SJMC Seniors Remember their Favorite Classes and Give Advice for Current Students

December 05, 2018

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Graduation is soon approaching, and we couldn’t be more excited for our graduating students. After countless semesters and hard work, we caught up with a few students to elaborate on their journey thus far.Undergraduate seniors Joshua Mends and Luis Seijo will be graduating with degrees in Digital Media and Innovation, while two of our tremendous graduate students graduating this fall are Alexandra White, majoring in Mass Communications with a concentration in digital media, and Janel Lee, with a concentration in strategic communication.Each student took different things away from Texas State. “I learned skills that would help me stay at the forefront of the digital media world. I learned how to code, how to design effectively, and how to network and make connections for future jobs,” said Alexandra. Lee said she most enjoyed learning about newsworthiness and the basics of UX/UI design, and Mends and Seijo both got key skills in the undergraduate program. “Coming to Texas state helped me perfect and expand my skill set. The School of Journalism prepared me to go out and chase any media job I want,” said Mends. Seijo agreed, stating, “I learned to step out of my comfort zones and get to know people (professors, TA’s, classmates) because everyone has a unique background and you’ll never know how much you’ll have in common or where they can take you later on in life.”Here in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, we offer a variety of classes. But our seniors have highlighted some of their favorites.“My favorite course was Media Law. Dr. Martinez was a great professor and taught us the material in an interesting way,” said Seijo.While Mends has the same major, he had a different class that became his favorite. “My favorite course by far was the Virtual Reality and 360 Video course. I never knew that much about it, but I was excited to learn. And now after taking the class, I’m even more excited to see what can be done with Virtual Reality,” Mends said. In the graduate program, Alexandra White's most memorable class was SXTXState with Dr. Cindy Royal. She said this course helped her become more extroverted and gain confidence talking with professionals in the industry, as well as learning how to cover such a large event like SXSW. "I learned networking skills, new problem-solving skills, better time management skills, and new digital media skills that I can apply to several different jobs after I graduate," White said.Lee also said she is happy to have the knowledge she has learned, as well as the relationships between her cohorts and professors, and she will take away a strong portfolio of her work with her. Our seniors all have good advice for our up and coming graduates.Lee: Leave your expectations at the door and don't be afraid to take on courses that you think isn't your specialty.White: I would tell other students how important internships and networking are with any program. It is pivotal to build new connections because you never know who can help you out when you need it, and it gives you more of an opportunity to showcase your skills too.Mends: For the younger students, this is my advice: Get to know your professors and always have a side project. We have the best and coolest professors in the business. Just talk to them and see what else you can learn. The more passion projects you have, the stronger your portfolio will be. Sure, it’s good to have your class work, but you also what to show what you can do.Seijo: Visit your professors, take chances and do work outside the classroom. With the all the hard work put in over the semesters, all of our seniors have one thing in common: After graduation they will all take some time to relax and seek job opportunities where they can apply all the skills they acquired here at Texas State University! The SJMC says good luck and farewell to all of our graduates!Story by Kira Moreland