Meet Becca
Hi! My name is Becca Smouse. I am currently a Program Coordinator for the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. I have experience in digital producing, writing and reporting, social media strategizing, and web design. Previously, I worked for The Arizona Republic & azcentral.com in Phoenix, Ariz. as a Social and Digital Producer, as well as Tempe Union High School District in Tempe, Ariz. as a Webmaster & Digital Media Coordinator.
I am currently pursing an MS in Digital Audience Strategy from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. In 2017, I graduated from the Cronkite School with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication, as well as a Minor in Criminology and Criminal Justice. I was honored as an Outstanding Undergraduate Student and inducted into ASU’s Cronkite Chapter of the Kappa Tau Alpha National Honor Society.
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
Responsible for managing and updating 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: Class of 2022
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University
BA: Journalism & 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.
