Meet Becca
Hi there! My name is Becca Smouse and I am a digital marketing specialist and social media expert based in Mesa, Arizona. I currently work for the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. I have experience in digital marketing, social media strategy, storytelling and website content management.
I am currently pursing a Master of Science in Digital Audience Strategy from the Cronkite School. I love analyzing audience data and experimenting with new, innovative ideas in the digital space. Outside of work, I love to cook and bake, I’m an avid true-crime TV watcher and I have a sweet Australian Shepherd named Pebbles.
Work Experience
Program Coordinator, Cronkite School – Arizona State University
May 2020 – Current
Responsible for helping current Cronkite School students find internships, connecting them with recruiters and coordinating Cronkite Career Services programs and events.
Webmaster & Digital Media Coordinator, Tempe Union H. S. District
Aug. 2018 – May 2020
Managed and updated 7 school websites and district website; Social media coordinator for multiple Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles; Content creator, including pictures, video and web graphics, for all TUHSD mobile platforms.
Digital & Social Producer, The Arizona Republic & azcentral.com
July 2017 – Aug. 2018
Organized digital content produced for azcentral.com; managed content for the brand’s desktop and mobile application; tracked story metrics; used SEO techniques to better audience reach; managed posts on azcentral Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.
Education
MS: Digital Audience Strategy, Projected graduation: May 2022
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University
BA: Journalism and Mass Communication, Class of 2017
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University
Graduated Summa Cum Laude | Minor: Criminology and Criminal Justice | Special Degree: Barrett, the Honors College
Undergraduate Honors Thesis
Crime media distorts public perception: An analysis of Arizona media bias
Forensic science has taken the spotlight in mainstream media, both fact-based and fictional. Popular fictional shows, like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, give unrealistic scenarios of criminal proceedings by both forensic pathologists and investigators. From inaccurate timetables to blurred job responsibilities, fictional media has impacted the public’s perception of the criminal justice system.
This research takes a unique approach to the impact varying media entities have on the public’s perception of the criminal justice system, and how the system has morphed as the public’s expectations have altered.
