CSUF’s Latino Communications Institute connects students to media careers

When Cal State Fullerton alum Shaira Arias was a student in a school program formerly known as the Latino Communications Initiative (LCI), she met the executive producer of the Spanish-language television network she would someday work for.

“When I saw other students introducing themselves to her at an LCI event, I thought ‘I can do that too,’ because LCI is very encouraging in that way,” Arias said of the program, which aims to build bridges between students and Spanish-bilingual media organizations.

“I feel very proud to be Latino,” Arias said. “After becoming a part of the initiative, I’m more proud to know that I was on the right path and I was connecting more to my community.”

Since becoming a Philadelphia-based reporter for the Univision network, Arias has recently seen the program move from being an initiative to becoming a newly recognized institute at her alma mater.

After approving the shift in the middle of last year because of the program’s success, the university celebrated the Latino Communications Initiative’s transition to an institute in December.

Now known as the Latino Communications Institute, the program allows all communications students interested in the Latino market the chance to participate in student-produced news shows, career preparedness, research and a Spanish for Hispanic Media professional certificate to help bilingual students with their Spanish-language skills.

“This is a global world we’re living in now and anyone who speaks another language will be ahead of the game,” said the institute’s director, Inez González.

González started the program as an initiative in 2013 with founding partners Univision, Southwest Airlines and Casanova McCann marketing and advertising agency, according to CSUF News Service. The partners aided the initiative with donations, mentorships and work opportunities for over 100 students.

“The founding partners were essential in allowing us to become self-sustaining and we will need to continue securing private funding in order to continue to exist,” González said in an email. “Without the financial support, many of our first-generation college students would not be able to take these career-changing opportunities.”

Student Jasmine Rodriguez said her interviewing skills in Spanish have improved because of the Hispanic Media professional certification program, which has students take courses on using the language in communications-related fields.

“One of my projects was to do a multimedia piece on the Newport Beach Film Festival where I did interviews completely in Spanish,” Rodriguez said. “It helps you understand what people are actually saying to you and getting the story out correctly. I’ll also use those skills in my internship at [Orange County Transportation Authority] where we send information out in different languages and look over the translations.”

While participating in the student-produced news show Al Día, Cal State Fullerton senior Abigail Fernandez said she has covered breaking news, entertainment and a special Halloween story that got picked up by Edicion Digital, a show on the Univision network.

The Halloween segment involved Fernandez undergoing a boot camp to become a frightening actor, similar to those hired to scare guests in a local haunted house.

“There’s a legitimacy behind being aired by Univision and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Fernandez said. “It’s a feeling I’ve never had and a feeling I’m excited to continue having.”

Students in Al Día hold editorial meetings, shoot packages, edit under deadlines and do a live show that airs locally.

“They’re doing what the pros do in the real world,” said Jesus Ayala, a professor of broadcast journalism at Cal State Fullerton and former news producer for ABC. “Journalism schools haven’t really been training students to cover the Latino market or issues that are of importance to the Latino community. Things like LCI are so important because now managers can turn to Cal State Fullerton students for these jobs.”

According to González and Ayala, Cal State Fullerton graduates the most Latino students in communications in the nation.

González said the program is also trying to increase scholarship opportunities so that students may be in a position to take unpaid or out-of-state internships.

Andrés Martínez, a Cal State Fullerton alum who now works as a Dallas-based news producer for the American Spanish-language television broadcasting company Telemundo, said he remembers being part of the first generation of LCI students.

“If it wasn’t for LCI, I wouldn’t be where I am right now,” Martínez said. “Since day one, Inez [González] encouraged us to go to networking events and get a better understanding of what’s out in our field. We are very passionate about the community and helping each other.”

For alumni like Martínez and Arias, the program environment can be described as family.

“LCI is a platform that will open doors for you to become an anchor, a reporter or anything you want to be in the industry,” Arias said. “I hope the students read the stories of those who came before them and find motivation and encouragement from their peers and the people who are handling the institute.”

Alex Chan is a contributor to Times Community News.