Alumni Profile
Alumni Profile: Olyvia Chac-Nguyen’s path from clinic receptionist to witty copywriter
Alum Olyvia Chac-Nguyen infuses her clever copywriting with brand strategy, leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Alumni Profile: Tylynn Burns ’17 stars on HBO and in her own event-planning agency
Tylynn Burns used the skills she gained directing the SOJC’s student-run ad agency to launch her own event agency. She also stars in HBO’s “Sweet Life: Los Angeles.”
Jackie Gutierrez ’21 on scoring goals in sports journalism
A lifelong fan of “the beautiful game,” Jackie Gutierrez parlayed her SOJC Journalism Master’s degree into a website that covers women’s soccer at the highest level.
Alumni Profile: Ali AAsum ’09 on building natural food and beverage brands
Ali AAsum harnessed the hands-on experience gained through her SOJC degree to propel her toward a PR career. She now manages the Ninkasi Brewing brand.
PhD Alumni Profile: Kumi Silva '04 examines intersections of gender, feminism and identity
Gender, feminism and identity scholar Kumi Silva studied social movements in her native Sri Lanka and in India. Now, as an associate professor at a major university, she gets “paid to learn.”
Alumni Profile: Whitney Gomes ’18 elevates social causes with drone cinematography
Driven by intertwined passions for authentic human connection and advocating for human rights, Whitney Gomes is an instructor who uses drone cinematography to elevate social causes.
Jeff Dean ’18 on documenting the world around him with photography
U.S. Army veteran Jeff Dean saw the impact of photography while serving as a medevac crew chief in Iraq. Then he realized his dream as a professional photographer via a Journalism Master’s degree.
Alumni profile: Tiara Darnell ’17 and ’18 on transforming concurrent degrees into a career path
The first SOJC grad to get a master’s in both strategic communication and multimedia journalism, Tiara Darnell parlayed her skills into a successful career in podcast production.
Alumni profile: Navigating the world of journalism: top 8 tips from seasoned SOJC graduate Chris Frisella ‘85
Veteran journalist and SOJC alum Chris Frisella provides pearls of wisdom for young professionals to forge a successful media career.