Leaving Her Mark: A Student With Vision

Communications alumna Kalie Calder has left an indelible mark on the department and the university. Through her own initiative and hard work, Calder launched The Bulletin TV last fall as the broadcast component to the school newspaper for students interested in television news production.

Calder felt it was important for the campus and Communications students to have a broadcast channel for news on campus, not just for students to learn this type of journalism, but also because it gives Communications students a chance to showcase what people are doing on campus.

"We have such an amazing campus and I don't think it gets the credit or recognition it deserves," Calder said. "I think the students and faculty are amazing and the things they do are, too."

With encouragement from professors and faculty, Calder created an outline and proposal for Communications Department Chair Dr. Nancy Cheever. In the summer of 2017, she pitched the idea and Dr. Cheever gave her the green light. Calder spent most of that summer with professor Paul Fornelli going over things she learned in his media production class. Along with the extra help of professor Fornelli, professor Joel Beers, professor John Canalis and Dr. Cheever, Calder launched The Bulletin TV in the fall of 2017 without a designated classroom space and armed only with a green screen and cameras.

Despite the limiting circumstances, Calder was able to produce a professional-level newscast production, complete with news anchors and field reporters. Launching the show also gave Calder the opportunity to produce, write, and direct the entire show herself. It also put her in the position to lead her own crew. Calder said she had to be prepared and know everything about journalism, from the writing to camera work to production to props to location scouting.

"I just felt like I had an eye to find things that were maybe not seen by others," Calder said.

Though it can be hectic overseeing a staff of up to 14 at a time, Calder is thankful for the team that came together to make The Bulletin TV possible.

"They donated and volunteered their own time and wanted to come on this journey and really had my back," Calder said. "They really give 120% and I just applaud them for coming in every week and really being prepared as they can."

With almost a year in action, Calder is proud of the exposure and milestones The Bulletin TV has reached. Instead of them having to reach out to people, people are reaching out to them now. A student interviewed former CSUDH President Willie J. Hagan before his retirement and KDHR reached out to The Bulletin TV to do media coverage at this year's Spring Fling event. Calder considers both wins for the team.

However, the major success was completing season one and knowing they were coming back for season two. Calder was relieved that no one said, "What are you doing? This is crazy, goodbye," and pulled the plug.

Calder is proud of the work The Bulletin TV has produced but is excited for what can possibly come next.

"I want us to be everywhere," Calder said. "I want us to be in the LSU. I want us to be on our giant marquee. I want people to be able to have this opportunity."

Calder firmly believes broadcast journalism has a place in the Communications Department.

Writing, producing and directing a show is a full-time job on its own but Calder always has more than a couple things going on under her sleeve. Before attending CSUDH, she had already been in front of the camera as a child actor in commercials, an extra in numerous movies, and behind the camera as a photography at Long Beach City College. She has always aspired to be a photographer for National Geographic Magazine but her time at CSUDH as a Communications major with an emphasis in Media Studies has given her broader interests that now include writing, producing, and directing.

"If you know me, you know that I'm a Type A personality," Calder said. "I've always had more than three jobs the entire time I've been in college."

Among those three jobs, Calder was a lead travel rep for a hair company for six years. She traveled around the U.S. setting up hair shows in places such as New York and Texas. Even with the constant traveling, Calder made it fit into her school schedule. She was also a server at Shannon's on Pine St. in Long Beach on the weekends and worked as an office aid at the Children's Center on campus.

Before graduating in Spring 2018, Calder was the social media manager and web coordinator for The Bulletin newspaper. She was the vice president of TEAMS, Toros Entertainment and Media Society, and she was vice president of SISJ, Society of Student Journalists, in the fall 2017 semester. She also happened to serve as their web coordinator. She spent her last semester interning with Focus Features at NBC. Lastly, Calder was given an inaugural leadership award at this year's Communications Banquet.

Calder encourages future communications students to go to class, ask questions and learn as much as possible because this led her to make her own opportunities happen. Getting to know the faculty also helped her push through some dark times and served as motivation as they showed nothing but support.

"I was just another student who had an idea and people seemed to really like it," Calder said. "I truly can't say thank you enough because it has taught me so much. I can't wait to see what the future holds."