Every fall we welcome new ASU Cronkite graduate students to our center and each spring we bid those students adieu as they leave our center to pursue summer programs at various news bureaus. This year we want to wish Tracy Abiaka, Ruby Arora, and Austin Green the very best as they take the next step in their careers. In their honor, we want to reflect on some of our favorite tips they shared with all of you this past year.
Tracy Abiaka
A native of Phoenix, Tracy has a background in finance, mainly in investment services and taxation. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Rwanda and will be spending the summer at the Cronkite Bureau in Washington D.C., before graduating with her master’s in mass communication in the fall.
Tracy is intrigued by a plethora of topics and can dive into all of them with equal rigor. Over the past nine months she has written about social corporate responsibility, startups, SPACs and even freelancer retirement options. Check out some of Tracy’s best tips below:
Companies pledge social justice, but who truly benefits? Companies are increasingly taking a stand on social justice issues, for reasons both moral and for profit, and it is up to journalists to look into if corporations are keeping up with the promises that they make.
- Companies pledge social justice, but who truly benefits?
Companies are increasingly taking a stand on social justice issues, for reasons both moral and for profit, and it is up to journalists to look into if corporations are keeping up with the promises that they make. - Influencers at heart of new brand marketing approach
Half of millennials trust influencers they follow for product recommendations, and brands are setting a portion of their marketing budget towards it, expecting more bang for their buck. Here is what journalists should know about the budding industry. - Keeping the focus on Black-owned businesses year-round
Beyond Black History Month, Black entrepreneurs are worthy of recognition year-round. Here are some tips on how journalists can continue to support Black-owned businesses through their day-to-day reporting.
Ruby Arora
Ruby has a background in business marketing, legal studies, communications, and sports management. She has interned under NBA managers and NFL affiliates and is graduating next week with a master’s in sports journalism. Ruby will be spending the summer working at the Cronkite’s Sports Bureau in Phoenix.
This year Ruby has produced work using multiple media, from profiling our Barlett and Steele Awards silver winners to creating two-minute tip videos on various fun topics. Ruby also created a five-part podcast featuring interviews with Cronkite professors on business journalism that will air on our channel this summer. Check out some of her work below:
- The modern-day investigative duo inspiring a need for change
Barlett and Steele 2021 Silver Award winners Margie Mason and Robin McDowell set out to change that by documenting the horrific human-rights abuses in Malaysia and Indonesia’s multi-billion-dollar palm oil industry. - Five questions to ask when a professional sports team relocates to your city
When sports teams relocate it effects more than the team itself. Here are some important questions to ask when reporting on the business of relocating sports teams. - How to look great on Zoom
In a short two minute video Ruby gives you some quick tips on how to make your virtual calls look better. From your lighting to your background, to your best angle, Ruby has got you covered.
Austin Green
Austin is from Southern California and is passionate about his faith, Los Angeles sports teams, and Marvel films. He hopes to one day work for a national sports media outlet either as a reporter or in off-camera production. Austin will also be spending the summer at the Cronkite Sports Bureau in Phoenix and will be graduating with a master’s in sports journalism this coming fall.
Although his work has predominantly been centered around the business of sports, Austin has also pitched and produced stories on global trade and freelancer finances. Here are some of Austin’s best stories this year:
- How local businesses, college athletes are taking advantage of the NIL era
College athletes cannot be paid directly from their colleges and universities, but they can now receive compensation in other ways. Here are some of the ways local athletes are businesses are making the most of the new ruling. - How the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act will affect trade between the U.S. and China
Given its potential wide-reaching impact, it is likely that the this act will affect coverage for a multitude of business journalists regarding household brands that include Apple, Nike, and General Motors. - The sports betting legalization trend: What journalists need to know
The mass legalization and mainstreaming of sports gambling is already having a major effect on sports business, with everyone looking to get in on the action.
