Sacramento State alumna Joyce Mitchell, the university’s only professor in broadcast journalism, appeared for half an hour on Sacramento’s PBS station Nov. 3 with her most recent documentary on end-of-life care called “With Love and Dignity.”

This is just one of the many star moments Mitchell has had, who is also a winner of three Emmys after being nominated 13 times.

Mitchell received her most recent Emmy during the 33rd Annual Northern California Area Emmy Awards on May 22, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.

The award honored her for excellence in all fields of television production, including information programming, after her production on “Breast Cancer: Strength and Courage,” which aired on KVIE channel six in Sacramento.

One faculty member at Sac State said she interned with Mitchell at KCRA channel three, Sacramento’s NBC affiliate, during a time when she took off from teaching to learn.

“She is so organized and so clear and so willing to share,” said Virginia Kidd, communication studies professor.

Kidd said Mitchell comes up with a lot of ideas on her own and gets people to go along with them.

“I try to use my journalism skills to raise social awareness,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell was involved in an advertising campaign for victims of domestic abuse, which aimed at breaking the silence of the victims’ neighbors.

“My work leads me to volunteer work,” Mitchell said.

She also became involved in the peace movement before the United States went to war.

“She’s very, very positive,” Kidd said. “She believes she can do something and goes and does it.”

Mitchell began her experience in broadcast journalism working at KCRA for 13 years.

She started there as an intern and began working as a writer, soon producing the weekend news.

After building some experience at KCRA, Mitchell produced the 11 p.m. news for eight years, which had the highest rated late newscast in the county for two of those years.

“We have quite a few interns that go on to bigger and better things,” said Julia Seabourn, news secretary at KCRA.

Mitchell also worked at Sacramento’s ABC affiliate, KOVR 13 news station as special projects producer and executive producer of the news department.

She now spends a lot of her time as an independent documentary and video producer, primarily working for social causes like domestic violence, children in foster care homes with addictions and education for the underrepresented minorities.

“My job is very rewarding,” Mitchell said.

Some of her large projects have been picked up by PBS and Discovery network including,

“The Market and Power of Education,” which was hosted by the Fresh Prince of Bel Air star Alfonso Ribeiro and “Beating the Blues,” which featured Tony Dowe and Dave Brubeck. Mitchell said she loves her job so much that now she finds herself almost too busy for her family.

“My life is a juggling act,” Mitchell said.

In addition to freelancing for ABC network news stations, she owns and produces a production company called 4U Productions, which specializes in television for social causes and video production.

She also works for Ross-Campbell Incorporated, a public relations organization and a production company called The Idea Factory.

“It isn’t easy work,” Mitchell said.

Val Smith, chair of Sac State’s communications department, values Mitchell’s knowledge and experience and said he wished the university had a larger broadcast journalism program.

“She’s been a fantastic teacher for us,” Smith said. “She is popular with her students and a good influence.”

Some faulty know who Mitchell is, but have not worked with her for a long time since Sac State eliminated broadcast journalism.

“She’s very dedicated, very energetic, and very knowledgeable,” said Paul Cahill, communication studies professor.

Besides Emmy awards, Mitchell won the Associated Press California-Nevada Best Documentary Award in 1996 for her production of a half hour program on teens and violence.

“She is so positive,” Kidd said. “She really believes in what she is doing.”

Mitchell graduated from Sac State in 1972 as the second woman editor-in-chief of the newspaper.

She has a bachelor’s degree in government-journalism and continued her education at Sac State for a master’s degree in communication studies.

Mitchell became the youngest member of Capitol Press Corp. in Sacramento, a group of reporters who have covered news at the state capitol, and is one of two women who have covered politics for the Capitol News Service.

Her skills as a reporter, producer and advocacy journalist have received national recognition.

“You have to have compassion and passion to be a journalist,” Mitchell said.