Where Ya At? SDSU's Journalism and Media Studies podcast

J. Fred Sidhu ('83) is a publicist for the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and has decades of experience in the media relations/public relations field. 

His episode is filled with stories about the value of treating others with kindness and respect. Sidhu talks about his start at The San Diego Union-Tribune and why he's been drawn to sports and sports journalism for much of his life. 

"Where Ya At?" is a podcast focused on the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University. Each week, during the Fall and Spring se...

Antonio Morales ('12) is a football reporter for The Athletic, a sports-journalism department of the New York Times. 

In his episode, Morales recounts his experience reporting on USC and discusses his recent beat change to roster collection. 

"Where Ya At?" is a podcast focused on the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University. Each week, during the Fall and Spring semesters, host Josh Suchon (Class of 1996) interviews alumni to learn about their experiences as college students, entering the workforce, key steps in their professional development, advice they'd give to current st...

Emely Navarro ('18) is a digital producer at Access Hollywood, an Emmy award-winning news producer and the founder & CEO of her own coffee company, Navarro Coffee Co. 

In her episode, she touches on her current work as a producer and her past work as a production assistant and how she has always felt a connection to pop culture and entertainment-focused media work. 

"Where Ya At?" is a podcast focused on the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University. Each week, during the Fall and Spring semesters, host Jo...

Allie Cone ('22) is a creative marketer in the alcoholic beverage industry, specializing in content creation, copywriting, and influencer marketing.

In her episode, she discusses digital marketing in the world of consumer packaged goods (CPG) and the importance of social media. Her time at SDSU was busy but productive, and has led her to where she is now. 

"Where Ya At?" is a podcast focused on the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University. Each week, during the Fall and Spring semesters, host Josh Suchon (Class of 1996) interviews alumni to l...

Josh Suchon ('96) is the founder and former host of the "Where Ya At?" podcast. Josh has interviewed 75 outstanding professionals in the realm of various communications fields and has inspired students to achieve their goals through his creations. 

In the first episode with new host Rami Alarian, Josh recounts his experience at SDSU, which led him on the pathway toward voice acting, sportswriting, radio work, play-by-play announcing and writing a novel. 

Josh talks about his experience using his voice for work and his time branching away from sports journalism as an author of the true cr...

This episode is a wonderful interview of Joshua 

"Where Ya At?" is a podcast focused on the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University. Each week, during the Fall and Spring semesters, host Josh Suchon (Class of 1996) interviews alumni to learn about their experiences as college students, entering the workforce, key steps in their professional development, advice they'd give to current students, and details about how they covered a specific story.

Madison Cadena ('25) is the outgoing Editor in Chief of The Daily Aztec and will soon be moving to Dayton, Ohio after graduating with a degree in journalism for a job as a producer with WDTN-TV.

In the final episode for the Spring 2025 semester, Madison reflects on her tenure guiding the venerable student newspaper, the biggest stories of the year, including the back-to-back huge news stories at SDSU that both occurred on Halloween, plus the impact of the paper's first faculty advisor.

Madison also explains the process of landing her first job, her future goals in...

Tom Fletcher (1991-95) was just named the Senior Vice President of Partnerships for the Houston Rockets, after six years with the Phoenix Suns in business development and nine years with the Portland Trail Blazers in sponsorship.

Without knowing it at the time, Fletcher' sales career began as a student-athlete who hosted potential future Aztecs on the football team. He explains why his LinkedIn makes no mention of his time in the NFL, what prepared him for life after his football career ended, why he thinks basketball has the ideal number of games for entertaining clients, and how...

Trinity Alicia (2018-22) is a digital producer at The 74 focusing on Education, a freelance writer, the founder of Media Moments, and was one of the five founding members for SDSU's chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Listen as Trinity describes how giving campus tours as a student helped develop her storytelling techniques, meet future coworkers at The Daily Aztec, and how an actor on a tour helped secure one of her first internships. Now she continues to help student journalists by organizing industry panels for Media Moments.

At The 74, a non-profit news website...

John Toma ('01) works for a drug and alcohol testing company by day. Then in the his spare time, he's created "That 80s Dude" brand with over a half million followers on Instagram, a blog on Substack, videos on YouTube, and is the author of an upcoming book titled, "Nostalgia Nation: The Definitive Chronicle of Growing Up GenX."

In this week's rad podcast, Toma explains when he turned something fun into an organized full-fledged love letter to GenX across various platforms, why nostalgia matters, and what GenZ can learn about living in their own "good old days"...

Brandon Stone (2006-08) joined KUSI-TV as an intern in February of 2008 while attending San Diego State University. Upon his graduation, he became a foot soldier in the Prep Pigskin Report army. His roles molded over the next few years, going from daily producer and photographer to his current roles of KUSI sports director and PPR producer.

Reflecting on his journey, Brandon shares finding out about the internship opportunity and immediately leaving class to get more information, the special bond the PPR represents to the San Diego community, and telling the various stories within high school football through...

Natalie Terashima (2006-08) is a Senior Partner at Rachael Kay Public Relations, where she leverages her expertise in CPG brands, strategic communications, and the evolving media landscape to produce meaningful results for clients.

Her career at Rachael Kay began while still a student, thanks to a SDSU professor who setup a memorable meeting that Natalie fondly recalls. Natalie's never left the company. Whether it's using a machete herself to create corn crop circles for a campaign, or working with a Swedish oat milk company that took over minor league baseball, Natalie gives us the inside scoop of...

Audra Stafford (1997-01) has covered news and entertainment in San Diego County for more than two decades and is currently a morning reporter and fill-in anchor for NBC 7 San Diego. 

Even though she always aspired to be a reporter, Audra was heavily involved in Associated Students as an undergrad. While most SDSU students have to leave the market and return years later, Audra explains her unique story from intern to writer/producer and eventually on-camera reporter.

She offers practical advice on covering fires and extreme weather in the field, having a purpose to stand-ups, demo r...

Will Beall (1991-96) is a screenwriter whose writing credits include Gangster Squad, Justice League, Aquaman, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

In his own words, Will explains his unique path to screenwriting. He wanted to be graphic artist as a kid, majored in English at SDSU, and joined The Daily Aztec newsroom because of a girl. He discusses the jailhouse interview with a murder suspect that changed his mind about journalism and led him to become a police officer. We’ll delve into the crime novel he wrote on the side and un...

David Cordero (1998-01) spent 15 years as a writer and editor in the newspaper industry, then two different layoffs ultimately led him to his current job of Communications and Marketing Director for the city of St. George, Utah. 

A shy kid who originally wanted to become an accountant, David tells the unique story of how the 1998 Padres success inadvertently led him to realize that he wanted a different career, then an advertisement in The Daily Aztec sent him on a path to journalism.

Case in point: from a story about cross country coach Rahn Sheffield that m...

Justin Quis Quis (1994-97) is the founder of Sacred Bev Native Wellness, a founding member of the MESA Foundation, and one of the newest members of the SDSU Alumni Board of Advisors.

A lifelong fan of Aztecs sports, Justin initially chose journalism as his major and worked his way up to become Sports Editor at The Daily Aztec. He vividly recalls approaching future NFL Pro Bowler La'Roi Glover on the sidelines before a game and Raiders owner Al Davis stared daggers at him.

Find out what it's like to become a business owner, the inspiration...

Maya AlZaben (2016-20) is a freelance fashion writer and researcher, and recently launched her own marketing/public relations agency Mayaverse PR.

In this week's episode -- co-hosted with current SDSU student Tessa Finamore -- Maya reflects on finding journalism after realizing that interior design was not for her, starting her own fashion/politics website as a student, her favorite SDSU classes and professors, and her decision to attend Parsons School of Design's MA Fashion Studies program in New York City. 

Go behind-the-scenes with Maya as she shares sneaking into her first Fashion Week, how she i...

Crystal Fambrini was named "Outstanding Graduating Student" at San Diego State University and has created a prolific career as an award-winning broadcaster, executive producer, model, writer, podcaster, entrepreneur and real estate investor and agent.

She enjoys working on multiple goals at once. Crystal's abundance of energy is evident as we review her career. She explains how she landed an internship and job at the prestigious ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, beating out more than 7500 applications to become an on-air talent and producer on Al Gore's Emmy-awarding winning Current TV channel, producing the first meditation in...

Omar Ruiz (1999-02) is a Host and Reporter for the NFL Network, a position he's held since 2012 following stops at three local TV stations and the NHL Network. Ruiz can be seen regularly on "The Insiders" and "NFL GameDay Morning."

On the eve of the Super Bowl, Omar shares how he was hired at the NFL Network, the advantage of only covering one sport, the balancing act working for a league-owned network, what it's like covering Super Bowls, and previews this week's assignments.

Omar also reflects on covering the Aztecs men's basketball team for KCR...

The "Where Ya At?" podcast returns from the holiday hiatus and the leadoff guest this semester is Dr. Nathian Rodriguez, an Associate Professor and the Associate Director for the School of Journalism and Media Studies.

Dr. Nate gives updates on changes to the name of degrees, new JMS classes this semester, the trends for what careers JMS students want to pursue, an overview of his class on Audio Production and Storytelling, how he utilizes pop culture in his lectures, his Selena and Bad Bunny courses, JMS' philosophy on when Artificial Intelligence is allowed and not allowed, along...

Jeff Siembieda (1983-88) is the executive director of the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, the co-host of the "Opening Drive" sports talk radio show on KNML The Sports Animal, and a former television anchor and reporter. He's been honored as the New Mexico Sportscaster of the Year three times.

In a vast decorated career, Siembieda explains why he's most proud of the creation and longevity of the college football bowl game, and the story that's told to spectators and TV viewers annually.

Siembieda also details what it's like planning 364 days for one game a year, balancing...

Brook Bentley (2007-11) is an Account Director at KPS3, a marketing agency where she specializes in identifying digital marketing opportunities, leading client relationships, and driving strategic initiatives to deliver seamless collaboration and impactful marketing solutions.

In this week's podcast, Brook reflects on arriving at SDSU as an Undeclared Major, why she chose Journalism and Media Studies, favorite memories, and the curiosity that's guided her professional career.

Working in digital content and social media from the early years of it, she discusses different strategies that companies initially made and how those decisions are still felt today...

Rebecca Waer (1998-01) is an Emmy-nominated producer and storyteller who has worked on numerous TV series involving history, true crime and ancestry that have aired on A&E, Discovery, NBC, Travel Channel, HGTV & many more.

In this week's episode, we discuss the ethics involved in producing true crime series, how she learned the story of Billie Allen, the documentary she helped created about his controversial sentencing, and the ongoing goals of www.freebillieallen.com to get him pardoned by President Biden.

Rebecca provides details on some of her other favorite projects, including "Who do you...

Howard Stutz (1979-82) is a Senior Reporter who covers gaming, tourism, cannabis and sports business for The Nevada Independent, a revolutionary news site, a 501c3 nonprofit committed to transparent journalism.

In this week's episode, Stutz provides the back story of how he and his colleagues at The Las Vegas Review-Journal discovered the paper's new owner was Sheldon Adelson's family in 2016, why the family initially wanted it to be a secret, why it was in the public's interest to know the truth, and how Howard knew it would ultimately cost him his job.

An award-winning journalist...

Nina Garin ('97) is a former Arts and Entertainment reporter/editor at The San Diego Union-Tribune and KPBS who is now the Associate Director of Marketing and Communications for The Old Globe theatre.

She got her start at The Daily Aztec and shared stories in this week's podcast about press junkets to New York and interviewing Madonna as a student journalist. Then how she got hired at the U-T, writing about the local music scene, and how some of her favorite stories were "a day in the life" of blink-182 and NSYNC superfans on the day of...

Eric Winter (1990-94) is the President and Chief Operating Officer of TrillerTV, the latest stop in a decorated career where he's become one of the most successful sports business executives in the country.

In this week's podcast, we trace Eric's unique journey that started as an Africana Studies major and Daily Aztec sportswriter. Then how the connection he made as a student with former SDSU Senior Women's Administrator Jayne Hancock led to a job working for her at DIRECTV, which was the springboard for a shift from journalism to the business side of sports.

Eric...

Patrick Green (1993-97) is a multi-faceted writer/director/producer who tells inspiring and thought-provoking stories from the inside-out. His films have played at over 100+ film festivals across the globe and are now streaming on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Roku. 

In this week's podcast, Patrick tells the story of how stories begin. In particular, the story of how driving through LA in the early stages of Covid eventually led to his debut feature film, “Sincerely, Los Angeles," a colorful and heartfelt love letter from the City of Angels to Kobe Bryant.

A journalist turned documentary filmmaker, amo...

Kelly Hillock (2012-16) is the content marketing manager for National Funding, where she writes and edits a variety of communications, including articles for small business owners.

A second generation Aztec, Kelly shares the story of how SDSU chose her, how long she wanted to be a writer, choosing Public Relations as a major, still spending her entire collegiate years working for the student newspaper, and the various jobs she took while navigating which direction to pursue as a professional.

Kelly ascended to Daily Aztec Editor In Chief. She reflects on the responsibility of preserving a...

Tim Grenda (1992-94) is a former newspaper reporter who went to law school on the recommendation of courtroom lawyers, and is now a Content Strategist, Search Engine Optimization Manager for SDSU's Global Campus.

Grenda reflects on how he landed interviews with so many big name entertainers while a college student, including the time he was interviewing Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats and learned Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was dead before the news went public. After college, he covered the courts, and was among the reporters who witnessed an execution. He shares the nuances involved in covering...

Gasia Mikaelian (1995-97) has worked for KTVU in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2005 and is currently an anchor for Mornings on 2 from 7-10 am and the Fox 2 News at Noon. 

Her TV reporting career started as an intern at KFMB in San Diego, then went from Yuma, AZ to Huntsville, AL, back to San Diego, then Houston, before she landed her dream job back in her home region. 

In this week's episode, Gasia describes the culture of a morning newsroom, advice for demo reels, mastering how to read a teleprompter, specific examples of a “teas...

Kayla Jimenez (2015-17) is an award-winning national correspondent for USA TODAY. She specializes in reporting on the American education system, including recent stories about the decline of school buses and if cell phones should be banned in schools. She formerly covered education for The Mercury News, East Bay Times and Voice of San Diego. 

In this week's "Where Ya At?" episode, Kayla details some of the classes at SDSU and stories at The Daily Aztec that helped her prepare for a Journalism career.

Kayla details where she begins with a "trend" story, how to dig t...

Gina Jacobs ('01 & '10) serves as Associate Vice President for the SDSU Mission Valley Development at San Diego State University. She has a leading role in shaping and executing the university’s strategy to develop the Mission Valley
site.

Gina shares her story of coming to SDSU to study Drama and Journalism, working at the campus newspaper and radio station, and initially working at NBC San Diego as a promotions producer. She returned to SDSU professionally as a media relations manager, departed for four years, and returned again to campus at what proved to be a cr...

Simon Samano (2000-05) is the managing editor for MMAjunkie.com, a website affiliated with the USA Today Sports Media Group.

The first person from his family to attend college, Simon initially wanted to become a political reporter and began writing opinion columns at The Daily Aztec, before transitioning to become a sports writer. After working for three newspapers, Simon details the lengths he went to get hired at NFL.com, and how that led to USA Today and his current job.

Simon discusses some of the challenges of covering MMA, including managers threatening to withhold...

Jesse Marx, the new Student Media Manager for The Daily Aztec and KCR Radio, is the first guest as the "Where Ya At?" podcast returns from a summer hiatus.

We welcome Jesse to San Diego State University, learn about his background as a journalist, the impact that Covid-19 had on student media, why this new position was created, and his ambitious plans for the student newspaper and student radio station.

This week’s podcast also includes a call to action for alums who want to get further involved in KCR, The Daily Aztec or student me...

Darin Wong (2000-04) went almost immediately from being a San Diego State University student to working in the media relations office for the Aztecs athletic department, where he remained for 14 years, before moving to Boston to become the Director of Athletic Communications at Harvard University.

Wong tells the story of the flyer he saw in the PSFA building that sent him to the media relations office, getting started as a student intern and later hired full-time, his first time traveling with the men's basketball team, becoming a mentor to the next generation of student interns, and being...

Lauren Cella (2010-13) is a world history and Journalism advisor at McFarland High School in Central California, although she's more known for her "Gen Z History Lessons" that have been seen by millions on TikTok and Instagram, and the success of those videos landed her a spot on the NBC game show "Password" as teammates with Jimmy Fallon.

The videos were originally created during remote learning caused by the pandemic, then students encouraged her to share them on social video. Lauren details her process of ideas, the hook, filming, and provides lots of advice for others to...

David Brickley (2007-09) is the owner and CEO of STN Digital, a Social First Marketing Agency. He's also the host of the "Business of Social" and "Entrepreneur Wrap" podcasts.

Brickley tells the story of how the company's DNA traces back to creating a website hoping the Lakers would get NBA superstar Kevin Garnett, which became Lakers Nation, which led to creating content for Matt Barnes,  then Kobe Bryant, and is now trusted by the largest Sports & Entertainment brands in the world.

STN Digital was named "Top Workplace" three years in a row and Brickley explains w...

Will Fritz (2015-19) is a New York-based reporter who primarily covers extremism and LGBTQ+  stories for The American Independent.

Consuming the news was a regular part of his childhood and he quickly found a home in Journalism and The Daily Aztec student newspaper. A former Editor In Chief, Will shares the background on some of his memorable stories as a student reporter, including California Public Records Act requests, and why his old CA license plate reads "FRITZED."

Will explains why he was drawn to "Hard Journalism" and details the advantages of working for a progressive p...

Lorena Nava Ruggero ('04, '11) is currently the Director of Communication for San Diego Foundation and the ultimate Aztec: a third-generation alumnus who earned her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from SDSU, then returned to campus to become a Lecturer, work in the university's Media Relations department, and as the Editor of New Media.

Lorena shares the story of how a theatre kid discovered the world of Public Relations, why she liked it, embracing new technologies, and the importance of organizations telling their own stories through new media. 

She also gives a recent example of how t...

Jon Gold (2002-07) is an award-winning features writer and columnist with two decades of full-time beat, features and columnist experience. He's hosted radio and TV shows, podcasts and YouTube videos. He's currently the Brand Editorial Manager for Collectors, and the Senior Editor for PSA Magazine & PSA Pop Culture.

A staunch advocate for student journalism, Gold shares the impact of working for The Daily Aztec had on his  career, the lifelong friends he made, bonding with the current students at the Final Four last year, and teaching high school journalism.

Gold shares his process for takeout f...

Brooke Martell (2011-15) is a meteorologist and reporter for NBC 7 in San Diego, the same station where she interned as a student and where she worked her first broadcasting job after SDSU.

In between, she was a reporter and weather forecaster in her hometown of San Luis Obispo, Calif. where she covered wildfires, weather events, and community issues. Brooke shares how those stories impacted her decision to take online classes to obtain a certificate in meteorology, and why weather and climate stories are important to her.

Brooke offers practical advice on recording standups in...

Andrew Dyer (2016-18)  was enlisted in the Navy for over 10 years and served on two aircraft carriers before returning to school and pursuing a career in Journalism. Dyer explains why he wanted to become a writer, how covering the craft beer industry for San Diego City Beat developed his reporting skills, and finding a home on student newspapers.

A former Editor In Chief for The Daily Aztec, Dyer has worked for Voice of San Diego and the SD Union-Tribune, and is now a military and veterans affairs reporter for KPBS, where his stories appear on TV, radio a...

Kayla Asencio (Class of 2018) is a 4x Emmy-nominated freelance associate producer who got her start on the KUSI Prep Pigskin Report, has worked on two Olympics for the NBC Sports Group, and is currently contributing to the NFL's Emmy award-winning program, NFL 360.

We trace Kayla's journey from El Paso to San Diego, the junior high broadcasting class where she first discovered her desire to tell other people's stories, then working at KUSI while she was an 18-year-old freshman at SDSU.

After college, she landed one of three coveted spots in a 17-month rotational production program...

Eric Blehm (Class of 1994) is a two-time New York Times best-selling author who just released his fifth book, "The Darkest White: A Mountain Legend and the Avalanche That Took Him."

A self-admitted snowboarding bum while at SDSU with dreams of becoming a professional snowboarder, two conversations on ski lifts changed Blehm's life: the first was when a travel reporter peppered him with questions and he realized that he could be paid to write about outdoor lifestyles; the second is when a younger snowboarder saw a "Craig Kelly is my co-pilot" sticker on his board and asked, "who...

Cami Buckman (Class of 2018) is freelance video producer who has worked for The Los Angeles Times, a popular Youtube channel led by Johnny Harris, and now works in the world of documentary.

Initially inspired by watching journalist Lisa Ling's investigative segments on "The Oprah Show" as a kid, Cami shares how studying journalism provided the foundation for what she does now and how that background was instrumental in getting hired for jobs.

Whether the story is a deep dive explainer video into why we drink so much milk, or a look into some high-stakes adventures...

John Sasaki (Class of 1991) is Director of Communications for Oakland Unified School District, a job he took eight years ago, following 20 years as a reporter/anchor for KTVU-TV in the Bay Area.

A psychology major, John shares a fortuitous conversation on campus with a friend that inspired him to pursue Broadcast Journalism, the internships where he learned the industry, and some of his favorite moments through a decorated career covering live breaking news.

He also shares why it was time for a new challenge, the joy in advocating for students and telling their stories in...

Whitney Bond (Class of 2014) is a recipe developer, food blogger, on-air culinary host, published cookbook author and social media influencer. Whitney shares the story of early cooking memories in her family, baking cookies to make friends at SDSU and becoming known as “the girl who cooks” in the dorms, and the steps of turning her food blog into a career.

Cooking segments on TV are excellent exposure, but Whitney tells us how little time she had to prepare for her first one and takes us behind-the-scenes of what it’s like preparing for those segments. She also shares...

Tina Sturdevant (Class of 2009) is the Talent Development Director at The Athletic, where she's part of a talent team that contributes to every aspect of the talent process for 400+ global newsroom employees, including external pipeline and recruiting, employee development and internal culture. 

Tina reflects on the dual career paths she was considering at SDSU, the impact of interning in the Sports Information Department, how the recession closed one door but a return home opened a different door with the Oakland A's, then how a Craigslist ad led to her job at Bleacher Report, before her current job a...

Dustin Winn (Class of 2014) is a seasoned Public Relations professional with more than 10 years of experience managing global video games and tech-driven PR campaigns. Dustin shares the story of how he took his passion for gaming and turned it into a career, which now includes being the co-founder of Ember PR.

That wasn't Dustin's plan and it didn't happen immediately. He gives advice on becoming a master of your craft, whether you need to be a gamer to excel in the video game industry, how different games are marketed based on the audience, the rise of social...

Adriana Heldiz (Class of 2017) is the assistant visuals editor at CalMatters. She previously worked at The San Diego Union-Tribune and Voice of San Diego.

A first-generation Mexican-American born and raised in Chula Vista, Adriana shares her story of starting as a Music major before finding a passion for Journalism. She reflects on the bonds she formed with like-minded student Journalists at The Daily Aztec, how the intimacy of the JMS school leads to a tight community, and the tweet she sent a reporter than led to an internship and later a full-time job.

Adriana also d...

Wendy Hovland started her career doing Communications in Public Affairs, before transitioning to her current job as a Voiceover Artist who specializes in corporate narration, eLearning, explainer videos, podcasts, commercials, event emcee, telephony and more.

Recorded on location from the "That's Voiceover Expo" in Los Angeles, Wendy and host Josh Suchon discuss the different types of voices that can succeed in Voiceover (hint: all of them), dealing with rejection, the importance of working with coaches in whatever is your industry, lifting up others with encouragement, and maximizing the power of your voice.

"Where Ya...

Daesha Gear is the Editor in Chief of The Daily Aztec, a former digital intern at NBC 7, and set to gradate in the Spring of 2024. Daesha gives us a current student's perspective on the state of student journalism, how technology is changing how stories are covered, and the latest on  SDSU's School of Journalism and Media Studies.

Gear became the first Black woman to lead SDSU's student newspaper in the 110-year history. She tells us the process of getting  the job, her favorite classes on campus, and the biggest stories on campus this semester.

...

Amber Salas (2017-21) joins the "Where Ya At?" podcast as she's closing out a two-year stint at KTIV in Sioux City, Iowa and just before she begins a new job with Austin-based FloSports.

Amber details the challenges of attending college and getting internships during Covid, the 50-plus jobs she applied for and didn't get, the changes she made to her demo reel to ultimately land the job in Iowa, and the SDSU alum who contacted her about this next job. She also gives helpful advice on dealing with rejection, what it's being a one-man band in a...

Carlos Delgado (1991-96) is a former TV news reporter who now works for Rady Childrens Hospital as an award-winning Bilingual Senior Media Relations and Public Information Officer.

A proud Aztec, Delgado shares stories from his work as a reporter in numerous markets throughout California and how that experience helps in his current role. He details the process of thinking of a story idea, how he pitches the idea and to which reporters, and facilitating the story (including consulting with doctors and the parents of sick children).

Delgado gives us behind-the-scenes examples of his work, whether...

Bella Ross (2016-20) is an Audience Engagement Editor at the San Diego Union-Tribune who also writes commentaries and sits on the paper's editorial board.

As a student, Bella went from a freshman with a megaphone on campus leading protests, to a reporter who covered the biggest story of the year about the renaming of the human Aztec Warrior, and later became the Editor In Chief of The Daily Aztec as Covid-19 shutdown the campus and the vaunted student newspaper.

Bella shares what it's like being the youngest person on the UT's editorial board, using her...

David Moye, affectionally called the Wizard of Weird, has made a career writing stories that are, well, weird. Moye once worked for a company that supplied weird news stories for wacky FM deejays and late night talk show hosts. For the last 12 years, he's written for HuffPost about weird news, dumb crimes and all things pop culture.

Moye shares the background of why these stories interest him, why we need laughter in our lives, what draws readers to click on these offbeat stories, the jokes and puns that come to mind as he's writing them, and how...

Steven Luke is a 15-time Emmy Award winner who is currently the Morning News Anchor for NBC 7 in San Diego. He's a rarity in the news business, in that he got an internship at the station while a student at SDSU, left briefly for Bakersfield, then returned to the same station and has been there for over 20 years. 

Luke (1995-99) recalls why he attended SDSU, what stories he put on his Demo Reel as he got an initial job in Bakersfield, why he chose News over Sports, lesson learned as a young journalist, including the importance of w...

Ana Ceballos (2009-14) is an investigative journalist for the Miami Herald who focuses her coverage on education and immigration.

Born in the United States, Ana grew up across the border in Tijuana, then moved into an apartment in San Diego with her brother while in high school to escape the violence in her hometown. She found writing to be therapeutic when she was home alone. Her curiosity about immigration stories inspired her to major in Journalism at San Diego State and remain a large part of her reporting to this day.

Ana shares how classes...

Jamie Ballard (2013-17) is a freelance journalist based in New York City who primarily specializes in Data Journalism, lifestyle, pop and internet culture, shopping, travel and entertainment.

Her byline has appeared in Good Housekeeping, Cosmo, People, Hollywood Reporter, YouGov and Woman's Day, among others. Jamie shares the story of moving to New York, the early struggles financially, jobs she took that built her network of contacts, when she knew she could make it exclusively as a freelancer, tips for finding assignments, and the importance of her own website.

From stories about "Dry January" to "Why...

Vivian Huang (2011-14) is an Associate Strategy Director at Media.Monks, managing brand and media strategies, with emphasis on end-to-end organic and paid social, digital marketing, and influencer marketing. She explains what it means to be the child of immigrants who forged her own identity in a creative field and how that can inspire other AAPI professionals to pursue their dreams as well.

Vivian provides a lot of practical advice for students on building their own brand on social media right now, a cheat sheet for what she looks for when hiring entry-level jobs, what it means...

Chidozie Ononiwu (2009-13) spent five years at ESPN, advancing from a Production Assistant to being in charge of college football on ESPN2, and then becoming "the gatekeeper" for which sports documentaries are chosen for the "30 For 30" series. These days, he's a Content Producer creating Esports Features for The Riot Games.

Chidozie tells the story of reaching out to big names at ESPN to help get an interview, how his mother persuaded him to follow-up after he didn't initially get a job, starting at the bottom, and what makes great live TV. Then what it was like listening...

Morgan Rubin (2012-14) is the Director of Communications for the NFL, where she ensures that diverse stories are told and helps to advance and amplify the league’s priorities in the social justice, DE&I, and social responsibility spaces. 

On this week's podcast, Morgan tells the story of dreaming about being another Olivia Pope (the fictional character from "Scandal" known for putting out political fires), the SDSU professor and the class that changed her life, the reply on Twitter that helped get her first job, plus the mentors in San Diego that guided her and inspired her to...

From the time she was 5 years old, Stefanie Cruz knew she wanted to become a television news reporter and that's exactly what she became. Upon graduating from San Diego State University, she mailed 300 VHS cassette tapes with her demo reel around the country, ultimately cold calling a TV station in Yuma, Ariz. and getting her start. 

Stefanie ascended to News Anchor for the Fox affiliate in Sacramento, but after two decades in the industry, she decided it was time for something new. She's now a consultant for law enforcement, advising them on press conferences, messaging, social media a...

Ross von Metzke is the Senior Director of Communications and Public Relations for the "It Gets Better" Project, the world's number one LGBTQ+ storytelling initiative and one of the most successful non-profits to emerge on YouTube.

On this week's "Where Ya At?" podcast, Ross details arriving at The Daily Aztec before starting as a freshman at San Diego State University with a portfolio of clips and getting hired on the spot, his desire to be the editor of a magazine in New York, and how the 9/11 terrorist attack changed the focus of his career to something more...

Megan Burks is the lead producer at MPR News and an integral member of the National Headliner and two-time Edward R. Murrow award-winning team that covered the killing of George Floyd and the trial of Derek Chauvin.

On this week's "Where Ya At?" podcast, Megan shares her story of an early interest in Journalism, how an interest in Sociology at San Diego State guided her path into covering stories about education, immigration and community health.

And then we do a deep dive about what it was like covering the biggest story of her career: organizing...

After a summer hiatus, the "Where Ya At?" podcast returns for the Fall 2023 semester and the first episode features professor Noah Arceneaux to give an overview of the School of Journalism and Media Studies.

Noah described the classes that he teaches, what new or future JMS students should expect at San Diego State University,  how wide of a spectrum "media studies" has become (including video games) and the pride he feels when former students enter the workforce. Arceneaux also shared how he spent the summer he spent researching the history of Cajun radio in Louisiana and the o...

The final "Where Ya At?" episode for the Spring 2023 semester is a story about modern journalism, modern social media, and modern love. Fresh off their wedding, Alex Piscatelli (Class of 2018) and Jack Molmud (Class of 2020) joined the podcast from their new home in Maine to share the story of how they met, including how their second date was Jack going on Alex's dating podcast to give a Yelp review of their first date.

Alex gives her advice for starting and growing a podcast and working on the social media team of a huge brand like E! News...

Jill Cacic (Class of 2009) initially wanted to be the next Erin Andrews, a sports broadcaster working the sidelines of sporting events, until she learned at SDSU about media relations. She dove into that work instead, worked nine years in professional baseball, and figured she'd be a baseball lifer. 

Seeking a better work-life balance, she left sports to work in Public Relations in the corporate world and internal communication. In this week's podcast, Jill shares the joys of working in sports, and also the long hours that prompted her to switch careers. 

She relays how PR sk...

Edward Lewis (Class of 2011) always knew he wanted to be a sports journalist, but his current job as Senior Producer at TMZ Sports does not involve attending sporting events and writing about games. Lewis handles tips and covers all court cases involving high-profile celebrities and athletes.

Lewis explains his path, how life-changing it was working at The Daily Aztec, the former student newspaper editor from another generation who gave him a chance at Rivals.com, the balancing act of working for NFL Media, and his gratitude that TMZ allows him to practice such high-quality journalism that involves...

Raquel Martin (Class of 2014) initially developed an interest in politics during high school watching cable news with her father. By the time she stepped foot on SDSU’s campus, she knew her goal was to become a political reporter and that’s exactly what she’s doing now. Martin is a Washington, DC correspondent with Nexstar Media Group, where she researches, produces and reports for more than 190 local stations nationwide.

Martin reflects on her overachiever days at SDSU, working at The Daily Aztec and KCR, then KUSI-TV, and how a SDSU alum at KABC-TV in Los Angele...

Vince Golangco (Class of 2008) was a high school dropout who joined the military because his friends in Texas did, fell in love in San Diego when stationed in the city, and used the free education from being in the military to attend SDSU because he didn’t want to leave the city. 

After college, he wanted to get back to his family roots and travel the world, so he moved to the Philippines and continued writing a number of blogs. Utilizing his Journalism writing skills and knowledge of SEO, he started the website www.wheninmanila.com, which has...

Tyra Wu is a fairly recent graduate (Class 2020) of San Diego State University, yet has already proven her versatility in a variety of fields. A former student-athlete, Wu has gone from local broadcast news to print journalism and is now the Media and Graphics Supervisor for the City of Carlsbad.

Wu gives her advice on what she liked about each of the different disciplines, finding the path that's best for each person, and the persistence required even when you don't initially get the job you really want.

Tyra and Josh also smile about the perks...

Dan Hayes (Class of 2002) has covered Major League Baseball for 17 years as a beat writer, and what's interesting is that he's done it for three different organizations that had three different philosophies about news coverage. Hayes explains reporting on baseball for a traditional newspaper, then the website of a regional sports TV network, and now a subscription-based website that focused on long-form Journalism.

Hayes also shares tips on how to build rapport with sources inside the clubhouse and front office, how sportswriters must understand finance to report on teams, and the importance of separating between your fandom...

Nick Serrano (Class of 2014) knew from an early age that he wanted to work in public service, starting as a teenager with the District Attorney’s public affairs and community relations team. These days, he's officially the Deputy Chief of Staff for San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, while embracing what it means to be "a gladiator in a suit."

In this week's podcast, Nick details why he wanted to work in public service, the different steps in his journey to the Mayor's office, plus the difference between communications on the campaign and after winning election.  

Ser...

Elaina D. Smith (Class of 2011) interviews the biggest stars in country music and shares the inside scoop on what’s happening in Nashville on "Nights with Elaina," which is syndicated on over 150 radio stations internationally. It's a wild journey for a proud Mexican-American girl from Southern California who admittedly knew very little about country music before moving to Nashville.

Elaina details her start in morning radio in San Diego, embracing the "Mexican Leprechaun" nickname that she initially disliked, her fears when moving to Florida, ascending to Nashville, preparing to host the ACM Awards show from the Red Ca...

Greg Risling (Class of 1994) spent over two decades as a news reporter, including three years at the Los Angeles Times and 14 years at The Associated Press. Risling anchored the 9/11 coverage from the LA Bureau, covered multiple natural disasters, the Michael Jackson and other famous celebrity trials, the Academy Awards, and thousands of other local stories.

Now he works Media Relations for the LA County District Attorney's office, where he fields media requests and assists film makers on True Crime documentaries. On this week's episode, Risling shares stories from both jobs, why he made the switch, and advice...

Stormy Buonantony (Class 2014) was originally a Nursing major at San Diego State University. But one Radio-TV elective got her hooked on Journalism, and she fondly recalls a fateful email from a professor -- which she has saved on her phone -- that encouraged her to pursue a sports broadcasting career.

In this week's podcast, Buonantony traces getting her start at the Mountain West Conference network to a move to Charlotte, back to her hometown Las Vegas to work for the NHL's Golden Knights, and now her current job as a daily host on VSiN and a sideline...

Devin Whatley didn't let graduating at the start of the pandemic impact his pursuit of a Journalism career or making an immediate impact as a News Producer for NBC 7 San Diego.

In this week's podcast, Whatley describes how networking with SDSU professors led to a job at NBC 7, the lessons he's learned about work/life balance in a hectic newsroom, and he details his station's work on the October 2021 plane crash in Santee that led to winning his first Emmy award. 

Whatley also fondly recalls working at The Daily Aztec, an experience he cherishes for t...

Jessica Yadegaran ('98, Journalism) covers dining culture, restaurants, wine, travel and more for the "Eat Drink Play" section of the Bay Area News Group. Her stories are syndicated throughout the country with an overall circulation exceeding 700,000.

In this week's podcast, Jessica discusses how an interest in wine sparked the paper to start a new section that didn't previously exist; staying incognito when inside wineries and restaurants; and how frequently stories are more about the news of the industry than an actual review.

Jessica also reminisces about favorite professors at SDSU, how one helped her land...

Raj Mathai is the lead News Anchor for NBC Bay Area, but this path to reaching that seat was unique. He started working public relations for the then-San Diego Chargers football team, before switching to a Journalism career in Sports. 

Raj details that transition, his career path in newsrooms from Yuma to Fresno to San Francisco, before ultimately making the huge decision to accept an offer to leave Sports for News. Raj reflects on his fondest memories at SDSU, how he responded when he wasn't advancing to bigger markets as quickly as he hoped, covering seven Olympics, w...

Amber Frankhuizen ('09, marketing) is the Founder/CEO and Chief Strategist of award-winning marketing agency AFMKTG, a company she started from an ironing board because she didn't have a desk yet. Recently named a Rising Aztec, she's mentored dozens of SDSU students in SDSU’s Aztec Mentorship Program both personally and through her company’s internship program.

Amber reflects on her college experience, shares the story of leaving a successful job to start her own marketing company, how she decides which brands become clients, gives advice to students on getting an internship at her company, educates Josh abou...

The inaugural edition of the "Where Ya At?" podcast is a trailer, featuring Dr. Temple Northrup, the Director of the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University.

Dr. Northrup provides an update on the latest development at JMS, how alumni can get involved to give back to the department, and how to learn about upcoming events.

Host Josh Suchon (Class of 1996) previews what to expect from the podcast ... and promises that he won't just interview his former classmates and alumni who work in sports.

To recommend a SDSU alum...