Celebrating Women at CSU Pueblo

Photo provided by Dakota Sandras

Gabryelle Martinez (left), Shahrzad Sherry Dadgar, Taylor Souther, Dakota Sandras (right), gather at Buell Communications Center to record the first episode of the series Celebrating Women at CSU Pueblo.

Gabryelle Martinez, Multimedia Journalist

In honor of celebrating International Women’s History Day, this Saturday Mar. 8, students and faculty from SOCO Student Media came together for a panel discussion to celebrate the women at CSU Pueblo.

“Today we are here to celebrate women’s voices, experiences, and impact” said Shahrzad Sherry Dadgar, assistant professor in the Media and Entertainment department.

The discussion included Professor Dadgar, Professor Dakota Sandras, and various students from SOCO Student Media, with Taylor Souther from KTSC-FM as host, and Gabryelle Martinez, a journalist for The Today. Camera and audio support were provided by Carlyle Murley, and Lauryn Gollihugh assisted with the social media.

“I have always been passionate about storytelling that amplifies underrepresented voices, and for a long time my focus was centered on women’s narratives, exploring their struggles, resilience, and agency,” Dadgar said. “As I evolve as a filmmaker, writer, and educator, I find myself drawn to a broader intersectional approach, one that acknowledges the layered and interconnected experience of gender, race, sexuality, class, and identity.”

Sandras added, “a lot of my academic background that led me here is doing some of that from the media studies side… looking at the relationship between media and culture and understanding some of those power dynamics and its intersection with gender.”

Sandras is an assistant professor of strategic communications, and she runs the social media accounts for SOCO Student Media and The Today. Her role within the media department extends beyond titles, she is passionate about her ability to guide young women and students early on in their career development. Sandras also reports a dedication to media studies, delegating time to researching the mentioned topics.

“Being a young woman in academia, being a businesswoman, and being a woman in media, I’m able to bring some unique insights and experiences.” Sandras said.

The series Celebrating Women at CSU Pueblo will continue through the month of March in honor of Women’s History Month, featuring other guests to discuss the various topics of concern for women in academia. Viewers and readers can expect conversations addressing the following topics: navigating academia as a woman, breaking barriers, work-life balance and burnout prevention, elevating the next generation, diversity and inclusion in higher education, as well as funding, grants, and research for women in higher education.

“What I hope emerges from these conversations is not just recognition but sustained action—the ability to keep the torch burning, to continue dialogue, and to strengthen the connections we build when discussing these critical issues.” Dadgar said.

SOCO Student Media invites students and faculty to share the women they are celebrating this month by reaching out to [email protected] with suggestions for other women to be featured by SOCO Student Media. The first podcast will be available at socostudentmedia.com.