Want to see your work in print? Or try your hand as a DJ or podcaster? Are you interested in producing a show, designing a magazine or running an ad campaign?
At Syracuse University, a wide range of student-run media platforms and channels provide students with opportunities to flex their creativity and explore issues they care about—all while gaining tremendous professional experience.
Here, some students share how working in student-run media helped them gain experience relevant to their intended careers.
Running a Magazine
Julia Virnelli ’24 and Charlotte Little ’25 finalize an issue of Baked Magazine, one of dozens of student-run publications covering art, culture, style and much more.
Baked Magazine has won national awards for its coverage of food-related topics including student-vetted recipes, essays on food cultures and reviews of local eateries. But as editor-in-chief Julia Virnelli ’24 explains, food is an entry to many other topics. “Baked provides a place for people to share their thoughts on topics that are important to them, while also exploring the regional community and making friends and connections.”
When Virnelli started at Baked as a writer, magazine work was completely new to her. “I didn’t know anything about food writing or how magazines were put together. But everyone on staff was super welcoming and really helped me grow,” she says.
Virnelli served in a range of writing and editorial roles, and her involvement in Baked has opened doors for her professionally, she says. “I’ve had a chance to learn all different aspects of creating and running an online and print publication, from the perspective of a staff writer through to editor-in-chief,” she says. “That’s an opportunity I don’t think I could have gotten anywhere else.”
Behind the Scenes in Radio
Z89, which was founded by Syracuse students more than 50 years ago, provides opportunities for students to produce shows and podcasts and gain professional experience running a radio station.
Jordan Burda ’26 joined Z89 (WJPZ)—a student-run radio station heard across the region—because she recognized it would prepare her for working in public relations and entertainment. At Z89, Burda has served as human resources director, overseeing trainings and compliance with the Federal Communications Commission, and gained experience producing shows. “Working at the radio station helped me learn how entertainment media works, and it’s been a great way to meet people—including our huge alumni network. It’s just a great environment,” she says.
Ryan Monte Lima ’26 echoes this sentiment. “It’s really fun—the station is one of my favorite places on campus.” Lima says what drew him to work at Z89 was, in part, the station’s presence beyond the University. “I love hearing Z89 out in the community—in restaurants, Ubers. I always think, that’s us! That’s the team!”
As music director, Lima has learned the back-end work of programming and developing shows. One aspect of radio that appeals to him is the space it provides for authentic self-expression. “Of course we follow certain guidelines, but on radio you can really express who you are and the things you’re interested in—that’s a great freedom,” he says.
Managing a TV Station
At CitrusTV, one of the student-run TV stations on campus, students produce more than 15 regularly programmed shows, covering entertainment, news and sports.
CitrusTV, a student-run television studio, has been in operation since 1970 and, with over 350 student members, is one of the largest student organizations at Syracuse.
When Spencer Congel ’25 got involved in CitrusTV as a first-year student, he wanted to learn the technology and engineering that made TV production possible. He had the opportunity to run camera and video crews and eventually became the station’s operations manager.
When he assumed the position of general manager, Congel gained a range of other skills and experiences as well. “This role I’m in now is essentially president of the organization,” he explains. “I’m responsible for a lot of our interfacing with the University, in terms of our relationship with student experience and the other departments we work with. I also handle the budget and oversee our executive staff.” Managing such a huge and diverse organization is engrossing, he says, and also very rewarding. “It’s all up to us, the students. This whole station—all the technology, the content, all the learning that we do—is completely independent and that’s an awesome environment to be in,” he says.
Directing a Public Relations Firm
Dillon Williams ’24 says mentorship and peer support is an integral part of Hill Communications, a student-run public relations firm.
As firm director Dillon Williams ’24 describes it, “Hill Communications is a full-fledged, boutique public relations firm. We work with a large portfolio of real-world paying clients, and we also serve nonprofits that don’t have much budget for marketing.” Hill Communications, which includes a full graphic design team, offers services that range from promotion through press releases, placements in magazines and social media, to full rebranding and the development of brand guidelines.
Williams says that what he’s learned at Hill Communications is directly related to his professional interests. “This has given me the experience of working a range of roles in an agency setting. Hill Communications lets us put everything we learn in our Newhouse [S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications] courses into application in real-world environments—and we get to really see the impact we can have.”
Williams, who has transitioned to a job at Chamberlain Healthcare PR since graduating, also credits the opportunities he had at Hill Communications for helping him realize his passion for supporting health care organizations.
Creating an Academic Journal
The editorial team of The Crown worked together to develop a scholarly journal and publish a selection of undergraduate research from across the University.
“Once we started, the reality sank in about what it means to develop a scholarly journal from scratch,” says Amani Moses ’24, who served as marketing director of The Crown, an undergraduate research journal created by students in the Renée Crown University Honors Program, which published its inaugural issue in December 2023. “We had an incredible level of intellectual freedom. It was a tremendous responsibility—and also very empowering.”
The team developed guidelines and eventually selected, edited and published a breadth of work showcasing the diversity of student research across the University.
Moses says the process honed her skills of professional collaboration. “We had to handle feedback, navigate differing opinions and work together efficiently,” she says. “These are the kinds of interactions I anticipate in the professional world, and having a chance to navigate them in a safe space as a student was very helpful preparation.”
The experience affirmed Moses’ interest in marketing as a career path. “I focused on the brand image development—the colors, graphics and logo of our publication—and on curating the brand identity in our outreach and engagement,” she says. “It really helped me realize that this is what I want to do in the future.”
