Date/Time
Date(s) - February 13, 2024
9:30 am - 10:45 am
Location
LSC 372-374, Lory Student Center
Categories
Insights Beyond the Classroom: Alumni Panels
February 13 | 9:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. | Lory Student Center 372-374
Join us for two insightful alumni panels with esteemed communication studies graduates. These professionals will share their career journeys, lessons learned, and advice for success.
All communication studies students and those interested in the major are welcome to attend! This is your chance to learn from those who have been where you are—hear their stories, ask questions, and walk away better prepared to launch a fulfilling career doing what you love. We hope you’re able to join us for one or both insightful alumni panels.
Morning Panelists
Kale McMonagle, Collaboration Director, The Civic Canopy
Kale manages Canopy projects that provide capacity building for individuals, organizations and coalitions. This includes providing training, facilitation, coaching, and project management for collaborative initiatives across the state. Throughout her work, she ensures alignment with the Canopy’s Community Learning Model by championing the Canopy’s evaluation tools. Kale brings extensive ample experience in cultivating regional relationships, designing innovative public processes, recruiting diverse stakeholders, and crafting powerful stories about collaboration. Kale received her BA and MA in Communication Studies, Deliberative Studies Specialization from Colorado State University.
Emily Myler, Neighborhood Development Liaison, City of Fort Collins
Emily is a Colorado native who grew up in Carbondale but found her home on the Front Range via Colorado State University. She holds an associate’s degree in Spanish from Colorado Mountain College as well as a bachelor’s in Communication Studies and a master’s of Public Policy and Administration from CSU.
Emily arrived at CSU as a junior intending to study conflict management and took the interpersonal and relational communication track in the Communication Studies curriculum. She also chose to continue her Spanish education with a minor in Linguistics focusing on Spanish. Beyond her coursework, Emily was on the night editing staff for The Rocky Mountain Collegian and was president of the Communication Studies Club while at CSU. Emily also joined the CSU Center for Public Deliberation and spent three semesters as a student associate. It was in this role that Emily realized she could fuse her knack for conflict management with her desire to make an impact on her community through civic engagement and shifted towards that track in the department.
Now, Emily works with the City of Fort Collins as a public engagement specialist in the Neighborhood Services Department, helping empower members of the community to engage with building and development which may impact their lives.
Claudia Perez, Public Affairs Manager, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains
Afternoon Panelists
Jesús Calderón, Collaboration Manager, The Civic Canopy
Jesús serves as a Collaboration Manager with the Civic Canopy. His contributions to the Canopy include narrative consulting, platform development, and providing support in communications initiatives. In his work, Jesús has partnered with equity-driven organizations to evaluate program performance, design culturally appropriate approaches, and improve community engagement. He also brings experience working with Latine and Spanish-English bilingual communities in Colorado. Jesús attended the Community College of Aurora and Colorado State University, where he received his BA and MA in Communication Studies.
Miguel Bañuelos-Garcia, College Advisor, Denver Scholarship Foundation
Born and raised in Denver, Miguel Banuelos-Garcia is a first-generation scholar. He earned his BA in Communication Studies from Colorado State University in 2020. Beginning his career as an admissions ambassador in the office of Admissions at CSU, Miguel ascended to Senior Admissions Counselor before joining the Denver Scholarship Foundation as a College Advisor. Passionate about college access and equity, Miguel is dedicated to supporting students in their pursuit of higher education. His journey reflects a commitment to breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for all. Rooted in his Communication Studies background, Miguel leverages his understanding of framing to advocate for inclusive policies and engage in meaningful public discourse. As a driving force in the quest for a more equitable educational landscape, Miguel Banuelos-Garcia inspires graduating students to embrace the transformative power of education and work towards a future where every individual has the opportunity to thrive.
Amy Meredith, Communications Coordinator, City of Fort Collins
Amy manages social media and works on various marketing initiatives within the Utilities Communications and Marketing team. In addition to working for the city, Amy manages an Etsy shop where she sells her originally designed products. Raised in Texas, she has lived in Fort Collins since starting at CSU in 2018. Amy is committed to sustainability and fostering public involvement.
In 2022, Amy earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Global Environmental Sustainability from CSU. Beyond her professional life, she enjoys playing video and board games, exploring Colorado through hiking, roller skating, crocheting, and reading fiction novels.