New Mexico State University

Bio: I am a proud New Mexican from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I am majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Journalism and Social Media Management. I will be graduating in May 2024!

Areas of Interest: I like to study are conflict management, persuasion theory, interpersonal communication, and organizational communication. What excites me are the insights that communication studies reveal about ourselves and society, from our personal relationships to the workplace. 

Future Goals: My future goals are to secure a position as a public relations specialist or newspaper reporter in the Albuquerque area. I would love to write for a nonprofit doing work I’m passionate about.  

Why should others join Communication Studies?

People should join Communication Studies because they will have many opportunities to engage with interesting, kind people who make learning a lively and transformative experience. The people, along with the wide array of intriguing topics, theories, and lessons, foster experiences that leave you feeling engaged intellectually, emotionally, socially, and professionally.

Who in the Communication Studies Department has impacted you most?

Someone in the Department of Communication Studies that has impacted me greatly is Dr. Anne Hubbell. She taught me things I will remember for life! She also takes a personal interest in her students and uplifts them both as people and as professionals. I always know that Dr. Hubbell is available to help and that she truly cares about her students, their futures, and their present. 

What accomplishments are you most proud of? 

I am especially proud of the experience I gained during my communication internship with a national nonprofit called The Borgen Project, which fights extreme global poverty. This internship pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way and gave me the opportunity to build my resume with quantifiable results and deliverables before graduation.

Bio: Dr. Molina earned her Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communication and Speech Communication from West Texas A&M University before earning her MA in Communication Studies from New Mexico State University with a concentration in intercultural communication. She went on to earn her PhD in Mass Communication at Penn State University focusing her research on emerging technologies. She is currently an assistant professor at Michigan State University in the Advertising and Public Relations Department.

Areas of Interest: I study how the affordances of technology shape what we share on social media, and how we respond to Artificial Intelligence tools that curate user-generated content.

What experience from our department was most impactful to you?

The most impactful experience for me where collaborating with other students in different projects/papers. Most of my work and research is collaborative and the experiences at the Comm. Department helped me learn how to be a good collaborator and leader.

How would you describe your career, why are you passionate about it?

I am an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University. I love research, and answering questions that I have about the impact of technology on user behavior through it. 

Why should others join Communication Studies? 

Its interdisciplinarity allows you to take many different career paths, whether that is in industry or academia.

Bio: Hello, I’m Ruben Ray Nunez. I’m from Canutillo, a small town in El Paso, Texas. I am majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Communication Studies. I am a charismatic, Hispanic, and hard-working individual who loves to socialize and motivate. I also love to cook, run, and play basketball.

Areas of Interest: All areas of communication are crucial and beneficial to understanding the complex and diverse world we live in. What excites me about communication is learning and applying what I've learned to my personal development.

Future Goals: I want to help people with addiction and suicidal behaviors become resilient, because nothing is impossible! I want to fuel my community with positivity and hard work, changing perceptions of life. In the future, I also plan to open a food truck serving a variety of delicious foods.  

Who in the Communication Department has impacted you the most?

One GTA in particular opened my eyes and made me realize that communication studies was for me, Jessica Tuleassi. She the reason why I pursued a minor in communication studies. Dr. Duli Shi is also an amazing professor, she’s the best! Her Strategic Communication course was probably the most beneficial I have taken here at NMSU. 

What is your favorite memory in the Communication Department?

My favorite memory was working on a campaign for Casa de Peregrinos with a wonderful team. I have always been most proud of myself for completing this campaign and the course. I remember all the big moments, especially the presentation in front of executive directors, professors, and my classmates. Strategic Communication was my favorite and I will always remember the fun I had in this course!

Why should others join Communication Studies? 

In general, communication studies is a great major/minor because it allows you to learn more about the changing world we live in. Taking advantage of the knowledge obtained in communication studies will take you a long way, leading you to a successful and bright future. 

Bio: Hello! My name is Taeya Padilla. I am a Communication Studies major with minors in Journalism, Social Media Management, Advertising, Marketing, and Sports Marketing. I come from a small town called Belen, New Mexico where the chili is hot, and the dirt roads are long.

Areas of Interest: I enjoy studying family communication and cultural communication. Learning about how to improve communication between families and across cultures has given me the opportunity to understand communication between diverse groups of people.

Future Goals: My professional goals after graduation are to get a graduate degree in Communication Studies and to obtain a career in public relations. My dream job would be to work for USA Wrestling, or to do public relations for law offices.

Who in the Communication Department has impacted you the most?

Dr. Morales and Dr. Armfield have been my mentors since my freshman year. They are extremely knowledgeable in all the subjects they teach and give students the time to contribute their thoughts and opinions in class. Dr. Morales makes the classroom a safe space for students to share personal stories. I enjoy going to all my communication courses because of the content I am learning, something new every time I step foot in the classroom!

What is your favorite memory in the Communication Department?

My favorite memories in the Communication Department are leading facilitations with Lillie McCall. For one of our facilitations, we handcrafted a zine that addressed issues in fast fashion. The assignment I was most proud of was a presentation I put together for sports communication which focused on community and crisis in Team Foxcatcher.

Why should others join Communication Studies? 

The Communication Studies Department is a brilliant department with amazing professors. Not only do the professors give informative lectures but throughout the lectures there are constant class discussions. You will form one-on-one relationships with professors and make lifelong friends. If you have never taken a communication course, I highly recommend taking one. You will gain experience in communication that will assist you in all aspects of your life.    

Bio: Hi, my name is Gracie Marquez! I am from Rio Rancho, New Mexico and I am majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Marketing. I am graduating this May (2024)!

Areas of Interest: I like to study are media communication, conflict management, communication and culture! What excites me is that communication is something everyone uses, but it is so much more complex than what we initially think.

Future Goals: After graduation I am going to The University of Nevada Las Vegas to get a Masters degree in Communication Studies!

Who in the Communication Department has impacted you the most?

The communication department has so many amazing faculty that have really enhanced my education and made me fall more in love with my major. One person that has really impacted my education is Dr. Morales. Her communication and culture course was one of the first communication classes I took, and it is what made me want to switch my major.

What is your favorite memory in the Communication Department?

My favorite memory from the Comm. department is the holiday party we had last December! We were able to talk to our professors about opportunities within the department and the university. We were also able to meet new people within the department and reconnect with people that we had classes with before. They had games and prizes for us, and it was a fun day!

What accomplishments are you most proud of? 

The assignment that I am most proud of is a paper that I wrote for my comm. and culture that talked about gendered ageism in the media. This is how men and women are portrayed differently as they get older in TV, movies, and on social media. I was really proud of the work that I put into this assignment, it is a topic that I am really passionate about and I hope that I can research more about it in the future. The accomplishment that I am most proud of is getting into grad school, and being offered a scholarship!