Arizona Stories: Border, Water, and Politics (2024)
2X COLLEGE TELEVISION AWARD WINNER
“In a special edition of Montclair NewsLab, the team traveled to Arizona to document the border, water issues, and the politics of the area, along with many other interesting stories only streaming on Hawk Plus”
This spring(2024), I joined 16 classmates in the “On the Road: Reporting from the Field” course at Montclair State University, a transformative 7-day trip to Arizona. Led by Professors Steve McCarthy and Tom Franklin, our group split into pairs and filmed two news packages each day, covering critical stories on the U.S.-Mexico border, water issues, Native American culture, and more. I co-produced a story on Cowboy College in Scottsdale with my classmate, Nino DeNino.
After returning to Montclair, Jennifer Sanchez and I sat down for an interview on Montclair Focus: OUR ELECTION(2024) to reflect on the experience. Being first-generation students and children of immigrants, reporting from the border was deeply emotional for both of us. The empathy we felt for the migrants we encountered tested our resilience as student journalists. Our reflections, which were featured in Montclair’s 30-minute special Arizona Stories and picked up by NBCU Academy, highlight how the trip brought our families' sacrifices to life and deepened our understanding of the immigrant journey.
“It was hard being at the border, not only because we were touched by these migrants desperate for a better life on our side of the wall, but because we kept seeing our parents, even though the details of their stories and how they got here were different ”
the 44th College Television Awards
Our project, Arizona Stories: Border, Water and Politics, was recently nominated (on 12/04/2024) for the 44th College Television Awards in the News category, presented by the Television Academy Foundation. This nomination places us among only three schools nationwide recognized in this prestigious category out of over 230 submissions.
Working alongside 16 dedicated peers, we created an in-depth look at critical issues affecting Arizona, including border policies, water scarcity, and political tensions. This experience was a testament to collaborative storytelling and a deep commitment to amplifying marginalized voices.
We’ll be heading to Los Angeles in April 2025 to celebrate this achievement, and I’m honored to be listed as a Director, Producer, and Writer on this project.
AND YOUR WINNERS ARE…
(cue dramatic music and applause)
ARIZONA STORIES: BORDER, WATER, AND POLITICS
WINNER – Best in News
WINNER – Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award
On April 5, 2025, at the Television Academy Foundation’s 44th College Television Awards, Arizona Stories: Border, Water and Politics took home two major honors. Presented by actors Ryan Guzman (9-1-1), Rebecca Wisocky and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts), the Montclair State University team was recognized for:
BEST IN NEWS
SEYMOUR BRICKER HUMANITARIAN AWARD
“… and this year the Television Academy Foundation has selected an exceptional moving piece that showed steady grit, a clear voice and an unwavering commitment to telling the stories of the people in the state.”
-Rebecca Wisocky and Utkarsh Ambudkar presenting the Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award
“But nothing on TV serves humanity as directly as news. This is television that keeps communities up to date on current events and bears witnesses that are on the frontlines of crisis. It’s television excellence in real-time.”
-Ryan Guzman presenting Best in News
News articles
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LCMR Alumna’s Film Nominated for College TV Award
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Local woman nominated for College Television Awards
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Montclair State Student Journalists Earn National Honors for ‘Arizona Stories’
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LCMR Alumna’s Film Wins First Place in College TV Awards
THE CREW
COWBOY COLLEGE WINS 2ND PLACE AT THE CBI AWARDS
CREDITS
ANYTHING FOR THE PERFECT SHOT AT THE GRAND CANYON
PLANTS NEED A CLOSE UP TOO
REPORTING AT THE BORDER
A MOMENT OF GRATITUDE AT THE BORDER
AT THE AIRPORT READY TO TAKE ON ARIZONA
ASKING ASU STUDENTS ABOUT THE UPCOMING ELECTION (2024)
COWBOY COLLEGE PACKAGE
MIGRANT AT THE BORDER
THROWS AND TAGS
AT THE GRAND CANYON
NBCU ACADEMY