From left to right: Justina Sharp, Chau Le, Alexis Flores and Ebehimalen Aboiralor
The Department of Communications selects students to win three top, overall Department awards: the valedictorian’s James Jordan Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement, the J. William Maxwell Outstanding Communications Student Award, and the Gerhard Friedrich Award for Exceptional Professional Promise.
This year’s winners are Chau Le, Justina Sharp, Ebehimalen Aboiralor and Alexis Flores.
Chau Le
The James Jordan Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement Award
The James Jordan Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement recognizes the student with the highest cumulative GPA. The graduating student who has earned this remarkable achievement is Chau Le. Not only has she done well to achieve multiple academic goals, scholarships, and awards, Le has also dedicated her time to organizations such as CSUF’s Tusk Magazine, AdClub, the Daily Titan, and has also completed a recent internship at Los Angeles Magazine. Le has been on the Dean’s List throughout her years at CSUF and will be graduating with a degree in Advertising Communications, and a minor in Marketing.
Justina Sharp
The J. William Maxwell Outstanding Communications Student Award
The J. William Maxwell Outstanding Communications Student Award honors the founding chair and leading visionary of the Communications department and is an award that exemplifies what an ideal communications student with high levels of scholarship, leadership, career focus, and service to the department. Justina Sharp is the honoree. Sharp has consistently maintained her place on the Dean’s List at CSUF while also building up ten years of experience, not only in digital and influencer marketing but also in Gen Z and millennial branding. She has written for renowned web and print outlets, has been a part of organizations such as the National Association of Black Journalists, and NPR’s Next Generation Radio Project, and currently works as a creative consultant for tech startups specializing in young people and lifestyle. Sharp will be graduating with a Public Relations degree in Communications and a minor in African American Studies.
Ebehimalen Aboiralor and Alexis Flores
The Gerhard Friedrich Award for Exceptional Professional Promise Award
The Gerhard Friedrich Award for Exceptional Professional Promise is an honor is given to a graduating senior who demonstrates great potential in a communications-related field. Award recipients demonstrate career promise in a variety of ways, including classroom performance, leadership, participation in relevant student and professional organizations, and overall interest in the field. This year’s awardees are Ebehimalen Aboiralor and Alexis Flores.
At CSUF, Aboiralor has dedicated her time to being a well-rounded Communications student. She has been active in her participation in organizations such as the Association of Intercultural Awareness and the Black Student Union and worked with Tuffy’s Basic Needs Services Center in a social media relations position. In her professional pursuits, Aboiralor has worked for OC News, written for Tusk Magazine in highlighting student life with regard to cultural diversity and inclusion, and is ending her last semester both as a news producer for Titan Weekly, under Titan Communications, and as a research assistant within the Department of Communications, researching defamation cases involved in the #Metoo movement. Aboiralor will receive her degree in the Journalism concentration of Communications, with a minor in political science, and has decided to follow her interests in communications law after graduation.
Flores has maintained a balanced college career not only in the public relations community but in the communications community as a whole. He has done well in his academic pursuits and has also gotten involved on campus by serving on various organizations, including the Public Relations Student Society of America, Titan Public Relations, Latino Communication Institution, Lambda Pi Eta, Titan Communications, and more. Flores’ unique approach to storytelling contributes to his extensive portfolio of different PR campaigns. The skills that he has obtained through his academic career has allowed him to work on many initiatives and events on campus. His willingness to learn from new opportunities has allowed him to develop his professional skill set and expand his network. Flores will receive his degree in Communications, with a concentration in Public Relations.
Congratulations on your well-deserved success, Titans!
