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.
Kara Adams is a senior completing her undergraduate degree in sports media at the Media School. Her main concentration is in broadcast journalism while she also has a completed minor in Spanish. She is passionate about storytelling and communicating stories around the Bloomington community. Outside of the classroom, Kara is the Co-Director of IU Student Television Sports, and also covers the Indiana Men’s Soccer Team and Men’s Basketball Team. Additionally, she serves as a sideline reporter for Big Ten Plus. She is a proud member of Kappa Delta sorority and looks forward to a great year!
Leah Corcoran is a current junior completing her undergraduate degree in journalism at the Media School. Her main concentrations are in news reporting and news editing while pursuing a minor in Theatre. Her work particularly focuses on arts and culture news writing with a special interest in narrative storytelling. Outside of the classroom, Leah is on the executive board of the Singing Hoosiers show choir and a proud member of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. In her free time, she loves watching good horror movies and performing on various IU stages.
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 junior 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. During the fall semester, Alison will also be completing a Social Media Manager internship with WFHB, a local Bloomington radio station. 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!
Mik Owens is a senior studying Advertising specializing in Media Psychology and minoring in Environmental Management. This is her second semester as a TA for Story Lab I, and she is eager to be back in the classroom with you all. For the last three summers she has taken her interests in the outdoors, childhood psychology, and media production to the field as a multimedia specialist for YMCA Camp Tecumseh. Outside of the classroom you can find her rock climbing, cycling, and hiking in and around Bloomington.
Grace Marocco is a junior majoring in journalism. Born and raised in Indiana, she has always been passionate about storytelling and media. At IU, Marocco co-hosts IUSTV's "What's Up Weekly," where she covers a range of entertainment-related topics. She also reports for WTIU/WFIU News in Bloomington. This past summer, she had the exciting opportunity to work at The Handbook, a fashion magazine in London. When she's not working, Grace enjoys listening to Taylor Swift and creating blog posts for a news-focused Instagram account.
Riley Schweiss is a senior studying Digital Media and Informatics. She has a passion for web design and graphic design. She just completed an internship for Kohl’s Corporate, where she designed and developed pieces of code for the website. In her free time, she likes creating any type of art, especially ceramic pieces. Riley also loves coming home from her classes to play with her cats, Moonpie and Mars.
Cybill Sweet is a current senior intending to graduate in the fall, completing her undergraduate degree in interactive and digital media with a concentration in game art. She is passionate about and would like to pursue a career in motion graphic design, animation, or web design. Cybill just returned from her summer internship in Los Angeles as a graphic designer for The Plug Drink, where she has decided to continue for another session remotely. In her free time, She loves to travel, attend music festivals and concerts, and spend time with her dog Ridge!
Diana Traas is a junior majoring in Media with a concentration in Creative Advertising. Outside of class, Diana is an ambassador for the Media School. She also works as a barista for the Cheshire Cafe located in the Collins Living Learning Center. In her free time, Diana enjoys various arts and crafts, reading, watching horror movies and cooking/baking!