By Lisa Diethelm
Seven alumni from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University have gone above and beyond in their careers, and were recognized and inducted into the Sun Devil 100.
Every year, the Alumni Association celebrates the achievements and successes of ASU graduates who either own or lead the top 100 fastest-growing companies that applied to the Sun Devil 100. Multiple alumni can be honored from the same company, but only the top 100 companies are inducted into the class. One hundred and twenty-seven total alumni, however, will be honored this year.
Michael Wong, the director of the Cronkite School’s Career Services, congratulated the seven alumni who will be inducted into the class in September.
“We are proud of our alumni. This group consists of successful community leaders, innovators and creators,” Wong said. “They are movers, shakers and entrepreneurs — and in Justin’s (Hodge) case, literally a mover. When Alana (Millstein) graduated in 2006, she didn’t just look for a magazine writing job, she created her own magazine and then other companies after that. Congratulations to these ‘Magnificent 7’ alumni who serve their communities so well!”
Below is the list of the Cronkite alumni, who are ranked out of the 127 inductees:
Alana Millstein, ranked No. 7, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2006, and founded College Affair Magazine the same year. She later co-founded and now owns Envida, which provides marketing services through social media campaigns and content creation. She also founded Henri, a resident portal software.
Justin Hodge graduated with a degree in public relations in 2006, and is ranked No. 28 in the Sun Devil 100. Although his background is in journalism, Hodge is the founder and president of Muscular Moving Men, a moving and storage company that provides services in Arizona and around the country.
Danielle Feroleto is the president of Small Giants, a real estate marketing firm. Feroleto graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism 1994 and master’s degree in mass communication in 1998, and is also a member of the Sun Devil 100 Class of 2019. This year she is ranked No. 29.
Crystal Patriarche, ranked No. 30, is the CEO of the public relations agency and multimedia company SparkPoint Studio. The studio works to promote women’s stories and voices. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations in 1998.
Cary Truelick is the executive producer and director of True Story Film, a broadcasting and film company that creates advertisements and short videos. Truelick graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and broadcasting in 1993. He is ranked No. 68.
Adelaida Severson is the CEO and owner of Bushtex, Inc., a company that specializes in remote satellite transmissions in the U.S., as well as across the globe. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California in 1987, and earned her master’s in mass communication from Cronkite in 1995. Severson also received her doctorate from ASU’s School of Public Affairs in 2006. Severson is ranked at No 83.
Laura Capello is ranked 86th on the list. She graduated from ASU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1997. She is now the president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, a nonprofit that connects and partners children with mentors.
Current Sun Devils and alumni celebrated the latest inductees with a virtual ceremony on Sept. 17.
The event was sponsored by ProVision, Henry + Horne, Liberty Mutual Insurance and the Phoenix Business Journal, and was broadcast through ASU Live and ASU LinkedIn.
Graduating classes for the Sun Devil 100 range from 1973 to 2015, with degrees in journalism, psychology, sustainability, accounting, nutrition and more.
The application of the Sun Devil Class of 2021 closes at 5 p.m on Nov. 2. Applicants must own or lead businesses, have their companies follow the ASU Charter and meet revenue criteria to be considered.