What does it take to go from being a student photographer to documenting history at the White House?

In this episode of One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), fourth-year public relations student Symone Moore sits down with SOJC alum Polly Irungu ’17—photojournalist, founder of Black Women Photographers, a photographer for Governor Wes Moore of Maryland, and former photo editor for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Polly shares how a social media internship with NPR jumpstarted her career, why you don’t need to live in a big city to make it big, and how she’s built a global network that empowers creators of color.

Stay tuned to the end for her One Cool Story—a memorable brush with a huge celebrity at the Grammys.

Listen to hear:

• How Polly turned a passion for storytelling into a national platform.
• What it’s like working in the White House.
• Her advice for aspiring photographers and communicators.

Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast Learn about the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/ Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://sojc.link/SOJC-apply Learn more about Polly: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/eric-allen-award/polly-irungu

What does it take to turn childhood wonder into cutting-edge research?

In this episode of One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), journalism senior Julia Boboc sits down with Danny Pimentel, assistant professor of immersive psychology and director of the Oregon Reality Lab at SOJC Portland, for an inspiring and surprising conversation about the power of virtual and extended reality to shape communication professions.

Hear how an 8-year-old’s first virtual reality experience at Disney World led to a career exploring immersive media, nonprofit storytelling, and empathy through technology. Danny shares the story of his not-so-warm welcome to Eugene, his time at Sesame Street, and One Cool Story that takes us deep under the sea.

Tune in to learn:

• How virtual reality is changing communication professions.
• What drives immersive media research at the University of Oregon.
• The path from graphic design to XR innovation.

Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast Learn more about the Immersive Media Communication Master’s program at the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/academics/graduate-programs/immersive-media

Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://sojc.link/SOJC-apply

Read a Q&A with Danny Pimentel: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/news/danny-pimentel-virtual-reality-careers

How do you turn passion for soccer into a thriving media brand and a trip to the World Cup?

In this episode of One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), journalism senior Sophie Fowler sits down with Jackie Gutierrez, SOJC journalism master’s alum and founder of Women Kick Balls, a website dedicated to women’s soccer coverage.

Jackie shares how she crowdfunded her dream trip to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, why she launched a coffee business inspired by soccer, and how she built a community for fans and journalists around the world.

You’ll also hear her One Cool Story behind the site’s name—and her one piece of advice for women breaking barriers in male-dominated fields.

Listen to hear:

• How Jackie turned her UO master’s experience into a global platform.
• Tips for women in sports media and entrepreneurship.
• The story behind her dual passions for coffee and soccer.

Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast Learn more about the UO Multimedia Storytelling Master’s program: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/academics/graduate-programs/multimedia-storytelling Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://sojc.link/SOJC-apply Get to know more about Jackie: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/news/jackie-gutierrez