Fierce Mustang Media: Student run. Faculty led. Success driven.

FIERCE MUSTANG MEDIA

STUDENT RUN. FACULTY LED. SUCCESS DRIVEN.

Above: Joe “BonesInTheBooth” Pethoud works during a Friday collaboration meeting in the Spring 2024 semester.

Right: Faculty Co-Advisor Tara Cuslidge-Staiano is interviewed by University of the Pacific Fierce Mustang Media intern Vanessa Vega about the goals of the media group.

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

This magazine was reported, designed, and edited by Fierce Mustang Media interns in Journalism and Public Relations: Andrea Rivera, Dylan Jaekel and Jelissa King. Photos in this magazine were shot by Ardon Rick Aragon, Joseph “BonesInTheBooth” Pethoud, Duane Sanders, and Anthony Villalobos.

PILOT SPONSORS

Linking learning to practice

Fierce Mustang Media (FMM) began in 2022 as a way to provide internships and work experience to media students on campus.

Inspiration for the group came after observing the work of Digital Media interns participating in campus internships as part of Delta College’s 1,000 Internship Initiative.

“Fierce Mustang Media started a couple of years ago when we had an internship program that we had just onboarded some digital media students to. And these were some intermediate digital media students. So they had already taken all of our foundation classes and were coming to us with a foundation of skill sets that were ready to take on the next project. At that same time that those students were onboarded, there was an opportunity to help out the district with a project that was going to be a partnership with the Stockton Ports,” said Adriana Brogger, faculty co-advisor to FMM and Digital Media professor at Delta College.

The Summer 2022 internship opportunities allowed students to apply what they had learned in classes to real work experience. They first began by working on an event in partnership with the Stockton Ports called Mustangs in the Outfield. They then used their

skills again in the planning of a Delta College’s public Halloween event called Fierce’s Fall Fest in CTE Land.

“The students produced the creatives. They did graphic design, podcast, audio, outreach, a lot of date of event planning as well. And so from that event, that then led to more creative ideation leading to Fierce’s Fall Fest in October [2022] and then again last year,” said Brogger.

The work done for Fierce’s Fall Fest sparked an idea to create a larger media group at Delta, which allowed for students to have a greater connection to the community rather than just the college. Faculty advisors looked to groups at other colleges for inspiration for the framework of this larger group.

“It was probably Fall of 2022 when we were planning Fierce’s Fall Fest, where the idea of ‘can we make this something bigger’ came up. And I knew about the Tehama group at CSU Chico. It started out as a public relations firm specifically. But obviously, since media has developed and grown over the past 15, 20 years, it has developed into very much the same thing media production content creation firm,” said Tara Cuslidge-Staiano, faculty co-advisor to FMM and Delta College professor of Journalism and mass communication.

With an idea and a passion for encouraging student success past the classroom, FMM was created.

FMM allows student interns to use skills they already possess in creative fields such as photography, social media creation, graphic design, audio production, video production, and content creation for professional work.

“Fierce Mustang Media provides a portfolio of multimedia services for clients, ranging from social media strategy to media production to content creation. Our power is in our student talent, which varies from semester to semester

Above: Fierce Mustang Media Intern Duane Sanders instruct community members during the Content Creator Boot Camp.

Above: University of the Pacific Fierce Mustang works to set up a video shoot.

depending on enrollment in our program classes,” according to the FMM website.

The group officially began with four Digital Media students: Duane Sanders, Ashley Hallinan, Ardon Rick Aragon, and Joe Pethoud, known as “BonesInTheBooth,” with skills in video, audio, photograph, graphic design, and social media strategy.

“Officially when we started Fierce Mustang Media last Fall, we started with four students. And we’ve been able to expand that to actually more than double that size this spring. And the reason that we’ve been able to grow — really importantly, — [is that] we were able to leverage a variety of funding sources,” said Brogger.

These students, like the previous Digital Media interns, were initially funded through the 1,000 Internship Initiative program. The program aimed to connect Delta College students to local employers who would provide them with an opportunity for work experience and through a 12-week paid internship.

“Students who are ready to enter the workforce often encounter employers who prefer candidates with experience in their field. The new initiative provides a much-needed opportunity for students to apply their learned skills and get that experience, while also addressing their financial needs,” said a Delta College press release from April 2021 regarding the launch of the 1,000 Internship Initiative.

continue and expand the group.

“We ended up applying for money from the Edge Collaborative and we were able to get, I believe, $85,000 to put towards salaries,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

Edge Collaborative is an organization which works to invest in local economic resilience through a green economy, community wealth, and workforce development.

“As a civic incubator, we then seed and support those emergent initiatives by deploying capital and providing hands-on support with talent, policy and coalition-building,” according to the Edge Collaborative website.

Funding through this program was not enough to sustain FMM, as the initiative ended in Summer 2023. Because of this faculty advisors to FMM looked for other funding sources to

It was with money provided to FMM by the Edge Collaborative that the group was able to continue the funding of intern salaries, laying a foundation to continue the work and seek out further funding from other sources to grow the program.

“That Edge Collaborative money actually helped us find gap funding that was funded for interns in Fall of 2023 that led us into this semester, Spring of 2024, with the ExCEL internship program,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Mustang Media Intern Vanessa Vega

Above: Fierce Mustang Media Journalism Intern Dylan Jaekel during the Content Creator Boot Camp.

View a video produced by student interns from University of the Pacific featuring interviews about Fierce Mustang Media and the work done by students.

MUSTANG MEDIA IN ACTION

After the end of the 1,000 Internship Initiative, Delta College launched a new program in 2024 named the Experience, Career Exploration, & Learning (ExCEL) Internship program, which now funds the salaries of some FMM interns.

A reason that looking for consistent funding is a priority is because those overseeing the group believe it is extremely important that the interns get paid for the work they do, just as they will be as they enter the workforce after leaving FMM.

“We are continuing to look for resources and ways to pay our students because we don’t believe that this is just something that students should do and volunteer for, we believe the students should get paid for this because they’re doing work that professionals do,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

The group is finishing the first year of their two-year pilot program and hopes that through finding consistent funding for salaries, they are able to keep the group growing for years to come.

“We’re really trying to figure out how to make this sustainable beyond two years, beyond five years into the future. And it really comes down to how do we continue to pay our students and how do we, how do we continue to build up the number of offerings we can have because we don’t want just like four people involved in every semester. We would love to have 10 or more students every semester that are part of this program,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

As the group expands in the future it is hoped to bring in a greater number of students from connected disciplines such as journalism, graphic arts, photography, and public relations. As the talents and skill sets of the group change with each semester, the work of the group molds to cater to those skill sets and provide the best opportunities to students.

— DYLAN JAEKEL

Top: Fierce Mustang Media Intern Duane Sanders shows community members how to find good light during the Content Creator Boot Camp.

Above: Fierce Mustang Media Intern Sammy Jimenez gives instruction showcasing free content creator tools during the Content Creator Boot Camp.

Removing systemic barriers LINK TO ADULT EDUCATION

Dr. Heather Maloy is the project manager for the Delta Sierra Adult Education Alliance (DSAEA), a consortium that supports the educational and economic success of adult learners in within the San Joaquin Delta Community College District.

DSAEA bridges the connections with adult schools, workforce development agencies, county offices of education, support groups, social service resources, labor, and employers.

The support includes classes for high school diploma/ GED equivalency, English as a Second Language (ESL), adult basic skills education (ABE), parenting and family education, citizenship, office skills, career technical education (CTE), and adults with learning disabilities.

At Delta College, the work includes the Directing Adults on the Right TrAC to Employment (DARTE) Learning Community. Many of the students working in Fierce Mustang Media, which aligns its focus on providing flexible internships to adult learners.

In her role, Maloy oversees eight different school sites in San Joaquin County, helping underprivileged students transition from short-term training programs and preparing them for careers and other opportunities.

Maloy works with counselor and transition specialists at the sites, where she learns more about the students. The adult learners come from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and often struggle with educational inequality and other social hardships.

“There is so much stigma behind community colleges and adult education. It’s all about, ‘What 4-year did you attend?’ It shouldn’t have to be like that. Getting an education all leads to something, we are all leading to something. No one should feel ashamed or embarrassed, we are all working on ourselves,” said Maloy.

Above: Maloy, left, during the Content Creator Boot Camp. DARTE served as a co-sponsor for the event.

Top: Dr. Heather Maloy was prominently featured in a documentar produced by Fierce Mustang Media Interns Duane Sanders and Ardon Rick Aragon. “Systemic” earned a first place documentary finish at the SJDC Film Festival in December 2023.

MORE ABOUT DARTE

MEET OUR ADULT LEARNERS

Duane Sanders

In 2020, freelance photographer Duane Sanders came to Delta College to enroll in Digital Media classes. His intention was not to obtain an associate degree. He wanted to expand beyond photography into videography. Sanders would come to the Digital Media lab from open to close Monday through Friday. While attending every day, he connected more with the students and staff in the Multimedia department. With developing connections and relationships, Sanders was motivated to obtain his associate degree. He was close to achieving one, why not just go for it.

Sanders was dedicated to production and helping other students in the lab; he was introduced to the Fierce Mustang Media (FMM) internship by Digital Media Professor Adriana Brogger. Being a freelance photographer, he didn’t want to pass up the opportunity.

Inside the Fierce Mustang Media, Sanders found a creative safe space where he can express himself. In the future, he wants to own a production studio, where digital creators can work together.

The first FMM project Sanders took on was revising footage shot by adult education students in San Joaquin County. As a videographer, Sanders wanted to create a personal narrative with a twist.

The project was called “Systemic,” which was directed and produced by Sanders and another FMM intern, Ardon Rick Aragon. The documentary showcased adult students from different backgrounds returning to school to get their high school diplomas. The message is that adults from all age ranges can finish their education.

“This project stood out to me the most. I met with a lot of the teachers and students and built a lot of relationships. It was a cool experience. Definitely my favorite project,” Sanders said.

The 10-minute documentary won first place in the Delta College Digital Media Film Festival and won third place in the California College Media Awards.

The second project was for San Joaquin County, they wanted to campaign ads to spread the word about illegal dumping. Sanders had the opportunity to produce public service announcements (PSA) and take photos of dump sites for the commercial project. All of his work will be showcased throughout the county. His PSA will be aired on local radio stations and his commercial photography will be displayed on local billboards and mall panels.

“I’m doing what I love to do, right now and I’m in this space I love to be in. The support that you get here [FMM] is unmatched,” Sanders said.

Visit Duane’s LinkedIn profile to learn more about his work. CONNECT WITH DUANE

Sarah Maimone

Sarah Maimone — mother and adult learner at Delta College — is the content creator and manager of Fierce Mustang Media (FMM).

Maimone began her re-entry into education entering Delta for a certification for entrepreneurship.

“The goal was to come back and exercise my mind … prepare my future for myself and my son,” said Maimone.

Maimone, who has always been very creative, took one class with Professor Adriana Brogger and instantly fell in love with Digital Media.

“I didn’t think I could even go to college for graphic design, audio work, or video… and now I’m going down the path of multimedia,” she said.

Maimone’s biggest struggle has been the “urge to throw in the towel and find a higher paying job.”

However, her determination to see the light at the end of the tunnel and create a better future for herself and her son pushes her daily.

As an adult learner, Maimone has found camaraderie in the Digital Media group and her internship with Fierce Mustang Media.

“A family but mostly, I have found something that I have enjoyed doing that is a trade skill that will allow me to be able to make money after I graduate. I could do freelance work, I could work for another company, and I love being able to imagine that freedom after college,” she said.

As a content creator and manager of Fierce Mustang Media, Maimone will make different social media posts, and content for clients, or polish up their brand to help boost clients' presence with a media presence.

Maimone has learned different communication techniques through her internship with FMM to engage and talk with clients, a skills she can use after graduating from Delta College.

“I have experienced how to work with clients, speak with clients, having interviews with them… From this experience, I will be able to build brand kits for other companies, or do freelance work for small businesses to get my name out there,” she said.

Maimone offers her biggest advice to her fellow future and present adult learners.

“It’s really scary to put yourself out there, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. And I have found that college, this experience, has been the most confidence-boosting experience that I could have gone through,” said Maimone.

— ANDREA RIVERA

Visit Sarah’s LinkedIn profile to learn more about her work.

CONNECT WITH SARAH

Ashley Hallinan

In 2020, Ashley Hallinan wanted to go back to school. She originally wanted to be part of the radiologic tech program at Delta College.

Instead, in December of 2023, she obtained three degrees: in Business, Digital Media, and Multimedia.

For 14 years, Hallinan has been a self-taught media manager and used her experience to become a freelance extraordinaire.

Hallinan started with her company Golden Rose Media, where she creates media content for local equestrian businesses; Check Counter, Meyer Ranch, Western Bloodstock Ltd., Breeders Halter Futurity, etc.

With her experience she became a horse photographer, videographer and creates graphic/web design templates for clients.

CONNECT WITH ASHLEY

In December of 2023, San Joaquin County became the first client for the internship program.

The media group had to create ad campaigns to discourage illegal dumping in the county. Working with this huge collaboration, Hallinan could show off her marketing skills. She was producing public service announcements along with sign designing.

Her work will be displayed on the marketing panels at Weberstown Mall in Stockton and West Valley Mall in Tracy.

Even though she is a self-taught social media marketer, Ashley continues to take multimedia classes. She’s not done learning, there’s so much more room for growth and opportunities.

“Everyone here is an expert in their own talents such as lighting, sound, photography, and documentary videos.

I’ve learned a lot from all of my peers and vice versa. It’s important to have a team. Because creating content by yourself can be stressful,” Hallinan said.

When there is time to wind down, Hallinan loves to cook and occasionally brings her home-cooked meals for classmates and the media crew.

Eventually, her goal is to become a food blogger/influencer by creating videos, posting recipes, and possibly creating a cookbook.

“I’m excited for the next client. I always look forward to helping small businesses, especially when it comes to social media management,” Hallinan said.

— JELISSA KING

Visit Ashley’s LinkedIn profile to learn more about her work.

Joe ‘BonesInTheBooth’ Pethoud

Joseph “Bones in the Booth” Pethoud, or “Radio Jesus,” is an allaround multimedia expert.

Bones, like any new adult learner, came back into his education path after, “I got to a point in my life where I didn’t have any destination or direction, I was just going to work to pay my bills … I wanted to find a direction, I wanted to figure out what to do with myself, with my time, with my mind,” he said.

Bones initially encountered challenges beginning his education because the courses he wanted were no longer offered at Modesto Junior College, where he lives.

The resulting commute to Stockton added to the difficulties. He also was self-conscious of being “the older guy in a class full with a bunch of younger people,” he said.

He quickly learned there was not much of a difference between the younger students and himself, as an adult learner.

“We’re both there for the same goal. We are both there because we have the same interest, and we want to learn, grow, and expand in the fields of digital media,” he said.

He found his way to the externship with Fierce Mustang Media, after taking a semester off and losing catalog rights during closures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. From there, Bones took an extra class and was told he could become a paid intern.

“I have been doing this internship this current semester and last semester until I can walk in May, and I am blessed with it being a paid internship ... I have used that money to build my production arsenal,” he said.

His biggest challenge in becoming a multimedia expert was jumping into a field he had no prior knowledge of, but with supportive guidance from Professor Adriana Brogger he instantly felt welcomed.

“I was able to use a lot of the equipment we had there on campus, so I wasn’t just learning these things by just reading and being told about it. I was getting hands-on experience and learning,” he said.

Bones credits the amount of resources and support that he received from the media program for helping him find his passion in media.

— ANDREA RIVERA

Visit Bones’ LinkedIn profile to learn more about his work.

CONNECT WITH BONES

REDUCING THE BRAIN DRAIN Working to keep talent local

Brain drain — when skilled or educated workers move to or work in other areas — is a large problem in San Joaquin County. The area has long been known as a hub of commuter towns, where people sleep at night, but spend their days working in another area. This leaves a dearth of talent locally.

“It was observed that too many residents are leaving, whether through commutes to neighboring geographies, or through permanent relocation to other geographies after gaining work

experience locally. There are tens of thousands of residents commuting out of the area each day,” according to the “Stockton Workforce Development Action Plan” published in 2020 by then Mayor of Stockton, Michael Tubbs, in partnership with University of the Pacific and Valley Vision. This export of skilled and/ or educated workers in San Joaquin County, and more specifically Stockton, to other areas leads to an increased cost of living for local residents, as well as a shift in local employment to cater to a more commuter-based population.

to the development plan.

Fierce Mustang Media is a step towards combating brain drain.

The group allows students to grow their individual portfolios and connects them to local employers and the community.

“The increased costs of living are driven, in part, by individuals living in Stockton, but commuting to higher wage positions in neighboring geographies. While local wages remain somewhat stagnant, the increasing cost of living amplifies the already difficult circumstances experienced by those working and living in the area. There is also concern that if the proportion of commuters continues to grow, there is risk that the local job base could shift further to basic services, which tend to be lower wage positions, geared to serving the commuter population,” according

“That then evolved into us having bigger conversations about how we serve a bigger population, how to put this out where students can work within the community and connect students to potential jobs in the future. The biggest part about that is reducing the brain drain in San Joaquin County and trying to link students with employers earlier here, so that we can keep them employed here in San Joaquin County,” said Tara Cuslidge-Staiano, faculty co-advisor to FMM.

FMM’s faculty advisors, Cuslidge-Staiano and Adriana Brogger, identified a need for more job training and hands-on education within local media fields.

They wanted students to find job opportunities within their own communities, rather than feeling pressured to go elsewhere.

“Tara and I had always seen the need in our community for more work-based learning opportunities for digital media content creators, storytellers and journalists to be able to find work here within our own area and not always have to think about Sacramento or the Bay Area or just moving to a different location,” said Brogger.

Cuslidge-Staiano wants the group to create students who are shepherds of communication for the local community. Not only is there a need for that connection and communication, but local people are also capable of creating it.

“Fierce Mustang Media is really this model that’s showcasing how this community both has a need to produce that work but also has the talent that can produce that work,” said Brogger.

Above: Fierce Mustang Media Co-Advisors Adriana Brogger, left, and Tara Cuslidge-Staiano open up the Content Creator Boot Camp with humor.

Local employment for FMM interns does not stop after they leave the program because their portfolios serve as a way to further expand their local opportunities. Eyes on their work sparks opportunities for local employers to want to hire these students based on their individual skillsets.

“We have these various clients that are working with, but what that also does is it allows somebody to say, oh, who designed that billboard? Who took that photo? Oh, there’s somebody who can [do] that. Perhaps that then turns into a conversation where there is a local media partner, an industry partner that is looking to hire our students,” said Brogger.

In that way, FMM fills a major gap.

“To have the opportunity to be able to be placed in an internship aligned with your area of study can really help the student better understand the different areas of their field of study,” said FMM’s “Project Fairy Godmother” Heather Maloy.

Maloy is the Program Manager of the

Directing Adults on the Right TrAC for Employment (DARTE) Learning Community at Delta College. Through the program, she has witnessed firsthand the impact of creating workforce education on a local level.

“There are many sectors to our areas of study for students, so the internships give students real-life experiences and to better understand the world of work. This is a great benefit to our adult learners returning back to school, especially those who are looking at coming back to be reskilled or do a training for upskilling. But also allows them a means to be a part of career exploration,” said Maloy via email.

FMM interns can change based on student enrollment at Delta. So, each semester, FMM can have a new set of available skills, which benefits both clients and students.

The group is impacting not only the skills and job prospects of interns of the program but also local organizations and entrepreneurs by hosting a Content Cre-

ator Boot Camp on April 19.

The event provided 75 individuals from nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs with a day filled with 10 available learning sessions to improve their ability to produce quality content, grow their platforms and engage with their audiences.

Sessions covered topics including social media strategy, marketing, accessible tools and apps, design, creating better video, and growing confidence online. Sessions were conducted by FMM faculty advisors, staff, and students.

The event provided valuable information to improve on content creation, benefiting local businesses and organizations involved, and further strengthening local employment and business. The event also provided FMM students with the ability to organize and teach their skills to an audience.

— DYLAN JAEKEL

Above: Fierce Mustang Media University of the Pacific Intern James Greer films during the Content Creator Boot Camp.

Projects focus on community

Fierce Mustang Media (FMM) uses its students' skill sets such as public relations, social media strategy, video production, audio production, photography, content creation, and expert editing to create different content to clients in the Stockton community.

Fierce Mustang Media seeks off-campus clients who fit the following criteria, according to the media group website: Nonpolitical, legally registered small businesses or nonprofits, and/or lacking a comprehensive media team. On campus partners must be: Programs in need of increased media presence that are

not tied to a campus marketing campaign or larger strategy.

As the group moves forward, the menu of options will change, with new students rotating through Delta College.

While building the media group and serving interested clients there will be a plethora of different talents and skills on offer from incoming students each semester.

“We are still making the rules as we go… we have a menu of options, but that menu of options is dictated by the students we have each semester. We would really like to serve as many clients as we can but we also don't want to degrade the work that our students do. We want them to feel as if they are supported in that endeavor,” said faculty co-advisor Tara Cuslidge-Staiano.

FMM also looks for clients that will specifically help diversify students' skill sets and that understand what it means to work with students.

“We want to make sure our students feel comfortable and supported in these environments,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

Student intern Ashley Hallinan said that the environment of the internship program “emphasized collaboration and teamwork. Each intern has different strengths and the variety of projects and diversity of talents has allowed everyone to shine with their strengths and work with others on learning new skills along the way.”

As an example, the group was introduced to the Tuleburg Press in the Spring 2024 semester, with a strong Delta College connection because of Delta College English Professor Paula Sheil.

Sheil founded Tuleburg Press to publish regional writers and established a creative writing and book arts center in downtown Stockton called The Write Place.

“It also is a huge advocate for literacy in this area, which we know is a big problem. Specifically, adult literacy so it seemed like a natural fit,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

FMM previously has done work for the San Joaquin County illegal dumping campaign. With this client, FMM got a chance to talk with the client and pitch ideas for a more in depth campaign based on assets that the client already had.

The students brainstormed certain ideas that would fit with the clients needs.

Above: Fierce Mustang Media Interns Joe “BonesInTheBooth” Pethoud, left, Duane Sanders, middle, and Vanessa Vega pose in front of an San Joaquin County illegal dumping campaign creative at Weberstown Mall in Stockton.

“For illegal dumping, we photographed dumping areas, designed graphics for electronic billboards, and produced radio PSAs/ads … projects I have undertaken as an intern has allowed me the experience of helping advertise for large-scale events on multiple channels utilizing a wide range of skill sets from design to social media to audio work. Working together with a team of very talented individuals has allowed us to learn from each other, meet the needs of the clients, and expand our knowledge and skills,” said Hallinan.

“In particular with San Joaquin County illegal dumping, they already have dedicated funding towards marketing … So it’s really exciting that our students have produced creatives that are going to be used for a larger marketing campaign… They’re going to be able to drive by a billboard and see their work,” said faculty co-advisor Adriana Brogger about the importance when taking on these bigger clients.

— ANDREA RIVERA

Left: Tara Cuslidge-Staiano, top photo, poses in front of a Fierce Mustang Media creative on 11th Street in Tracy. Adriana Brogger, bottom photo, poses next to a creative in the Trinity Parkway shopping center.

Above: An example of a co-branded creative completed by Fierce Mustang Media.

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY ILLEGAL DUMPING

San Joaquin County is suffering from illegal dumping and littering. According to reports, at least 2,600 tons of trash in San Joaquin County communities yearly, and annual clean-up costs taxpayers close to $1.3 million.

In May 2023, the county launched an illegal dumping campaign called “See It, Report It, Stop It.”

The campaign aims at educating citizens, eradicating, and enforcing. Educating is teaching the public how to discard or dispose of unwanted items. Eradicating is to encourage the citizens to partake in community clean-up events. Enforcement leads to reporting illegal dumping, surveillance, and involving law enforcement officials.

Public health and safety are important, it’s essential to advertise the risks of contaminating the environment. This affects neighborhoods, businesses/commercial areas, schools, parks, rural areas, highways/freeways, and urban areas. By risking all living areas, this can also affect natural resources and wildlife.

The campaign uses extensive marketing tools to grab the public’s attention including billboards, radio announcements, social media, public display panels, educational outreach, and public events.

“Besides using public service announcements, we like to use display panels in shopping centers, malls, bus stops, and billboards. Advertising is all about spreading the message and making it clear. The more you show it, the more people will recognize it,” said Senior Deputy County Administrator and point person for FMM Suzie Saiers.

Illegal dumping and littering is a criminal offense. Offenders will be fined up to $10,000 and/or will possibly be criminally prosecuted.

— JELISSA KING

LEARN MORE

TULEBURG PRESS + THE WRITE PLACEts

Paula Sheil founded Tuleberg Press in 2012 as a nonprofit organization to help local authors publish books. In 2017, after three books and several years of operating out of her home, The Write Place opened in downtown Stockton, where Tuleberg Press shared the same space.

The nonprofit was not only a place to publish local writers, but it’s also a place to create. The Write Place offers workshops for bookbinding/crafting, letterpress printing, paper crafting/making, poetry, memoir writing, journal making, and calligraphy. A book center that is a safe space for all writers of all ages.

Sheil was struck with inspiration for the endeavor while studying for her Master's Degree at New College of San Francisco. That’s where she encountered 826 Valencia and San Francisco Center for the Book.

826 Valencia was founded by American novelist David Eggers and educator Ninive Calegari in 2002. It’s a learning space for children to expand their writing skills.

San Francisco Center for the Book is a nonprofit organization that offers courses in letter pressing, bookbinding, paper making, and also teaches the history of book artistry. Sheil wanted to bring this to Stockton.

“There are wonderful opportunities in major urban areas like San Francisco, Portland, etc. I got my certificate for letterpress printing and bookbinding in San Francisco. I wanted to combine both of these great ideas and bring it here to Stockton,” said Sheil.

When publishing local writers, there is one requirement to be published through Tuleberg Press, the story or poetry must involve Stockton. It can be in any genre as long as it connects to the town. Sheil’s goal is to publish at least one book each year. Since the start of Tuleberg Press, she has reached that goal in 12 years of business.

“Stockton is incredibly diverse with so many different communities. I want to give local writers and local poets an opportunity to get published. And with book art, it’s so much fun. It’s hands-on work, but it’s good to teach kids something like this. The kids get into it once they start making paper and letterpress printing,” said Sheil.

— JELISSA KING

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STUDENT SUCCESS

Portfolio building critical to project

Tara Cuslidge-Staiano believes you can teach a student to take photos, how to edit, or how to write a caption, but it is what you do with that knowledge next is what matters. When you leave the classroom you can not stop learning, you must work to grow your skills and learn to adapt.

Fierce Mustang Media allows for students to continue that learning and get a taste of what working in a professional media sphere is like.

The group allows for students to grow their portfolios through the work that they do for FMM clients, which serves as a foundation to find future employment and opportunity within the media industry.

A goal of the group is that the work that students do will not just be a benefit to the clients they are working with, but also the students themselves. A balanced relationship between the two allows for the best work to be produced while each new project provides a learning experience.

“Our biggest hope is that we put students on a path with clients that’s going to be constructive and going to be beneficial for both parties, and that is really what we are looking for,” said Cuslidge-Staiano, FMM faculty co-adviser.

One project which allowed for students to utilize their unique skill sets in a professional capacity was done in partnership with San Joaquin County. The project was a campaign to create awareness about illegal dumping in the county.

“That included some billboard design, some photography, as well as production of some public service announcements for radio. And that was a nice project because that entity already has a marketing budget where they purchase some billboards and some digital space. And so it’s really nice that the students who worked on those projects will be able to get to see their work and have an amplified audience for that work,” said Adriana Brogger, co-advisor to FMM and Digital Media professor.

Students in FMM have also worked on projects directly in

connection to Delta College, such as Mustangs in the Outfield in 2022 and Fierce’s Fall Fest in Fall 2022 and 2023.

A newer client of FMM is Tuleburg Press, a local nonprofit publishing company which provides mentorship to local writers.

“It’s really nice to see that the students have an opportunity to showcase the things that they’re learning in class and also support these nonprofits and other entities in our community,” said Brogger.

Doing work that directly impacts both their campus community, as well as the greater community of Stockton gives the students of FMM a sense of pride in their work.

“When a large focus of your work is within the realm of civic advocacy, you can’t help but develop the passion for community service. We care about the world around us, which then gives us a reason to hone our skills further in hopes to utilize them for the benefits of all. We can learn the practical skills for multimedia, but caring about our work’s impact is something that can’t just be taught,” said student Anthony Villalobos, who joined FMM in 2022.

Students like Villalobos were excited to hear of an internship opportunity like FMMG and wanted to use their skill sets for a greater scope of work.

“I was a part of the Digital Media Department’s first wave of interns, and was fortunate to have the opportunity to take part in the work that lead to the formation of Mustang Media. This has been in the works for a while, and as soon as I heard from Prof. Brogger that it finally has become a reality, I jumped at the opportunity to join,” said Villalobos.

The same excitement for an internship opportunity was felt by student Joe Pethoud, more commonly referred to as ‘Radio Jesus’ or ‘BonesInTheBooth,’ who was one of the first four students to originally join FMM.

“I had taken [a lot of] the DMEDIA classes at this point and was told that there was an internship opportunity and get paid to do what I’ve been doing in the classes I’ve taken.

Sounded good to me, so I jumped on it,” said Bones.

Ashley Hallinan was one of the first four students to join FMM. She used skills she developed through her time as a Digital Media and Multimedia major at Delta, as well as her 14 years of experience with her business, Golden Rose Media, to create impactful social media and content strategy work.

Hallinan worked on the Mustangs in the Outfield event in 2022, Fierce’s Fall Fest in 2022 and 2023, and with San Joaquin County for the illegal dumping campaign where she created a PSA and signage for the project. She also worked alongside other FMM interns with Tuleburg Press.

“Each project has helped provide information and opportunities to the Stockton community and I continue to learn more about assisting with the overall marketing for individual client needs and how to work with an amazing group of other talented interns,” said Hallinan.

FMM continues to create new pathways and goals for those involved. It has given them a further body of work to present to future employers and has helped influence their career aspirations.

“I would like to continue to do the work that I’ve been doing and expand my portfolio. I would like to look for a

(media) company of some sort creating content for clients, as well as do my own thing. Working with the group gives me somewhat of an idea as to what it would be like to work with a collective of creatives for a common goal, what I want and what I don’t want out of connections, and how to learn from other creatives,” said Bones.

It is through their work in FMM that students have been able to expand their capabilities and appreciation for the work they do. For students like Villalobos, FMM has not only allowed them to grow as a creative, but also as people.

“Fierce Mustang Media Group has made me a better person. It’s understandable for the world’s problems to

overwhelm us, and I don’t hold it against people who don’t want to fight the good fight. For me, after all this, I just want to know the work that I am doing matters and is making a positive impact. My ultimate goal in life is to become someone who is reliable, and this means people can expect me to follow through with quality work. I want to maintain a reputation for integrity, and a willingness to help. I wouldn’t have been able to begin this path without FMMG and the students and staff that embody this organization,” said Villalobos.

— DYLAN JAEKEL

Left: Fierce Mustang Media Interns Duane Sanders and Sarah Maimone speak at the California Community College Association for Occupational Education (CCCAOE) in April 2024. Above: Anthony Villalobos takes photos as members of the media group prepare to present at the CCCAOE conference.

Right: Digital Media students, including Fierce Mustang Media interns, celebrate during the Career and Technical Education certificate ceremony.