TAMIU COMM GRAD NOW OFFERS INSPIRING LEGACY FOR STUDENTS Dr. Melissa Santillana (’11, ’17), an assistant professor in Texas Tech University’s Department of Journalism and Creative Media Industries, believes her forged legacy will be students who are inspired and empowered to speak up in the face of injustice. While her route to Communication study may be unusual, it’s been no less consequential. “I came to TAMIU after doing one year of Med school in Monterrey, México. I was a little unsure as to what I wanted to do next, and a recruitment officer said I could take some time to figure it out and enroll as undeclared. My first semester I took a photography class with Associate Professor Marcela Morán and fell in love with the dark room and the entire photographic process. That’s why I decided to major in Communication,” she recalled. The opportunities at TAMIU further sharpened her focus on Communication. “I have a lot of good memories from TAMIU. The Communication Department’s faculty was incredibly supportive, encouraging, and kind. During my undergrad, I participated in several projects with Dr. María Flores and Prof. Morán. I remember Dr. Flores who was supervising The Bridge, — the student newspaper — reached out to me and asked me to submit my work to the paper. That’s something that I would’ve never thought to do on my own and felt very proud once it was published. Another great experience was when I was ‘appointed’ curator of a student photo exhibit, a project for one of Prof. Moran’s advanced photography classes. It was very helpful to experience the curatorial process and I learned how to feel comfortable and assertive when making big decisions,” she recalled. With her undergraduate degree in hand, she returned for a graduate degree, working with Dr. José Carlos Lozano, chair of the department of Psychology and Communication, and professors Dr. Stuart Davis and Dr. Ariadne González. “I was part of the first cohort of the Master’s in Communication program. I think I was lucky because as the department was figuring out the shape of the program, I was truly encouraged to take on as many research projects as I wanted. One of my favorite memories is all the field and conference trips we took together,” she said. Santillana has gone on to work around the State, but says there’s something special about TAMIU students. “I’ve worked at different universities and I can say without a doubt that TAMIU has some of the hardest-working students I’ve ever met. A lot of my students had part-time and even full-time jobs, and this allowed them to bring that work experience into the classroom. When I was an adjunct, I encouraged students to design research projects in line with their interests that would help them get the jobs they wanted after graduation,” she explained. Her research today deals primarily with activism, protest, and social movements. “I am currently working on a book project that explores the communicative processes and events surrounding the Mexican Feminist Spring of 20192020…which started when I was a graduate student at TAMIU in 2016. Dr. Lozano and Dr. Davis worked with me to design a small research project in an expedited manner, even though it was more of a ‘side’ project, completely unrelated to my thesis, or the work I needed to do to graduate,” she explained. She is clear-eyed about what she wants her research and life’s work to do. “If my work can do one thing, I wish it could change the ways we think about protest and protestors. I think there is a lot of stigma toward mass mobilizations and groups demanding better treatment or conditions. In particular, I wish communication professionals — especially journalists and those in mass media— would break away from professional routines and engage in nuanced, fair coverage of social movements. I hope my legacy to my students is that they always feel inspired and empowered to speak up in the face of injustice. I tell my students that they don’t have to change the world after graduation. Little things like offering a fresh perspective at an editorial meeting or making people a little uncomfortable with their routines in the newsroom can have a big impact on the way we produce and consume news,” she concluded. Learn more from Melissa Santillana at go.tamiu.edu/santillana-lmas 324
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