has been a finalist or runner up for prizes from four other organizations, including the American Journalism Historians Association and Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

The book led to press at close to 50 media outlets, including an interview with the influential NPR show On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti, a Q&A with The Chicago Tribune, as well as a feature by Harvard University’s Nieman Journalism Lab over the past several months.

“What I like about the book being continually recognized is that it gives this research the opportunity to resonate beyond historians,” Shepperd said. “You put in these long hours in the archives with the hope that people will consider the historical context of what you’re saying, and use that context to inform the decisions we make today.”

Since he provided so much context for the show’s team, Shepperd was asked to recommend the names of other influential voices working in this space. Among those he listed was Willard Rowland, dean emeritus of the former School of Journalism and Mass Communication, which became CMDI a decade ago.

“I appreciate that CMDI is willing to steward humanistic work that explores democracy and media questions from a historical lens,” he said. “Historical research reveals a lot—but it takes a lot of time to do, and few communication schools have historians who ask these questions from that perspective.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

When Last Week Tonight wanted to talk about cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, its researchers called communication historian Josh Shepperd.

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Playing to win

Regan Widergren — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:43:36 +0000

Playing to win Regan Widergren Mon, 11/17/2025 - 17:43

Iris Serrano

As the growing sports media industry seeks people with data, communication and social media skills, CMDI has created different pathways to prepare students for rewarding careers.

Photos by Kimberly Coffin and Jack Moody.

When Kathryn Castanoli worked in a backstage production role during Super Bowl LIX, it wasn’t just a dream come true—it was a glimpse of a career that once seemed out of reach.

“I almost gave up trying to get into the sports media industry,” said Castanoli, a junior studying strategic communication. “But coming to CMDI—a college of entrepreneurs, artists, go-getters and leaders—really inspired me to keep pursuing my dream.”

Castanoli is just one of a growing number of CMDI students breaking into sports media. Although journalism has long been a path of study for students interested in this specialty, the changing nature of both sports and media as industries means different skills are needed.

“Sports media has become a convergence of different fields,” said Rick Stevens, associate dean of undergraduate education and associate professor of media studies. “Our majors are particularly well positioned to take a piece of the puzzle and help students understand more cohesively what sports media is.”

Students get a close look at those connections in Prime Time: Public Performance and Leadership, a course Stevens created last year. Guest lectures from prominent alumni like Kordell Stewart (Comm’16), Joel Klatt (Econ’07) and Brent Schrotenboer (Jour’96) round out class discussions led by CMDI faculty, with occasional appearances from Coach Prime.

The course counts toward the sports media minor—the largest in the college. But it’s more than just classroom learning. With a new global seminar, media outlets like Sko Buffs Sports, and conferences and networking events, students have numerous opportunities to develop the skills needed to break into the industry.

Lila Nuttle, a sophomore studying journalism, is already putting those skills into practice. An aspiring sports writer, she is a reporter for the CU Independent and has produced content for Sko Buffs Sports, which gives her on-the-field reporting experience.

Our professors are always telling us it’s not only what you do in class, or what grade you get, but your portfolio and actually getting experience.”

Lila Nuttle

"These organizations offer a really great way to jump in and get that experience, while also providing a good community.”

There’s more to sports media than what you can see from the sidelines. Priscilla Hopper (InfoSci’22; MS’23) works as a senior reporting and data analyst at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Avalanche, Nuggets and other Denver-area sports franchises.

“There’s an expectation that if you’re working in sports media, you’re going to be on the field, in action,” said Hopper, also a lecturer of information science. “But there’s a whole other side to it, and every year, half of my students want to steal my job,”

Her ability to quickly analyze data and make them digestible for those without technical backgrounds gave her an advantage when interviewing for her role at KSE.

“I graduated able to interpret, adapt and analyze,” Hopper said. “That’s pretty much the entire basis of information science, and my degrees meant I was ready to be
catapulted into any role.”

Michael Burns, an assistant teaching professor of communication, also understands what it’s like to have a nontraditional job in the sports industry. He has worked behind the scenes at eight Olympic Games for NBC’s Today show, and now serves as faculty director for Communication, Culture and Sport, a global seminar that takes place in the United Kingdom.

“There is an army of people who are doing all the research and logistics and planning, which enables and empowers the journalists, the PR folks and the camera people to do their jobs,” Burns said.

CMDI’s alumni network also plays a critical role in launching student careers. Michael Davies (Jour’94), an executive vice president at FOX Sports, said there’s no one way to make it in the industry.

“Everybody has their own origin story—some of them come from networking, some come from internships,” he said. “One thing that’s consistent and is required is passion for the sports business and focus.”

Davies graduated at a time when there were fewer paths to a career in sports media. He regularly visits the college to meet students, and is impressed with CMDI’s approach to preparing the next generation for the evolving industry.

“The school’s only 10 years old, it’s still new, it’s still innovative, and I think that it’s a very exciting time to go to CMDI,” he said.

Game on

CMDI is preparing for the return of its annual Sports Media Summit in the spring semester. This multiday event is intended for students who are curious about the industry, as well as alumni and community members looking to expand their networks and transition into this fast-growing field.

Follow CMDI on social media and keep an eye on colorado.edu/cmdi for updates.

Iris Serrano is studying strategic communication and journalism at CMDI. She covers student news and events for the college.

Photographer Kimberly Coffin graduated from CMDI in 2018 with degrees in media production and strategic communication.

Photographer Jack Moody graduated from CMDI in 2024 with a degree in strategic communication.

Through relevant courses, networking opportunities and student-led organizations, CMDI is helping students turn their passions into careers in sports media.

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Fall 2025

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10 for 10: Notable newsmakers

Amanda J. McManus — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 06:11:51 +0000

10 for 10: Notable newsmakers Amanda J. McManus Thu, 11/13/2025 - 23:11

Because of the multidisciplinary nature of their work—and their fearlessness in confronting the biggest problems—CMDI faculty are regularly featured in local and national media. Here are 10 times over the past decade when major news outlets have featured our faculty.

The New Republic: Nathan Schneider wrote an essay on the Slow Food movement, arguing a slow computing approach could repair our experiences with technology. May 19, 2015.
The Denver Post: Chris Vargo studied Twitter data to see how vaccine misinformation spread and took hold in particular American communities. Sept. 27, 2017.
The Washington Post: Angie Chuang wrote an op-ed on the problems her race and journalism class tries to solve, and the struggle businesses like Starbucks have faced in confronting them. June 13, 2018.
Forbes: Casey Fiesler sat for a Q&A on the need for ethics in the technology industry, particularly social media. Jan. 14, 2021.
The Guardian: Elizabeth Skewes talked about her research on whether news media covering school shootings influences future acts of violence. May 12, 2023.
Scientific American: Leysia Palen talked about the dangers of information isolation during disasters that knock out telecommunications services. Sept. 11, 2023.
KUNC/NPR: Josh Shepperd talked about the history and influence of public media, especially amid great economic change in the journalism industry. April 10, 2024.
The New York Times: Following the publication of her most recent book, on romance writing, Chris Larson explained the circumstances behind the breakup of Romance Writers of America. July 24, 2024.
The Associated Press: Erin Willis was interviewed about her work on patient influencers and the language used in pharmaceuticals advertising. Nov. 14, 2024.
Denver7 (ABC): Jed Brubaker discussed the launch of the Digital Legacy Clinic and the need to proactively manage our digital footprints before we die. Dec. 11, 2024.

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Building a case for A.I.

Regan Widergren — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 23:42:53 +0000

Building a case for A.I. Regan Widergren Thu, 11/06/2025 - 16:42

Joe Arney

Sandra Ristovska in the Wolf Law courtroom. Ristovska is spending the academic year at Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences as she fleshes out her research into visual evidence and the U.S. justice system. Photo by Kimberly Coffin.

I am surrounded by people who are at the top of their fields, working in areas like artificial intelligence, democracy and equality, immigration, the environment. It’s incredible.”

Sandra Ristovska

The first day of classes at 91��ý this fall was also the day Sandra Ristovska got the keys to her office—or study, as such spaces are known at Stanford University’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

Unsurprisingly, she sounds much like a new student herself, excited about having so much to look forward to and full of energy and enthusiasm about what awaits her. (Like a new CU student, she’s quick to gush about the views, which in her case include forests, palm trees and dramatic overlooks of Silicon Valley.)

“I am surrounded by people who are at the top of their fields, working in areas like artificial intelligence, democracy and equality, immigration, the environment. It’s incredible,” said Ristovska, associate professor of media studies and director of the college’s Visual Evidence Lab.

Being selected as a fellow to the center is a high honor. Among its alumni, CASBS counts a host of Nobel, Pulitzer and MacArthur winners, along with such luminaries as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and George Shultz, U.S. secretary of state under Ronald Reagan.

Just being included in such company would be distinguished enough, but at the outset of the yearlong residency, Ristovska learned she was awarded the Leonore Annenberg and Wallis Annenberg Fellowship in Communication at CASBS.

It’s a full-circle moment for Ristovska, who earned her PhD from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania; she said it was “very meaningful and very special” to get an endowed fellowship from the family.

CASBS is renowned for providing a home for scholars engaged in pioneering research into complex contemporary problems. The interdisciplinary nature of each class of fellows encourages the kinds of stimulating conversations that help push researchers outside their niches and make broader connections to major societal challenges.

Ristovska is counting on that cross-pollination to help her in drafting her next book, tentatively titled Deepfaking Images, which will offer a legal and social history of the use of technology to manipulate evidentiary media.

New twist on an old problem

Although the use of generative A.I. to distort real images, or cook up fake videos, is certainly a contemporary challenge—the Visual Evidence Lab is examining this topic in depth—it’s just the latest tool in a problem going back more than a century. For instance, video can be sped up or slowed to distort its meaning, while photo manipulation is as old as photography itself.

What interests Ristovska about the use of visual assets in court is what such evidence indicates about access to justice.

“Oftentimes, the best-resourced party has the language and ability to use or challenge this type of evidence when it’s presented against them—or to hire videographers or software experts to present such evidence in the first case,” she said. “In criminal cases, this tends to tilt the scales in the prosecution’s favor.”

Published works of CASBS fellows are permanently stored in the center’s Tyler Collection; when completed, Ristovska’s book will be among them. It’s fitting, since already her work is benefiting from interactions with other fellows.

“We have lunch every day with the other fellows, and of course we all ask each other what it is we do,” she said. “It’s invigorating to tell people about my work, hear their excitement about it and also listen to their ideas for how the different things they focus on might get me to think differently about my book.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

Sandra Ristovska’s research into video evidence and deepfakes is getting further refined during a prestigious fellowship at Stanford.

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Media Studies

2 minutes with: Kaoutar El Ouadi

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And the Grammy goes to…

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Spring 2025: 2 minutes with Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe

Rory Fitzgerald BledsoePhD Candidate, Media Studies

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Announcing the fall 2025 dean's list

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When retreat trumps the rise of global free markets

The rise of IBM

Signals in foreign policy noise

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All together now: 2025 at CMDI

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John Oliver segment on public media gets major assist from CMDI

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Playing to win

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10 for 10: Notable newsmakers

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Building a case for A.I.

New twist on an old problem

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Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe
PhD Candidate, Media Studies