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Newsworthy stories come from many places around the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ community, even from students themselves.Ìý

As a storyteller in the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information (CMDI), Forever Buff Alexa Tovar helps share CMDI stories by creating meaningful experiences as a lead ambassador and resident advisor. Her social videos for CMDI help share on-campus stories, reaching as far as . It all started with an idea to use an old rotary phone to capture messages CU families left for their students on move-in day, filled with surprise messages of support, encouragement and love for their journey ahead. Ìý

Collaborating with ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ Strategic Communications, CMDI Communications and ABC’s network news team, Alexa shared a meaningful move-in moment with a global audience.Ìý

Ready for the challenge at hand, Alexa drew on the many experiences and opportunities that shaped her as a storyteller. From capturing special moments to crafting a campus-wide narrative with heart, her work was felt far beyond campus.Ìý

What has been a defining moment or opportunity that has shaped your time at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ? Ìý

A defining opportunity that shaped my time at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ is CMDI Pathways to Excellence. Pathways gave me the college experience before I arrived, giving me the confidence to take on this new chapter. It gave me a community I can always count on and mentored me through my college journey, while also giving me the opportunity to give back by mentoring incoming students who were in the same position I was in when I started college.Ìý

Pathways gave me friendships I will forever cherish and job opportunities that have been amazing to try and network with. I seriously do not know where I’d be without Pathways!Ìý

How have on-campus experiences, whether in the classroom or in other activities, helped you bring real-world experience into the working world?Ìý

On-campus experience helped me bring real-world experience by teaching me how to communicate throughout a professional organization and how to maintain a work-life balance. The scenarios in class put us in the position of a consumer, rather than trying to convince the consumer, which is important because it puts us directly in their shoes.

Can you share more about your resident advisor and peer mentor role and the impact you hope to make by helping the next generation of Forever Buffs? Ìý

Being a resident advisor is not just creating the schedule of the program, but making it a place where incoming students feel safe and supported. The impact I hope to make is encouraging the next generation to take risks and not to be afraid to take on a new journey.Ìý

What are your aspirations post-grad? Is there a dream role you're targeting or a specific industry you want to work in?Ìý

My aspirations post-grad are to attend law school at CU Law to study family law while working in public relations. A dream role I am targeting is owning my own law firm one day to help families in need and handle the firm's marketing. Ìý

What was your experience submitting a video to be featured on ABC News? Can you share a little behind the scenes about how the opportunity came about and how it all came together?Ìý

I am a commuter, and I do not go to campus on Tuesdays or Thursday, which is when the opportunity came about. I remember just getting back from the gym and getting the call to do the video. I quickly got ready in 45 minutes while finding a place in my house to film and decorate with Buff merch and reviewing what I was going to say.Ìý

After getting the technical side done and going through three video drafts, we got the video to send off to ABC! Ìý

What advice do you have for fellow students who want to share their impact or accomplishments? Ìý

Be a yes person to every opportunity you are asked to do, even as simple as a task. Those little things can make an impact you might not realize at the time. Just like how I thought helping with getting participation for the video turned out to be even greater!Ìý

What are you most proud of about the experience?Ìý

Being part of the CMDI communications team, the phone call idea was to make a space for parents to share the emotions they were feeling on move-in day with their students.Ìý

I’m most proud of the teamwork on the day we filmed the video, asking parents to participate and seeing their reactions firsthand after they left the message and hung up. Getting to see students and their families move in reminded me of how my family and I were. It is such a special nerve-wracking day!Ìý

How can Forever Buffs support students like you? Ìý

Forever Buffs can support students like me by offering more opportunities to connect with alumni who can offer career advice and guidance about life after college. As I’m preparing for law school, having someone to guide me through LSAT preparation and having someone who’s built their career is valuable. Scholarships and financial support would help because it reduces financial stress.Ìý

What’s something you want Forever Buffs to know about you?Ìý

I am so grateful for the opportunities and people ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ has given me! From Pathways to becoming a resident advisor, lead ambassador and working with the CMDI communications team, each has helped me grow in ways I never would have thought! I hope my story encourages other students to say yes to opportunities even if they are nervous or unsure. You truly never know where one yes can take you. Ìý