About your instructors
An Englishman who has lived most of his life as an American, Steve has taught design and graphics courses at Indiana University since 2010. Before this, he worked for almost two decades in newspaper graphics departments, including 16 years at the Chicago Tribune, where he was Graphics Editor and later Senior Artist.
Steve has won numerous awards for his graphics and design work, which he keeps in a drawer somewhere, and in 2001 he was a small part of a large project on airline gridlock that was awarded that year’s Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism.
During his time at the Tribune, Steve took part in three major redesigns and witnessed firsthand and on a day-by-day basis the accelerating pace of change that continues to transform the world’s media companies.
He is a graduate of the University of Florida.
Alex Brannan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Media School. His research interests include film reception on online platforms, film genres and taste politics. His dissertation research focuses on the relationship between platform and user behavior on the online social media site Letterboxd.
Leah Corcoran is a senior completing her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with focuses in news editing and news reporting at IU's Media School. She is also pursuing a minor in Theatre and Drama. Her work in the Media School primarily focuses on arts and culture news writing with a special interest in narrative storytelling and voiceover. Outside of the classroom, Leah is an active member of the IU Theatre program, the Marketing Manager of the Singing Hoosiers show choir and a proud member of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. This will be Leah's second semester as an AI for Story Lab I, following the completion of her summer internship in Communications at the New York City Law Department. In her free time, she enjoys watching horror movies, drinking iced chai lattes and journaling with her variety of multi-colored pens. She looks forward to another wonderful semester!
Marissa Finney is a junior pursuing Media Advertising on the creative track with the Liberal Arts + Management Program (LAMP). On campus, she works as the CO of marketing for Women & Company, a researcher for the National Student Advertising Competition, and a photographer for IUDM. When she's not on Canva, she's probably at a concert, crafting, reading, thrifting, or going on a side quest.
Danny Gutierrez is a two-time graduate from the IU Media School. He finished his BA in Advertising & Marketing in the spring of 2021 and his MS in Media Management in summer 2023. When he isn’t teaching C250 lab sections, you can find him working at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
Alison Irace is a senior completing her undergraduate degree in Media Advertising with a creative concentration through The Media School, along with pursuing minors in Marketing and Studio Art. Outside of the classroom, Alison is serving as the President of Women in Media, is a photographer for SEASON Magazine, has a radio show with WIUX, and is a member of Phi Gamma Nu Professional Fraternity. In her free time, Alison enjoys photography, reading, and working at The Media School camera checkout. If you happen to see her there, stop by and say hi!
Elias Khoury is a first-year graduate student at The Media School. Sports have always been Elias’ biggest interest, which led him to an undergraduate concentration in sports media. That said, storytelling is his passion. After accepting the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism Fellowship, Elias will spend the next two years earning a master's degree in journalism. He has completed internships with both Rivals.com and the IU Athletics Office. He is beyond excited to spend this semester with our newest C250 students!
Grace Marocco is a senior and the News Director of IU Student Television. Marocco has reported for WTIU and interned at a fashion magazine in London. She has special interests in broadcast journalism and social media. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and listening to Taylor Swift.
Michelle Obioma is a junior at Indiana University pursuing a degree in Journalism with a concentration in News Reporting and Editing and a minor in Comparative Literature. On campus, She’s co-director of the Little 500 Network, works as a Cuban Center intern, volunteers at the BFCA, and shares her favorite music on WIUX. While not in classes, you’ll find her playing “Savior Complex” on guitar, sewing various works in progress, grabbing a coffee at Hopscotch Coffee, or listening to Indigo Girls on repeat.
Sydney Richards is a senior at Indiana University Bloomington majoring in Media Advertising with a creative concentration and minoring in Merchandising and Event Planning. This past summer, she interned with Stack Brogan Collective, a women-owned design firm, where she helped with marketing, event planning, client engagement, and showroom operations. On campus, Sydney is involved with Women in Media, The Writer’s Place, and volunteers at the Bloomington Animal Shelter. She also serves on the board of One Heart Uganda, a nonprofit she’s been passionate about since a life-changing service trip in high school. In her free time, she loves traveling, working out, and spending time with friends and family.
Abigail Shavers is a senior undergraduate on her way to completing her BA in Media Advertising with a creative concentration. During her time at Indiana University, Abigail discovered her love of graphic design and photo post-editing. C250 was her first course at The Media School and what she considers one of her biggest milestones in her studies. When Abigail is not working on her portfolio, she is spending time with friends, thrifting, trying local spots, and traveling to new places.