Gonzaga University
Utley graduated from Gonzaga University in May 2021 magna cum laude.
She got her bachelor of arts degree in journalism with minors in communication studies and political science.
Communication Studies and Journalism Academic Papers
The Democratic Implications
of News Deserts
Final research paper for
JOUR 440: Senior Seminar: Media and Democracy
Intersectional Analysis of
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Final research paper for
COMM 430: Intersectional Communication
Sight of Memory Redesign:
The Newseum
Final project for
COMM 350: Politics of Social Memory
JOUR 370: Emerging Media Projects
Interview Podcast
Riley Utley and her partner for this project, Nick Tomoyasu, chose to interview Kevin Hekmatpanah, the director of the Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra, professor of music and cello player.
This assignment required them to use a Zoom recorder for the interview and Audacity to edit the audio.
This assignment required them to create an interview podcast and script.
Podcast Script
Creative Podcast
Riley Utley and her partners for this project, Morgan Scheerer and Brooklyn Popp, chose to make their podcast about the debate around reproductive rights on Gonzaga's campus. Since GU is a Jesuit/Catholic university they saw an opportunity to document a debate that is not only going on at GU but in many Jesuit/Catholic circles.
This assignment required them to use a Zoom recorder for the interview and Audacity to edit the audio. They interviewed four people for this project: the co-founder of the Students for Reproductive Rights Club, the president and pregnant on-campus coordinator of the Students for Life Club and a religious studies professor.
This assignment required them to create an interview podcast and script.
Podcast Script
Three Things Blog with Video
For this assignment, Utley was tasked with creating a video and blog post about three things to do while at home because of the coronavirus.
She filmed all elements of her video on her iPhone and edited the video using iMovie.
Creative Video PSA with Social Media
Going into the next school year Utley wanted the Gonzaga community to know that no matter the major they can come work and learn at The Gonzaga Bulletin. Her plan was to speak with five people currently employed at The Bulletin who will be there next year as well who all have different majors and interests in writing. With applications opening up soon to write and edit at The Bulletin this PSA serves as a tool to show people what we do as a publication and how they could work here no matter the background.
Utley filmed some interviews through Zoom screen recording and had other sources send in their video. She edited the video together with iMovie.
She also created a social media plan to use this PSA as a recruiting tool for The Bulletin in the coming semester.
Social Media Plan
Final Project: Video and Story
Utley decided to do her final project about the Davenport High School class of 2017. She graduated with this class and wanted to create something that could be used as a tool to show current high school students to illuminate the options they have after high school and how Utley's former classmates have used their high school education in the last three years.
She wrote a feature story with three sources and created a compilation video using Zoom and her iPhone to highlight the lessons her classmates have learned. She edited the video in iMovie.
JOUR 440: Media and Democracy
Get Out the Vote Project
This project was devoted to the project about educating young voters on the democratic process in the United States. Utley and her partner, Alyssa Cink, chose to focus their research on Generation Z and work to create a website and social media campaign the promotes engagement and education about the upcoming 2020 election.