The School of Communication Announces 2026 Outstanding Students

As one of the 10 largest schools at SDSU, the School of Communication stands out for its ability to connect with broad audiences and shape conversations through the power of communication. These students embody that mission, using their voices and skills to make a meaningful impact on those around them.

Evan Harold: Outstanding Student in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts, and Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Health Communication

“The plans that you make as a freshman oftentimes will not stick, but once you surround yourself with good people, you will begin to craft your life along the way,” says Evan Harold, outstanding undergraduate in health communication and outstanding student for the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. “Everything will work out in the end, and if it hasn't worked out then it is not the end.”

As the college of PSFA’s outstanding student, Harold’s involvement across campus spans far and wide.

He held various leadership roles and served as president of the Physician Assistant Student Association, and was in leadership for the Flying Samaritans of SDSU.

Harold was also in leadership for Volunteers Around the World: Global Health Alliances and served as an undergraduate learning assistant and human anatomy intern for various biology classes at SDSU.

Additionally, he played intramural volleyball and participated in the Research Apprentice Program, Undergraduate Scholars Research Conference, and College of Sciences Student Council.

After graduating, Harold aspires to become a Physician Assistant and work in the healthcare field 

“I hope to utilize the skills that I have learned through my coursework within the School of Communication and apply it to a field that I believe desperately needs individuals with heavy communication experience, that being the field of medicine,” Harold said.

For Harold, his involvement with Flying Samaritans has had a great impact on his college experience, providing him with hands-on health communication experience through monthly trips to Tijuana, Mexico, where he helped operate student-run healthcare clinics offering free medical services to underserved communities.

“While I do not speak native fluent Spanish, I am very proficient in the language and have had many personal conversations with patients about their living and health conditions,” Harold said. “Being able to have these first hand experiences and learn how a medical system in a completely different country functions has truly expanded my view on healthcare holistically, and has taught me to understand my own privileges in life, and use them for good.”

Harold credited School of Communication Director Heather Canary as the person who has had the greatest impact on his academic journey.

“While I have only had the privilege of getting to know her during my last year at SDSU, she has made a substantial impact on the way I now approach my life, and she has truly inspired me to utilize my skills and knowledge in the field of communication for the betterment of those around me,” Harold said.

Aliyah Blasband: Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Communication

“I am drawn to spaces where communication has the power to move people and create meaningful change,” says Aliyah Blasband, outstanding undergraduate in communication. “That includes event planning and hospitality, where thoughtful coordination and human connection are at the heart of every experience.”

Blasband said she is also drawn to the entertainment industry, “where narrative and media shape culture in profound ways,” as well as women's health and sexual health, “where clear, compassionate, and stigma-free communication can quite literally change and save lives,” she says.

Blasband was a director of ritual, and director of social events for Alpha Gamma Delta, and was selected as a Rho Gamma for the College Panhellenic Association’s Fall 2024 primary recruitment.

She was also a member of the waterski and wakesports team, Lambda Pi Eta (the National Communication Honor Society), and on the Promotions and Registration Host Team for the Western States Communication Association Conference in February 2026.

Additionally, she participated in the Research Apprenticeship Program under Dr. Katrina Pariera, becoming a co-author on her manuscript, and worked for Mission Bay Aquatic Center.

​​”What I came to understand through this experience is that the throughline connecting all of my professional interests, whether in event planning, public health advocacy, nonprofit work, or the entertainment industry, is people,” Blasband said. “Every role I held at MBAC required me to meet people where they were, understand what they needed, and respond in a way that made them feel seen and supported.”

Blasband said that her various involvements taught her the importance of audience-centered messaging, which she believes can bring people together and inspire them to participate in something larger than themselves.

She credited Kathleen Czech as the professor who had the greatest educational impact on her during her time at SDSU.

“Beyond the classroom, Dr. Czech has served as a true role model for me, not only as a scholar, but as a woman and as a human being,” Blasband said. “She embodies the kind of educator who reminds you why learning matters.”

Jasmine Cottam: Outstanding Graduate Student in Communication

“At SDSU and within my department, I feel I have been lucky to receive endless support and meaningful conversations with my faculty, lecturers, and fellow students,” says Jasmine Cottam, outstanding graduate in communication.

As a graduate associate teaching the COMM 103 course, Cottam said she has had the opportunity to build her teaching skills “with a safety net,” supported by the advice of all her mentors.

After graduating and taking a year off, she plans to apply to Ph.D. programs in communication and hopes to become a college professor and conduct research with and for queer and trans individuals.

Cottam’s final project was a comprehensive examination focused on themes of identity with a critical lens, critiquing how large systemic structures inhibit or restrain individuals.

“Within core theories of Feminist Standpoint Theory and Identity Negotiation Theory, my responses focused on how the theories have worked in the field of communication, its limitations, and its current applications,” Cottam said. “Additionally, my responses looked at how researchers can address ethical considerations within the current hostile political climate and work with marginalized and at-risk populations to promote justice and positive scholarship, while protecting their identities.”