The State Hornet Experience

Editors at The State Hornet reflect on their semester in the newsroom as the year comes to an end

Zachary Hernandez, Eli Keller, and Alicia Urquhart • December 31, 2025

Chris D. Johnson, Jack Dann, Logan Chrisp, Giancarlo Diloy, Isabella Nyiri, Alicia Urquhart, Jocelyn Hill, and Lizeth Tello

As the semester ends, editors at The State Hornet reflect on their experiences in the student newsroom. Through their roles, challenges and accomplishments, editors discuss what they learned and how the semester shaped their growth as journalists and leaders.

Intro music courtesy of Jeff Williams

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About the Contributors

Zachary Hernandez, Multimedia Editor

(he/him) Zachary Hernandez is a senior communication studies major and third semester in The State Hornet. In his free time, he enjoys relaxing, hanging out with friends, graphic design and filming. He hopes to have his own creative agency and help businesses develop their brands.

Eli Keller, Multimedia Staffer

(he/him) Eli Keller is a senior majoring in journalism. This is his second semester at The State Hornet where he is a part of the multimedia staff. In his time at The State Hornet, he has worked on several projects ranging from news, sports, podcasts, arts and entertainment to social media. He is passionate about film and ultimately wants to work in news or on documentaries.

Alicia Urquhart, Social Media Editor

(she/her) Alicia Urquhart is a second-year public relations major where she hopes to make a career for herself in social media managment. She loves working for The State Hornet and has learned so much from that past two semesters she has been a part of it. She hopes to continue producing content that is impactful and creating bonds with her staff.

Chris D. Johnson, Managing Editor

(he/him) Chris D. Johnson is a senior journalism major in his fourth and final semester at The State Hornet and Sacramento State. After spending time in both the sports and arts & entertainment sections, he made the jump up to managing editor. Beyond college, he hopes to continue into the world of professional journalism in the field of sports or music. In his free time, he enjoys watching sports, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.

Jack Dann, Sports Editor

(he/him) Jack Dann is a third-year journalism major from the Napa Valley in their third semester at The State Hornet. After gaining a following on social media covering the NBA and NFL, Jack joined The State Hornet and covered the women’s basketball and football beats in his first and second semesters, respectively. As a former college athlete and current scout, reporter and editor, Jack has experience at all levels of the field. He hopes to work in sports media and turn his passion into his career.

Logan Chrisp, Visuals Editor

(he/him) Logan is a transfer student from Woodland Community College and is in his fourth semester as a journalism major. He has worked as a part-time staff writer at his hometown newspaper, The Winters Express, and hopes to continue reporting after he graduates.

Giancarlo Diloy, A&E Editor

(he/him) Giancarlo Diloy is a senior journalism and marketing student entering his third semester in The State Hornet. After spending the previous semester reporting and working with staffers as the publication’s arts and entertainment editor, he hopes to continue covering topics from music to arts and film for his final semester with his dedicated staff.

Isabella Nyiri, Social Media Editor

(she/her) Isabella Nyiri is a fourth-year journalism major with hopes of working in public relations or management for the music industry. She joined The State Hornet in Fall 2023, working with PR and social media. She is now in her third semester as a social media editor. In her free time, she loves listening to music, dancing and finding new coffee shops.

Jocelyn Hill, Copy Editor

(she/her) Jocelyn Hill is a political science and journalism major returning for her fourth and final semester at The State Hornet. She is originally from Irvine and enjoys drawing, running and spoiling her dog. Jocelyn is passionate about writing news and arts & entertainment stories. She hopes to attend law school after graduating this fall.

Lizeth Tello, Copy Editor

(she/her) Lizeth Tello is a senior journalism major from Orange County entering her third and final semester at The State Hornet as a copy editor. She was previously a news staffer, reporting on various on-campus topics ranging from the school budget to protests and more. She is passionate about storytelling and is excited to share her knowledge with The State Hornet staff. Other places her work has appeared in include Saddleback College’s Lariat newspaper, WALL Literary Journal 2022 and 2023 edition, October Hill Magazine, The Sacramento Observer and PBS KVIE Abridged. She hopes to continue a career in editing and storytelling.