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newscenter alex
★ may 2026 ★ i graduated from my master’s program at san francisco state university! i received the distinguished achievement award from sfsu and the outstanding graduate student + michelle wolf graduate teaching awards from my department :,) no one mess w me!!!!
★ april 2026 ★ i launched my new video series grief and media project, where i interview people about the media that helps them understand and cope with grief.
★ april 2026 ★ i defended my thesis!!!!!! and passed!!!!!
★ april 2026 ★ i presented my research “examining teen drama fans’ understanding and interpretation of grief” at the popular culture association conference in atlanta.
★ january 2026 ★ i was elected as one of two graduate student representatives for the national communication association’s (nca) death and dying division.
★ december 2025 ★ i finished teaching beca 305: ksfs radio and podcasting at san francisco state university. it was the best first teaching experience i could have asked for. one of my students shared a blog post about their experience in my course and wrote: “thanks to Professor Piscatelli for being such an amazing teacher, and amazing podcaster, and what I can consider now a great friend, you really made my 9 yo self feel seen and even made my inner child cried a little because your class, your teaching method and your personality is all I ever wanted in a teacher as a kid, thanks for unconsciously helping me heal my inner child.” favorite semester ever. :,)
★ august 2025 ★ i presented my research “the tribe has spoken: fandom & social change on survivor” at the association for education in journalism and mass communication (aejmc) conference. i was part of a panel on “pop culture fandoms collective opportunity for social change.”
★ april 2025 ★ i gave a poster presentation of my research “grief and identity in coming-of-age television shows” at the broadcast education association (bea) conference.
★ august 2024 ★ i’m a student again! i started my ma program at san francisco state university’s department of broadcast and electronic communication arts.
★ april 2024 ★ i launched grief and media, my newsletter, podcast and database about the intersection of grief and pop culture. this may be my favorite project to date. :)
★ september 2022 ★ i wrote about never have i ever and its grief representation for cosmopolitan magazine. this was my first time writing for my favorite magazine growing up and i’m really proud i got to do it about grief in honor of my mom who died earlier this year.
