COMS News | May 2025
May Newsletter
COMS Announcements
COMS Club
Want to get involved in the COMS major, show your engagement in the discipline, and connect with other COMS students? You're invited to attend COMS Club all quarter long! When and where are the meetings? Visit the COMS Club website or follow their Instagram account for the most up-to-date information. Spring 2025 events are tentatively scheduled below (primarily 11:10 am - 12 pm in 10-223 unless otherwise noted).
- Week 7 (May 15): Internships/interview advice
- Week 7 (May 16): Panda Express fundraiser (all day)
- Week 8 (May 22): Bracelet-making social/picnic (outside at Dexter)
COMS Summer Classes
Summer COMS class enrollment is open! Summer can be a great time to pick up a class or two and take care of a few more requirements or explore a subject that has been of interest to you, but you weren't able to fit into your schedule during the academic year. For a list of class offerings, visit the following summary page and check out the Cal Poly class registration page to see what spaces are still available!
COMS End-of-Year Celebration
We are busy planning an exciting spring end-of-year celebration event for the Communication Studies community. This annual event is a great time to connect with your peers and professors for a fun evening of food, conversation, games, and prizes. Watch for more information soon, including details on how to RSVP for this fun end-of-year celebration.
COMS Awards Ceremony
Join us in honoring the accomplishments of our amazing students during the afternoon COMS Awards & Recognitions Ceremony. This event will be held to announce student achievements in areas such as academic excellence, research, service, and DEI efforts. Snacks & refreshments will be served.
- Thursday, May 29, 2025, 11:10 AM - 12:00 PM, Building 33 Room 286 (Clyde P. Fisher Science Hall)
- Click here for RSVP Link (RSVP by May 26 @11:59pm)
COMS Debate News
We are excited to announce that Cassidy Dolin (Grad student in Public Policy) and Bryanna Gay (COMS Alum, Winter 2022 and Grad student in Public Policy) have finished the 2nd Sierra Sustainability Summit as finalists. The topic for this year’s summit was: “How can Federal and Tribal co-management practices and policies be strengthened in order to balance and achieve the following goals: Increasing the sustainability of public lands, encouraging increased visitation by non-traditional visitors, and ensuring Indigenous peoples’ access rights to their accustomed and usual lands?” The award-winning Sierra Sustainability Summit was founded by Cal Poly alumnus Shane Patrick, who created the program as the capstone for her Master of Public Policy degree. She was named the CLA graduate student of the year in 2024.
CSU Social Science Student Symposium (S4)
Students presented the results of their class research projects at the annual CSU-Wide Social Science Student Symposium (S4) at CSU Dominguez Hills, May 1, 2025. Congrats to the following students who represented the Media & Comm Research Initiative & COMS department with their fabulous research!
- Chloe DeLaura (with paper collaborators Yajaira Cruz, Hue Lykes, and Luka Wick) presented a co-authored paper titled: The Effect of Email Style on Professionalism and Etiquette
- Elizabeth DeRuvo (with paper collaborators Hanna Lee and Simone Orlando) presented a co-authored paper titled: The Effect of Fandom Disclosure on Interpersonal Attraction and Perceived Professional Competence
- Marshall Piros and Andrea Valle (with paper collaborators Camille Kutrosky and Kaylie Marrs) presented a co-authored paper titled: The Effects of Influencer Type on Purchase Intention, Advertiser Credibility, and Brand Perception
- Maddie Vargas, Koben Bunnell, and Vanessa Ulloa (with paper collaborator Julia Jones) presented a co-authored paper titled: Emojis and Professionalism: Effects on Perceived Competence and Interpersonal Attraction *Recipient of the "Gloria Rummels" Best Use of Quantitative Data Award Honorary Mention (2nd place, $200 award)
Spotlights
We're proud to share the amazing stories of our current students and alumni! This month, we're spotlighting the work and leadership of three alumni (Adrianna Blodgett (COMS ’24), Aly Brook (COMS ’24), and Kristina Yan (COMS ’24)) and a current COMS major, Jonah Rienks!
- In a recent CLA Recap story, the incredible work of our students was celebrated! This recap story summarizes the work that Adrianna, Aly, and Kristina conducted in spring 2024 for their senior project, in which they organized a series of networking and job-related events specifically for COMS students last year (sponsored with funding from Poly Gives 2024). These events included: (1) a resume and cover letter workshop; (2) an interview tips and elevator pitch workshop; (2) and a career networking and job fair centered on communications-related industries. These events were highly successful and helped provide COMS students with career events and opportunities tailored directly to them!
- Jonah Rienks (COMS, graduating Spring 2025) was one of two Cal Poly students who won the prestigious Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Scholarship to teach English in Japan. The JET Program is highly competitive, receiving around 5,000 applications yearly for 1000 English teaching assistant positions across Japan! Big congrats Jonah!
Events & Opportunities
COMS Student Assistant Position
We're hiring! The COMS department is looking for a student assistant for the next academic year (starting Fall 2025). Want to work with a great team in a collegiate environment while refining your skills in professional administration and social media management? Join the Communication Studies Department team! We're looking for a reliable and creative student assistant to handle front desk duties and help curate our social media presence. If you're a social media master, have strong communication skills, and want to work on exciting projects, apply now! Applications are due Friday, May 9, 2025 (by 5:00PM). For application information, login to your Cal Poly Portal and click on the Mustang Jobs link — Search for Job #3524 to apply!
CLA Diversity Committee
The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Student Diversity Committee is now accepting nominations for students passionate about promoting an inclusive learning environment within our college community. This is an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful impact by working alongside fellow students to create positive change and foster feelings of belonging. If you're interested in becoming a member or know someone who would be a great fit, we encourage you to submit an application! The Deadline to submit applications is Friday, May 9. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Nailah DuBose, Chair of the CLA Student Diversity Committee.
CLA Group Counseling
Feeling anxious about your career path, or just have some questions you've been meaning to ask? Join a group career counseling session designed specifically for CLA students! This is a supportive space to ask questions, share ideas, and get advice. Group counseling sessions are designed for students to discuss topics such as career paths, majors/minors, job and internship searches, interviewing, salary negotiation, grad school, and more! Book an in-person session at the following link!
Mustang Media Group
Mustang Media Group is offering Grad Ads and Grad Slides to help families and friends recognize graduating seniors in a special way. Submissions will either be featured in the Mustang News Graduation Edition (distributed during commencement weekend) or displayed on the Spanos Stadium jumbo-tron prior to commencement ceremonies. For more information, please visit mustangnews.net/grad-ads. Photo submissions are due May 16th, 2025.
Memory Research Talks
You are invited to attend 'Memory Day,' an interdisciplinary afternoon-long conference on Wednesday, 5/14 from 2-6 pm in the Advanced Technologies Lab (ATL; Building 007). Cal Poly and Cal Maritime faculty will share their memory-related research across disciplines, ending with dinner and keynote speaker Dr. Charan Ranganath. Dr. Ranganath is a leading neuroscientist, UC Davis Professor, and bestselling author of Why We Remember. RSVP here to attend and for more information, email Dr. James Anthony or Dr. Kelly Bennion.
Public Interest Research Group Jobs
Are you looking for a career that allows you to learn skills in advocacy and organizing? The Student Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) is hiring for immediate start positions (as well as positions starting in fall 2025) to make a difference in important problems facing our communities. They are looking for seniors who are passionate about issues like protecting our remaining wildlife and wild places, tackling the plastic waste crisis, helping students register and make plans to vote, and more. To find out more information, visit the PIRG website and apply here.
Faculty & Staff News
Faculty Research & Service
Our COMS Department faculty are always participating in high-quality teaching, research, and service projects within our academic community! This month we're highlighting the following news showcasing the work of your professors:
Dr. Sergio Fernando Juárez's scholarship was recently published by Communication Education in an article titled “Imagining futures for communication education: a transnational response to antigender education in Latin America." This co-authored piece (published with C. Kyle Rudick) examines the antigender movement in American education from a transnational perspective, looking at similar issues that previously emerged in Latin America. This piece argues that the "antigender movement has become a tool for far-right populists such as Bolsonaro and Trump, who exploit moral panic to consolidate political power."
Professor Lisa Kawamura recently accepted two expanded service and leadership positions in CFA Statewide for 2025-2026 while also being recognized for her important service work! First, she was elected as the Associate Vice President for Chapter Presidents North, and the Chair of the Contract Development and Bargaining Strategies Committee. In addition, she was selected by Salud Carbajal as one of the 2025 Congressional Women of the Year recipients for District 24, while being nominated and selected from over 100-nominated women through the 24th Congressional District! Way to go Lisa!
Dr. Sasha Sanders was invited as a guest artist for the Marion Kleinau Theatre at Southern Illinois University, presenting a research talk titled "A Black Feminist Guide to Fanart, Comics, and Radical Imagination." The event took place Friday, April 11, and featured key aspects of Dr. Sanders' research and pedagogy. Dr. Sanders discussed the embodied, cultural, and political significance of making autoethnographic comics and critical fanart.
Dr. Sasha Sanders was also a guest speaker for a unique film screening and panel discussion titled "Grand Theft Hamlet." The film examined the idea of auditioning, rehearsing, and performing theatre entirely within the world of the video game, Grand Theft Auto with discussions centered on theatre, video, games, and communication. The event took place Friday, April 25.
Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)
Two COMS faculty members were selected for funding sponsored by the CLA Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP). SURP is designed to promote diverse and equitable engagement for CLA students in faculty-led research and creative activities.
- Dr. Victoria Zamora & Dr. Marion Hart will be collaborating to lead a project called "Latina Testimonios & Community Mapping: Documenting Stories, Transforming Research." This is an interdisciplinary project that explores the lived experiences of Latina women across California’s Central Coast using testimonio methodology and participatory community mapping to capture and spatially contextualize stories that highlight Latina communities’ cultural, economic, and historical contributions.
Sharing is Caring
Do you have an announcement to share with COMS majors, minors, faculty, and staff? Email Dr. Brie to find out how to share it! Follow COMS on Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn