Cal Poly Journalism

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Nicolas Nardi is a graduating senior majoring in journalism with a concentration in public relations. His passion for jo...
06/09/2026

Nicolas Nardi is a graduating senior majoring in journalism with a concentration in public relations. His passion for journalism stems from an early love of storytelling, though it was not until his sophomore year at community college that he officially chose the field as his career path.

“I was struggling to decide what I wanted to do with my future, when my best friend from high school suggested I switch my major from business to journalism. I enjoyed business, but was unsure where I wanted to take it,” Nardi said. “Now, as a PR concentration, I feel I’ve found a perfect balance of my love for storytelling with my business-oriented mindset.”

Throughout his college career, Nardi has taken on a variety of leadership and media roles. At his community college, he served as the art director for the campus magazine and worked as a multimedia reporter for the student newspaper. After transferring to Cal Poly, he joined the journalism department’s communications team and worked as a marketing assistant for Mustang Media Group.

As he reflects on his college experience, Nardi points to this year’s Mustang Media Fest as one of his favorite memories. The event taught him the value of hard work while also strengthening the friendships that became an important part of his college journey.

After graduation, Nardi will begin his career as the marketing and event manager for a winery in Paso Robles. He credits Cal Poly with preparing him for this next step through hands-on experiences with the journalism department, Mustang Media Group, and his public relations coursework.

“Aside from being the most fun I’ve ever had in a classroom, Dr. McDonald-Liu’s crisis PR class taught me so many great skills in crisis management. I will absolutely be taking what I learned into my future career,” Nardi said. 

Looking ahead, Nardi hopes to find a professional community as supportive and meaningful as the one he built at Cal Poly. The friendships, experiences and opportunities he found there have left a lasting impact, one he knows he will never take for granted.

Eamon Ryan, a fourth-year journalism student concentrating in media innovation, was drawn to Cal Poly’s journalism progr...
06/02/2026

Eamon Ryan, a fourth-year journalism student concentrating in media innovation, was drawn to Cal Poly’s journalism program after touring the campus in 2021. During the visit, he recognized how closely the field aligned with the interests he had developed throughout his childhood.

“A lot of my childhood was spent creating mock articles, animating, making short films and podcasts, so journalism combined all of my interests in writing, audio & visual production, and creative storytelling,” Ryan said. 

Through his time at Cal Poly, Ryan has been a part of the Cal Poly Climbing Team and had the opportunity to study abroad in Germany at Stuttgart Media University. Professionally, he has gained experience working at Pacific Coast Television in San Francisco and currently interns at KSBY News. After graduation, he will remain at KSBY as a full-time producer.

Through it all, one of his favorite memories has been taking JOUR 353: Advanced Broadcast Journalism Practicum.

“Shooting and creating video packages for Mustang News T.V. and working in the studio was incredibly engaging and made me realize I wanted to focus more time on the broadcast side of journalism,” Ryan said. 

As Ryan reflects on his four years, he said the most rewarding aspect of his journalism education has been the opportunity to connect with people and learn from their experiences. Ryan credits these experiences for allowing him to be more confident socially and eager to share people’s stories. 

“I think I am just very happy with how journalism has developed my writing and storytelling skills. Journalistic writing is a very different type of writing compared to what I was used to before coming to Cal Poly, but I have definitely improved a lot during my time here,” Ryan said.

Sedona Harris is a fourth-year journalism major concentrating in news. She credits her introduction to journalism course...
05/19/2026

Sedona Harris is a fourth-year journalism major concentrating in news. She credits her introduction to journalism course at community college, taught by Dr. Shermak, with setting her on the path to journalism. She was drawn to the field by the opportunity to learn people’s backstories.

Harris currently works on the social media and video team for Mustang Media Group and helps manage social media for Milestone Tavern. Reflecting on her time in journalism, she says the list of memorable experiences continues to grow, but one stands out. At last year’s Shabang, she was able to interview with Almost Monday. She was amazed that she could interview and chat with a group whom she admired so much. 

Harris said the journalism program has been crucial in helping her build meaningful connections.

“I feel blessed to have been able to learn from so many professors who truly care, want to see me succeed, and helped me to produce the best work I could. I also am so grateful for all of my classmates and coworkers from Mustang News who have made my time here so valuable, and I know will be in my life long past graduation,” Harris said. “It’s also been so rewarding to meet so many people in this community who have trusted me to tell their story and to hear from them post-print that they are happy with the work I’ve produced.”

Looking to the future, Harris hopes to move back home to Hawai’i to shine a light on her local community through her reporting.

Amery Gill is a first-year journalism major whose interest in the field began in her high school’s broadcast program. Th...
05/12/2026

Amery Gill is a first-year journalism major whose interest in the field began in her high school’s broadcast program. There, she gained experience writing scripts for daily news shows, anchoring live broadcasts, and shooting, editing and producing content.

Now at Cal Poly, Gill has continued building her skills as a member of the Mustang Media Group sports video and photo teams. Her work has earned her the role of photo editor for Mustang Media Group for the upcoming year.

Gill said her favorite experiences so far have come from the variety of hands-on classes offered at Cal Poly. One highlight was photographing the Cal Poly Rodeo and producing a photo essay.

Gill also values the connections she has built with professors and peers, noting that collaboration has played a key role in her growth.

“Through my time here with MMG, I have developed many of my previous skills through photography and videography,” said Gill. “As a sports photographer, I have been able to develop my knowledge on the key players and logistics of our sports, which ultimately allows me to better the quality of my work.”

Looking ahead, Gill hopes to continue growing as a photographer and aspires to work for a professional sports organization such as the NBA or MLB. During her time at Cal Poly, she discovered a soft spot for photography.

Andrew Aguiniga holds several roles within Mustang Media Group, including sports reporter for Mustang News, news reporte...
05/05/2026

Andrew Aguiniga holds several roles within Mustang Media Group, including sports reporter for Mustang News, news reporter for KCPR, assistant producer for KCPR’s “Saddle Up Sports” show and DJ for KCPR.

His favorite memory at Cal Poly has been covering the women’s soccer Big West Championship game between Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara.

“Cal Poly’s Jessie Halladay scored a game-winning goal with two minutes left in the match, and I was very grateful that I was able to witness and capture the raw emotion that had burst from both the players and the audience members as they celebrated the goal and the win,” Aguiniga said.
 
Aguiniga said he enjoys the way the department allows students to experiment in different avenues of journalism. 

“When I first joined MMG, I only intended to join the copy team for sports, but I ultimately decided to try joining other teams in MMG, and I ended up really enjoying it,” Aguiniga said. “The community surrounding each team I am a part of is really fun and super supportive.”

His favorite skill he has gained at Cal Poly is his conversational ability. Aguiniga said his ability to talk to people as a reporter has improved through his experiences in the department. Speaking on the radio and interviewing others have helped him develop these skills.

Looking to the future, he hopes to be a sports journalist, particularly for ESPN or the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Maya Ziv’s interest in journalism began with her high school newspaper, where she had the opportunity to connect with pe...
04/28/2026

Maya Ziv’s interest in journalism began with her high school newspaper, where she had the opportunity to connect with people from different backgrounds, learn about varying perspectives and covering events outside her everyday experience.

Ziv is currently on the Mustang News social media team, and previously worked on the feature writing team. Outside of Mustang News, Ziv is an academic peer adviser. Her favorite memory at Cal Poly has been in her JOUR 390 course – Visual Communication for the Mass Media.

“One of my favorite experiences has been building my graphic design skills through JOUR 390, where I learned how to use different Adobe platforms,” Ziv said. “I loved how I was able to showcase my creativity in that class, and the projects I made in that class are some of the ones I am most proud of.”

As she reflects on her time at Cal Poly, Ziv said building friendships with like-minded peers and finding a sense of community have been the most rewarding parts. She also credits the journalism department for her development of strong communication skills. 

“Through my experiences in journalism, I’ve become much more confident in approaching new people, asking thoughtful questions, and starting meaningful conversations, which I know I will carry with me into my career in the future,” Ziv said. 

Looking to the future, Ziv dreams of pursuing a career in public relations or marketing, specifically within the fashion or entertainment industry. 

“I’m especially drawn to the creative side of PR that includes crafting campaigns, social media content creation and connecting with audiences in new ways,” Ziv said.

Roman Noravian is a second-year journalism major concentrating in broadcast news. His interest in journalism began at an...
04/14/2026

Roman Noravian is a second-year journalism major concentrating in broadcast news. His interest in journalism began at an early age through English and history courses, and even reading Yelp reviews. When he came to college, he knew he wanted to pursue a field that would allow him to continue telling people’s stories.

Noravian currently works as a video reporter for Mustang News. One of his favorite memories at Cal Poly was reporting on the Grubhub delivery robots.

“The story involved a lot of moving parts, which resulted in me interviewing people that included students who worked for the company that designed the robots, Campus Dining employees and a spokesperson from Cal Poly Partners,” Noravian said. “I had a great time sifting through each interview and eventually putting them together into a comprehensive story that highlighted both staff and students’ thoughts on the robots.”
 
The most rewarding part of his experience at Cal Poly has been learning alongside classmates and professors. He said he enjoys learning about different personal and professional backgrounds and how those perspectives shape reporting styles. He also values the opportunity to connect with new people.

“As journalists, we need interviews for our stories, which often means we have to talk to people we don’t know,” Noravian said. “Seeing as this is the case, I’ve become more confident in talking with strangers and asking them questions.”

Looking ahead, Noravian hopes to continue working in broadcast, focusing on features and profiles, and possibly exploring food media.

Gabby Gerster is a first-year journalism major considering a concentration in news. Her interest in journalism began in ...
04/06/2026

Gabby Gerster is a first-year journalism major considering a concentration in news. Her interest in journalism began in middle school, where she discovered a passion for storytelling. She later gained experience working with her local radio station in Nevada City, California, through its Youth News Corps program.

As she begins the spring quarter, Gerster has joined both the Mustang News video team and the KCPR news team after completing the program’s rotational track. Reflecting on her first few months at Cal Poly, she said her favorite experience was in Julie Lynem’s News Reporting and Writing class.

“Walking in on the first day, I had so much imposter syndrome, but our class culture was so positive and uplifting that I felt at home pretty quickly,” Gerster said. “That class was the first time I got to really work on my own written stories, and I’m really grateful for all of the progress and connection I found so early on in my journey.”

Gerster is currently working on a video team project in which members hiked five trails in a single day. She said she valued the opportunity to collaborate with peers who share her enthusiasm for journalism.

“It was an amazing experience spending time with people who are as passionate about journalism as I am,” Gerster said. “Everyone I’ve worked with has been nothing but supportive in my journey, and I owe all of my confidence and progress so far to all of my journalism buddies.”

Gerster hopes to pursue a career reporting on education policy, inspired by her parents, who are public school teachers. She has long been interested in policy and decision-making at all levels and aims to produce stories that make complex issues more accessible to the public.

Mackenzie Hale is a second year journalism major with a minor in law and society and concentration in public relations. ...
03/31/2026

Mackenzie Hale is a second year journalism major with a minor in law and society and concentration in public relations. She initially joined Cal Poly as an English major but began searching for a more creative path that encouraged her love for storytelling and helping others. After a conversation with department chair Professor Teufel, Hale said she realized journalism was the right fit.

As she heads into the spring quarter, Hale will join the Mustang News social media team after participating in the program’s rotational track. One of her favorite memories dates back to her first day of classes in the fall.

She said the welcoming environment stood out immediately.

“My intro to journalism class had a mixer with MMG staff members and professors where we were introduced to more than half of the department. Each professor explained their position, classes they teach, and more,” Hale said. “It was my first day, and I already felt so involved in the community. Whenever I’m in the graphic comms building I’m bound to see 10+ friendly faces. The community is strong, and filled with such intellectual and driven people. I’m grateful each day to be their classmate, student, or coworker.”

Hale said the most rewarding part of her experience has been the connections and friendships she has built. Through those relationships, she has learned the value of dedication and meaningful conversation.

“My favorite skill I have taken away is my ability to ask someone for an interview,” Hale said. “This has taught me so much about people skills and the importance of thoughtful listening.”

Looking ahead, Hale hopes to go to law school on the East Coast and pursue a career that makes a meaningful impact. She also dreams of working as a food critic for a local magazine or newspaper.

Earlier this month, journalism students Dylan Allen, Jonathan Sze, Joslen Jimenez and Amanda Avila reported from the men...
03/30/2026

Earlier this month, journalism students Dylan Allen, Jonathan Sze, Joslen Jimenez and Amanda Avila reported from the men’s basketball Big West Championships in Henderson, Nevada, on March 11. For the fourth consecutive year, Mustang News traveled to cover Cal Poly athletes at the tournament. 

Despite a narrow first-round loss to UC San Diego, the team gained invaluable hands-on experience. The students produced a video package on the program’s future, attended postgame press conferences and interviewed players Cayden Ward, Hamad Mousa and head coach Mike DeGeorge regarding the team’s season and outlook.

Beyond the video production, the students delivered real-time coverage through live updates on the Mustang News web page and social media feed. Together, the trip helped strengthen their skills in reporting, interviewing and multimedia production.

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