Cronkite Outstanding Innovator’s message for future students: Don’t be afraid to start over
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.
Manisha Rajnish thought she wanted to study business. At home in India she started down that path, then pivoted to journalism when she transferred to Arizona State University.
She brought her entrepreneurial mindset with her, though. Now she’s graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication, and she has built a virtual reality tool to help journalists manage high-stress situations.
The tool — NewsPro VR — started as an idea in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Business and Future of Journalism class. Rajnish later developed it in Cronkite’s New Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab, and it is now under consideration for funding from Venture Devils.
Rajnish will receive the Top Innovator Award at the Cronkite School’s spring 2025 convocation.
She recently reflected on her time at the Cronkite School as an international transfer student and why her evolution can serve as an inspiration to others.
Note: The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Question: Why did you choose the Cronkite School?
Answer: I always wanted to study in the U.S., and it felt like the right decision. I did my research about the Cronkite School and found that it was one of the best schools there is for journalism.
Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?
A: Professors and instructors actually care about what you have to say and are very supportive. I came up with the training tool to help journalists and journalism students handle high-stress and high-strain situations, like school shootings. My professor helped me build the virtual environment and work on my pitch to Venture Devils.
That was not something I expected when I came to the U.S. I just thought I’d come here, sit quietly in a classroom, learn and then leave. This innovator award is not something I expected and shows that professors and the university really care.
Q: What are some things that stand out to you about your campus community, the friendships and connections you’ve made while at ASU?
A: I would always hear people say they felt homesick. During the first semester there were webinars to help students find resources and connect with others in case they were missing home. I never felt that — I felt that everybody was friendly, helpful and supportive. That helped moving countries. It didn’t feel overwhelming.
I also didn’t realize there were so many students from India at ASU, so it didn’t feel that different from home. There were so many groups and student organizations, so it was great.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give a future student?
A: Don’t be afraid to start over. There’s this fear that if you make a decision, you have to stick with it until the end. That’s not true. I was supposed to study engineering or go to medical school, but then I chose business and finally journalism. I was not afraid to start over and figure out what I really wanted to do. Most people are afraid of the consequences, so I say don’t be afraid to start over.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: There are so many things I want to do. There is a master’s program, Narrative and Emerging Media, that I’m considering. It would build on the project I started. I am also interning at NEWSWELL, and if I get the chance to turn that internship into a job that would be great as well. There are a lot of options in front of me. It’s up to me to choose which one will work best.
Q: What inspires you the most about the future of media and journalism?
A: The fact that it is evolving and there is space to innovate and evolve to build things, channel your creativity into things that help people, especially in the field of journalism. We are here to tell stories and help people connect with each other through those stories. That’s what journalism does. It’s not just about spouting facts in a broadcast studio, but helping people connect. The fact that you get to do that, innovate and use technology and evolve is exciting.
More Sun Devil community
8 Flinn Scholars set to begin college careers at ASU this fall
Eight of this year’s 20 Flinn Scholars have chosen to attend Arizona State University this fall.Valued at over $135,000 per student, the Arizona-based Flinn Foundation scholarship supports…
Essential reading: Books with lessons to live by
“Books are the training weights of the mind.” — Epictetus, Greek Stoic philosopherThis is the 14th edition of the annual Essential Reading feature, which offers book recommendations by faculty and…
ASU Online grads honored at campus celebration
Rodney Perkins dreamed of becoming a doctor since high school, but after earning his undergraduate degree, he felt his college experience hadn’t fully prepared him for the next steps.This week, the…