Tuesday, Apr 30, 2024
Tristan Leach hopes to leverage the opportunity to assist minority groups in new ways
by Diane Cornell
Rider University senior Tristan Leach has been awarded a full scholarship to attend the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona. Leach, a journalism major whose pronouns are they/them, will begin a master’s program in mass communication this summer. The scholarship also comes with a paid position as a research or teaching assistant.
They are hoping the program will be another step forward in getting their dream job of working in communications for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Leach says the position would dovetail nicely with a personal passion: advocating on behalf of those who are in a minority.
“I’d rather be on the inside trying to make a difference than watching from the outside,” they say. "Our current system is very disregarding, and it disadvantages those in minority communities. If we can start the work internally, we can make sure we can take care of everyone, because everyone in our country deserves to be safe.”
Anyone who knows Leach will not be surprised by their desire to continue to be a champion for those that society often marginalizes. They frequently write about the topic for The Rider News, where they have been a features and entertainment editor for the last three years. Last month, the Department of Communication, Journalism and Media named Leach Senior Journalist of the Year for their collective contributions to the newspaper.
Leach has served as a member of the campus’ LGBTQIA+ organization Spectrum Pride Alliance since freshman year, leading the group as its’ president for the past two years. They also held leadership positions within the Residence Hall Association during their junior year, and served as a SafeZone training facilitator.
One of the great things about my time at Rider is that I found leadership opportunities that I wasn’t necessarily looking for, but which fit who I was as a person."
Leach, who hails from California, is also a part of the Baccalaureate Honors Program. Their capstone project is an in-depth examination of how the University allocates funds to support its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. “I am very passionate about those types of things,” they say, noting that the University’s strong DEI initiatives were one of the reasons they were drawn to attend Rider.
Leach’s maternal family is a mix of Pacific Islander and Tlingit Native American. At graduation, they plan to wear a shawl, made by their mother, signifying their ancestry. “My whole family is flying from California. It is the first time they will be back on campus since they dropped me off my sophomore year, so this is huge for me,” Leach says.
They note that from the first time they visited campus as a prospective student, they knew that Rider was for them. “When my Dad and I toured campus, the tour took us onto the BLC patio, and we were standing there and my Dad and I turned at the exact same time, and I said, ‘This is the place. I am going to apply here and this is where I am going to go to college.’ And we were right.”
After four years at Rider, Leach still feels that Rider has been the perfect place for them. “I think one of the great things about my time at Rider is that I found leadership opportunities that I wasn’t necessarily looking for, but which fit who I was as a person. I now know that I want a career where I can help other people and be an activist and a voice to those who need one. Journalism has really been an outlet for that.”
Leach is looking forward to the opportunity to continue writing and learning about others’ stories at Arizona State. “I love being a journalist so much. I love talking to people and learning what they know. I am looking forward to a job in the future that meets in the middle of being a voice for the people and being an activist, and also getting to write. It’s exciting, and I am very happy.”