Alyssa Young - Alyssa Young: Storytelling that Matters

Resume

Blog Posts

JMS 430 Story Project

Final Project Essay

Contact

My Work

Discover the compelling narratives and investigative journalism of Alyssa Young, based in San Diego, California. Explore her bio, view her resume, and browse her latest work. Connect with Alyssa to bring powerful stories to life.

Alyssa Young: Storytelling that Matters

Alyssa Young is a third-year journalism and political science student at San Diego State University. She is passionate about covering social issues, with a focus on mental health advocacy, diversity and equity, and the cultural shifts shaping modern communities. Alyssa aims to build a career in the broadcast industry, where she hopes to tell impactful stories that amplify underrepresented voices and strengthen public understanding.

Alyssa

About Me

Alyssa YoungSan Diego, CA | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:alyssayoung1900@gmail.com">alyssayoung1900@gmail.com</a> EducationSan Diego State University | August 2023-Expected December 2026 | Dean's List Fall 2023-PresentExperienceinewssource -- Documenter<ul><li>Attend and document community meetings for story creation</li><li>Synthesized complex information from multiple sources into concise findings for newsroom use</li><li>Demonstrated strong attention to detail and ethical decision-making in handling information</li></ul>SkillsAP style proficiency | Reporting and interviewing | Deadline-driven writing | Source building and outreach | Multimedia storytelling | Data visualization Certification Google Analytics Certification | Issued: November 2025

<h3>Who I am, what this is, and a glance into my goals</h3>Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening to those reading my very first blog post. Getting this site set up was not an easy feat, as some may assume; however, now that it's ready, I am excited to begin posting frequently! I think it's fitting for my first post that I give a general rundown (syllabus week vibes) of who I am as a person and student.My name is Alyssa Young and I am a third-year student at San Diego State University majoring in journalism and minoring in political science. The birth of this blog is thanks to my editor and professor, Roman Koenig, who is encouraging his students to start a digital platform as we prepare to enter the professional world. I am looking forward to putting myself out into the world and forming a sort of portfolio that I can carry with me past graduation.

Welcome!

<h3>Progress, Experiences, and Expectations</h3>It's hard to believe that I am already halfway through the Fall 2025 semester here at SDSU. This is my third to last semester and I think it has been very informative towards my journey as an aspiring journalist.The classes I am taking have helped me grow in my digital skills. Although I am a part of Gen Z (who are well-known for their digital literacy), things such as website design and newsletter creation are not my strong suit, so I am grateful to be able to learn these things in JMS 430.&nbsp;Moving forward, I expect for things to start picking up in pace. As of right now, I haven't put much thought into my final story other than the general idea. I hope to have a more concrete vision by the end of October and definitely no later than November 2nd. I'm not stressing just yet but that may change as the semester brings on more responsibility and stress.&nbsp;PHOTO: Here's a picture of a coffee shop I went to with a friend yesterday to do some schoolwork, but we mostly talked the whole time and enjoyed our fall-flavored lattes! 📍Moniker Coffee Co.

Updates (October 6, 2025)

<h3>Chapters push forward toward inclusive change amid federal rollbacks on DEI initiatives</h3>More than a century ago, women came together to form a space where they could lean on each other in male-dominated higher education settings. Sorority life gave women sisterhood, strength and belonging. However, not all women were included in these ideals. Racial and religious minorities, LGBTQ+ students, and plus-sized women shared a similar experience — they were often excluded from the “sisterhood” sororities promised.&nbsp;“I only really knew what I could see in movies and on social media, which was predominantly white women,” Maite Vega Perez, a member of Alpha Phi at San Diego State University, said. “I was scared I was not going to fit in.”Founded in 1902 where most schools were racially segregated, the National Panhellenic Conference has historically had membership available only for white women. It wasn’t until the end of the Civil Rights Movement that non-white women were able to join one of the 26 sororities within NPC. Even as formal restrictions faded away, the culture of exclusivity lingered through systemic barriers. Some schools, such as the University of Alabama, delayed desegregating Panhellenic chapters <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/17/sorority-segregation-ended-university-alabama">until as late as 2013</a>.&nbsp;Bri Treviño, a vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion for a chapter at SDSU, says that this is the very historical system that they are trying to rebuild here at SDSU.“Sororities were built to empower women and encourage women,” she said. “The flaw is that it was built for white women and that’s something we’re trying to actively change and overcome those barriers.”Today tells a different story as Panhellenic women are coming together to confront an exclusionary history head-on. Across the SDSU campus, chapters are rewriting what sisterhood means to include various backgrounds and experiences at a time when diversity work nationwide is under fire.“I love seeing a group of strong women genuinely be so passionate about diversity and about making a true change,” Treviño said. “I can truly see such a bright future for these chapters.”<h4>‘It fueled me’ — Federal pushback opens up more opportunities</h4>When President Donald Trump stepped into office in January 2025, he signed a series of executive orders targeting DEI in the federal government, labeling it wasteful and discriminatory, according to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">the official order</a>. President Trump’s announcement caused a ripple effect throughout higher education, leading some organizations to pull back on DEI initiatives. Although these orders don’t impact the Panhellenic community directly, they shine a negative light on DEI programs in higher education spaces and cause topics of diversity to become “taboo,” according to Treviño.Following the growing politicization of DEI at the national level, SDSU’s Collegiate Panhellenic Association made a structural change of its own. Going into 2025, the council voted to rename its vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion position to vice president of leadership and belonging. This shift wasn’t about rolling back diversity efforts but about reframing them in a way that was able to aid more roles within the organization, according to Sofia Carmenate, who currently serves in the position.&nbsp;“The idea was for me to be able to not just work with and oversee the DEI officers in every chapter but to work with different officers to implement things where DEI is needed,” she said. “I’ve worked a lot with a bunch of different leadership teams to implement DEI strategies a little bit more intentionally per position.”Carmenate, who also previously served as vice president of inclusion for Pi Beta Phi, said that despite the federal government’s efforts to stigmatize DEI, Panhellenic women are using it as fuel to continue advocating for change.“I noticed at first people were more nervous to talk about it,” she said. “But then they became more inspired.”&nbsp;For Treviño, in her role as vice president of DEI for her chapter, she says seeing the federal government roll back on DEI initiatives and minimize their importance fueled her to educate her sisters. Because Panhellenic sororities were founded on exclusive ideals, she said it’s more important to actively challenge those stereotypes than to avoid uncomfortable conversations.“When the president of our country is the main person attacking DEI, it does feel a little bit scary when you’re in charge of that position,” Treviño said. “But it fueled me to educate people and to show people that it’s not an uncomfortable conversation to have; it’s one that we should be having every single day.”Treviño is not alone in feeling those nerves. Viancca Williams, senior director of leadership and education for Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and Greek life professional, said student discomfort is a natural part of change-making.“Anytime you try to make change, resistance happens,” she said. “So when you’re trying to create inclusive environments, there’s a certain level of grit and resilience that you need to have as you’re creating change.”Williams, who has 16 years of experience working with fraternity and sorority communities and served on a dissertation committee examining racial bias in Panhellenic spaces, said that fear of change often comes from unfamiliarity. She encouraged sorority women to dig deeper into what it means to be an advocate for DEI if they want to become educators for their sisters and foster widespread change.“The way you ease nerves is by becoming familiar with what you’re afraid of,” Williams said. “Get your knowledge base together, and be thoughtful about how your plan and the people you surround yourself with to create this change.”&nbsp;Despite the efforts of political leaders to hinder progress toward equity, as private organizations, sororities have more freedom, which allows chapter leaders to take a stand and advocate for change, according to Williams. Like Treviño and Carmenate, she believes that meaningful progress can come out of student-led efforts.“I believe in grassroots movements,” Williams said. “If people get together, build a plan and stay committed, they absolutely can shift the culture of sorority life.”<h4>Rewriting the definition of ‘sisterhood’</h4>The work of redefining what sisterhood means in Panhellenic is something that is happening conversation by conversation across the nine chapters at SDSU. Treviño said that one of the biggest misconceptions about DEI in Greek life is that it all falls on one person to implement. Instead, members of each chapter are all responsible for advocating for themselves and their sisters to have a safe, inclusive environment, according to Treviño.“I’m kind of just the one that supports and guides every member and gives information and resources and opportunities,” she said. “But I would describe my position as one that belongs to every single member of the chapter and is shared by all of us.”Carmenate echoes that idea, saying that DEI is about cultural humility and a lifelong commitment to learning rather than an isolated moment. DEI work within the Panhellenic community raises awareness of the importance of social advocacy and inspires women to stand up for change, person by person, she said.To make that practice tangible, CPA at SDSU created a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpscNhayMNiQEOlr8R8xt80pTQWB-fu4wF44TNDVUJWHqghA/viewform">“Panhellenic Inclusivity Support and Feedback” form</a> where members can provide anonymous feedback on how their chapter or the Greek community at large can improve areas of DEI. Panhellenic leaders routinely review responses and share recurring themes with chapter leaders in order to lead to actual change, not just empty discussions, according to Carmenate.“That has honestly been a game changer for me in my position,” she said. “To really know what issues we currently struggle with and learn what I can do to better support the people in our community.”CPA has also expanded the meaning of sisterhood beyond Panhellenic itself. The council has expressed interest, according to Carmenate, in pairing Panhellenic chapters with organizations in the United Sorority and Fraternity Council, which includes multi cultural chapters and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which is historically Black. Although these efforts haven’t been implemented yet, Carmenate says that this could touch on the equity aspect of her role by bringing together Greek organizations that were once divided only 40 years ago.“This would be a great way to bridge that gap,” Carmenate said. “I do want to see that change in the future.”These efforts mark a shift in what sisterhood looks like on SDSU’s campus. No longer tied to the stereotypical image of sorority women from years ago, the Panhellenic sisterhood is evolving into something that is inclusive of everyone, according to Treviño.“We’re moving forward and trying to go towards the idea of what a sorority actually is,” she said. “I think that got lost for a little bit but not now.”<h4>A new era for SDSU Panhellenic</h4>Williams said that the future of sorority life will depend on members’ and leadership’s willingness to push through generational resistance. Older alumni, who often hold more traditional views on DEI, and current members, who overwhelmingly value diversity and belonging, create a conflict that slows progress, according to her.“There’s this clash that’s happening right now between younger members and older members,” Williams said. “Younger members need to persist through that clash, help continue to educate, and continue to push back so that anything dealing with diversity, equity and inclusion is not completely erased from our membership.”As minority groups grow in population, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-us-will-become-minority-white-in-2045-census-projects/">Census population projections</a> predict that a majority of the country’s population will be people of color. Williams pointed to these shifting demographics within the country as something that will inevitably shape the future of Greek life, making the need for advocacy all the more important.“This creates opportunities for us to build inclusive environments,” she said. “Despite what’s happening at the federal level, if we are committed to DEI we put the word out, be resistant to anything against DEI and have the courage to speak up.”The women of SDSU Panhellenic are working to prove that sisterhood isn’t always about following traditions or political climates but involves an ever-changing community that rewrites what belonging looks like. Inside their chapters, through commitment to learning and partnership with other councils, they are widening the circle of who can feel at home in Panhellenic spaces.&nbsp;Their work signals a powerful truth, according to Carmenate: sisterhood is strongest when it makes room for everyone.“We want people to truly have support and feel included, you know?” she said. “This experience isn’t just for one type of person.”Photo: The Pierce Greek Life Center at SDSU, a hub for the university’s Greek Community (Photo by Alyssa Young)

SDSU Panhellenic community continues to embrace DEI 

<h3>Synopsis</h3>This semester taught me how dynamic and layered digital journalism truly is. Through reporting, writing, designing and building a digital story from the ground up, I learned how to approach information with more intention and how to create work that feels both accurate and engaging. I gained a deeper understanding of how journalists gather facts, verify information, consider ethical principles and ultimately craft stories for digital audiences. Working across different tools and platforms strengthened my confidence and helped me see how digital journalism combines creativity, responsibility and technical skill in a way that keeps the field constantly evolving.<h3>Reporting, Creating and Designing the Final&nbsp;Project&nbsp;</h3><h4>Developing the story project</h4>Throughout the development of my final story, I relied on core journalistic and ethical guidelines to keep my work fair, accurate and grounded in truth. I focused on verifying each piece of information I gathered and approached my interviews with respect and openness. Since my story explored DEI efforts within SDSU’s Panhellenic community, a space I am part of, I paid extra attention to minimizing personal bias. I made sure my reporting reflected the experiences and perspectives of my sources rather than my own assumptions. Accuracy, fairness and clarity became the foundation of every decision I made in my reporting process.One of the biggest challenges I faced during this project was balancing the personal connection I have to the subject with the need for journalistic distance. Collecting interviews that felt honest while also respecting people’s comfort levels required patience and intentional listening. I also faced challenges with some of the digital tools used throughout the semester. Learning new platforms while managing deadlines pushed me out of my comfort zone but ultimately made me more confident working with technology.Despite the challenges, this project also opened up meaningful opportunities. I learned how to use digital storytelling tools in ways that strengthened my reporting. Building graphics, organizing information visually and shaping my story for an online audience gave me new ways to present information and make it more accessible. Working with classmates in lab discussions also helped me refine my ideas and learn from different perspectives. The combination of reporting and digital media made the entire process feel more complete.<h4>Digital Media Experience</h4>My digital media experiences this semester helped me develop a clearer understanding of what modern journalism requires. Building my website and designing the digital components of my story showed me how important presentation, layout and accessibility are for online audiences. I learned how to incorporate data into my work in ways that support the story rather than distract from it. This included gathering information, organizing it visually and understanding how digital readers engage with numbers.Learning digital media tools was one of the most eye-opening parts of the semester. Using platforms like Canva, Google Maps and Google Analytics helped me understand how journalists present information and how audience behavior can shape storytelling choices. Exploring AI tools also helped me consider new possibilities and think more critically about the ethics that come with them. The process of combining technology with storytelling made me feel more prepared for the direction journalism is moving.Some of the most enjoyable moments came from seeing my work come together on my website. Designing my pages, organizing my story visually and creating interactive elements made the project feel real and rewarding. It was exciting to see my reporting transform into something polished and accessible for readers. This experience helped me see that I enjoy digital storytelling as much as the reporting itself, and it gave me confidence in my ability to create meaningful work in the digital space.

What I Learned in Digital Journalism This Semester

Contact Us

<h3>Preparation</h3>While preparing to write my final story, which covered DEI approaches in Panhellenic spaces, I made sure to spend a lot of time digging into what Panhellenic means to its members. As a member of a Panhellenic sorority myself, I knew I might come into this story with some bias, which made me work even harder to accurately investigate how these initiatives are actually being implemented beyond the surface level. I spent time reviewing the history of Panhellenic organizations, speaking with leaders and understanding what DEI looks like in practice rather than relying on assumptions.<h3>Execution</h3>Once I began reporting, I focused on gathering a wide range of perspectives from student leaders, chapter members and experts who have experienced both the benefits and the limitations of DEI in these spaces. I conducted interviews, verified information as I went, and tried to provide space for everyone’s experiences to come through clearly. During the writing process, I was intentional about balancing my personal connection to Panhellenic life with the responsibility of being a journalist. I wanted the final story to be fair, honest, and grounded in what people shared with me, while also acknowledging how national conversations around DEI continue to shape the SDSU community.<h3>Reflection</h3>Working on this story reminded me why journalism matters, especially within communities I am personally a part of. Reporting on Panhellenic spaces while also being an active member forced me to look more closely at the systems, traditions, and expectations that shape the community I care about. It pushed me to ask harder questions, listen more intentionally, and separate what I thought I knew from what people were actually experiencing. Throughout the process, I realized how important it is for student journalists to hold space for uncomfortable truths while still recognizing the efforts being made to grow and improve.This project also showed me how meaningful it can be to amplify voices that are not always centered in conversations about Greek life. Hearing honest stories from other students helped me understand where progress has been made and where there is still a long way to go. More than anything, this assignment strengthened my confidence in my reporting skills and my ability to approach sensitive topics with care and curiosity. It taught me that journalism is not just about telling a story but about learning from the process of reporting it.PHOTO: For this picture I found it fitting to include something from my own experience in the Panhellenic community here at SDSU. Here's me and my beautiful sisters celebrating raising money for women's heart health!! I'm proud to be a part of something bigger than myself! 📍Alpha Phi 2025 Red Dress Gala

Completing the Final Story

Finding My Voice in Digital Journalism

Throughout the semester, I learned how to create stories that are not only well written but also visually engaging and easy for audiences to understand. The class pushed me to think about journalism in a more modern and interactive way. I practiced using multimedia elements, organizing information for online readers, and shaping stories that flow naturally on a digital platform. This class taught me how important it is to think about the reader’s experience. I found myself paying attention to structure, clarity and design in a way I had not done before. I learned how strong visuals can strengthen a story and how digital tools can help make complex information accessible. Working on my projects helped me understand that digital journalism is not just about posting a story online. It is about creating something intentional, thoughtful and engaging.Overall, JMS 430 gave me confidence in my abilities as a digital storyteller. I left the course with stronger technical skills and a clearer understanding of what it means to create journalism for an online audience. It made me excited for the future of the field and for my place in it as I continue building my portfolio and voice as a journalist.PHOTO: To wrap up the semester, here's a picture of something i like to do to decompress and relax: walk. 📍Lake Murray Trail

San Diego’s Accessibility Advisory Board unanimously approved a proposal of a $90 million budget plan to city leaders earlier this month that will address accessibility project backlogs.Councilmembers met to discuss the accessibility board’s budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year, which runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Board chair Victor Roosen led a tough conversation, acknowledging the changes that have been made to the board’s budget in recent years.“There is no dedicated budget to the ADA improvements and compliance,” Roosen said. “There used to be a line item, apparently, in the city budget in years past.”&nbsp;Funding for the Americans with Disabilities Act projects in San Diego was decentralized prior to 2020 with the purpose of having each city department provide funds for their own ADA plans and projects, according to an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/accessibility_advisory_board_budget_request_presentation_05042020.pdf">Accessibility Advisory Board archived budget presentation</a>.&nbsp; These changes have created an uphill battle for accessibility board members to complete their duties, according to citywide ADA coordinator Thyme Curtis. She says without dedicated funding and responsibility, San Diego risks more backlog of ADA compliance projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It should be the responsibility of each department,” Curtis said. “But then it becomes difficult because they have so many competing responsibilities.”&nbsp;Roosen presented examples of accessibility issues that have arisen in other California cities due to underfunding. The city of Long Beach faced legal action after failing to build accessible curb ramps and maintain sidewalks for people with mobility disabilities. As a result, the city received a settlement of around $200 million to remove any barriers to accessibility, according to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://dralegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Long-Beach-Settlement-FAQ_04-20-17.pdf">the settlement FAQ page</a>.&nbsp;This case shows how vital funding is to accessibility but Curtis says that even without it, responsibility falls on the accessibility board to maintain ADA regulations throughout the city.“You still have to do it to the best of your ability to make sure it’s accessible,” Curtis said.In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the city of San Diego has promised to provide communication, modifications and complaint requests to ensure citizens with disabilities are not discriminated against, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/ada_notice_0.pdf">according to an ADA notice</a>. He says acknowledging backlogged projects that impact citizens with disabilities should be a priority for the city.“The city risks incurring financial responsibility when it fails to address them,” Roosen said.&nbsp;San Diego has a $70 to $90 million backlog of underfunded projects, according to Roosen. This is not a new concern for the accessibility board. In 2020 there was a total of $66 million in unfunded backlog for both ADA complaint projects and the transition plan, some dating back to 2008, according to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/accessibility_advisory_board_budget_request_presentation_05042020.pdf">2020 Accessibility Advisory Board’s budget presentation</a>.The plan proposed by Roosen outlines an ADA compliance budget that asks for $18 million a year over the span of five years. $10 million per year will be allocated towards addressing the backlog of ADA facility transition plan projects, while the remaining $8 million will go towards the backlog of ADA complaint projects, according to Roosen. He says this plan will allow the board to complete their legal duties.“We are required by law to be accessible,” Roosen said. “And what does that mean? That those citizens of San Diego who have disabilities have a voice at the table.”The accessibility board’s plan lays out a path forward for the city of San Diego, according to Roosen. While the proposal reflects optimism, Curtis says the city’s financial reality makes that vision hard to imagine.“The budget is not looking good,” Curtis said. “And it’s only going to get worse. You know, that’s the reality.”&nbsp;Curtis took the lead in explaining that the city is facing a financial strain, with departments across San Diego competing for funds in the 2027 fiscal year budget. Projects can take years to complete, even when funding is available, she said. Now with the current situation, the accessibility project backlog is going unchecked to a harmful extent, according to her.All board members approved Roosen’s presentation to be given to the mayor, the mayor’s office and council district members at a later date. While their budget request is not guaranteed, this bold proposal may aid in putting a spotlight on the accessibility board, or its role and ADA compliance regulations, according to Curtis.&nbsp;“This request is a lot for a bad budget year,” Curtis said. “But it can’t hurt, and it puts ADA where it needs to be: at the front of everyone’s mind.”