Class of 2024: William W. White Honorees
William W. White Outstanding Seniors are chosen by department faculty to recognize academic merit, professional achievement and service to the college. The Outstanding Graduate award honors the CMCI student with the highest overall GPA in his or her graduating class.
White, a Boulder native, graduated from CU’s School of Journalism in 1933. He was a reporter in Boulder, Denver and New York before becoming the foreign editor of Time from the early 1940s through the mid-1950s, based in London, Brazil and Montreal. At the advice of his friend Edward R. Murrow, who told him “it doesn’t matter what you do, what matters is that you do it where you want to live,” White returned to Boulder, where he started the White and White public relations firm. White and his wife, Connie, established this endowment in 1998.
Meet our graduates and read their stories.
Andrew Schwartz: College of Media, Communication and Information
Andrew's advice to students is to try everything and talk to as many people as you can—especially outside your major. That way, you'll broaden your perspective.
When it comes to impact and being able to make something I’m proud of, a big part of that is being able to make technology for the people to use it, and make things that people enjoy using and improve their lives. Info places a big emphasis on that."
Lisa An: Department of Critical Media Practice
Lisa started her CU career as a computer science major before switching to media production. She said this was one of the best decisions she ever made because through the program, she discovered a passion for photography.
"I learned that keeping your work to yourself because of the fear of not being good enough does no good. If you share your work and receive feedback, you are able to improve your craft and obtain opportunities you otherwise never would have been able to.
Elijah Boykoff: Department of Information Science
Going into college, Elijah's goals for himself were to learn as much as he could and make it to the finish line. He says he's made good on those goals, and this award is an exciting bonus.
Your professors are people just like you. Get to know them—if you are able to resonate with your professors on a deeper level, you will be much more enriched by the knowledge they have to share."
Bianca Perez: Departments of Communication, Media Studies
Bianca is the first CMCI graduate to win outstanding student honors from two different majors. She's now off to a prestigious Ph.D. program.
"What I have is like a wish coming true. You can work very hard and that can still not be enough, and I’ve seen that happen to people around me my whole life.
Sujei Perla Martinez: Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design
For Sujei, a first-generation college student, graduating means she's carving a new path for her family.
My community helped foster a place for self-discovery and encouraged me to be unapologetically myself while helping me grow within my values and beliefs."
Nic Tamayo: Department of Journalism
Nic's CMCI experience in three words: fulfilling, inspired, treasured.
"I will take with me the connections I’ve been able to make with people from so many corners of life. They’ve taught me lessons that I may never have learned without their friendship and mentorship.