A self-described “Texan American with a Mexican heart,” Assistant Professor of Journalism Israel Balderas says at the center of his sense of belonging at Elon are his students.
Israel Balderas is no stranger to the public eye. The First Amendment attorney and former television journalist regularly speaks with media outlets about current events, an extension of the work he does as an assistant professor of journalism at Elon University.
“As an academic, my relationship is going out in the name of Elon, even though I speak for myself,” said Balderas. “I’m always saying, ‘Here at Elon, we don’t make small plans. We’re always thinking bigger, and because we are a national school, what would help us to continue to be a national school?’ To me, my responsibility as an academic is to get my name out there.”
For Balderas, that work is closely connected to the sense of belonging he has found at Elon and the university’s teacher-scholar-mentor model. At the center of it all are his students.
“When my students leave, and the class is over, I say, ‘Love you. Mean it.’ And we throw the word love around a lot,” Balderas said. “But, to me, as a teacher, I think love from a teacher to a student is this idea, and it’s my ‘why.’ My ‘why’ is that I’m passionate about teaching students how to find their passion in a world that is out of control.”
The newsroom to the classroom
Balderas began his journalism career as a freelance reporter and producer for several outlets in Washington, D.C. His coverage of the 2000 presidential election helped spur an interest in legal studies, as did a friendly competition with his sister over who could earn the higher score on the LSAT.
Growing up in a single-parent Hispanic household, Balderas said education was “non-negotiable.” He went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America while working as a producer at FOX News Channel.
In the years that followed, Balderas worked for television stations across Florida, North Carolina and Texas. His work earned multiple industry accolades, including an Emmy for Best Continuing Coverage and recognition from the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas as best TV news anchor.
My ‘why’ is that I’m passionate about teaching students how to find their passion in a world that is out of control.
-Israel Balderas, assistant professor of journalism
Alongside his journalism career, Balderas took on legal work for the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, We The Action and the Society of Professional Journalists. His pro bono work included representing migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border and helping nonprofits navigate financial aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2017, Balderas left television news to spend more time with his family and transitioned to higher education, first teaching at a university in West Palm Beach, Florida, before joining Elon’s faculty in 2021.
“I love the mission of Elon University,” Balderas said. “The mission of Elon is that it ‘embraces its founder’s vision of an academic community that transforms mind, body, and spirit and encourages freedom of thought and liberty of conscience.’ And I said during my interview, that’s what a First Amendment professor teaches. That’s it.”
Journalism major Lily Molina ’27 took Balderas’ Media Law & Ethics course and says having a Latino professor in the journalism department made her feel welcomed as an aspiring Latina journalist.
“I am really passionate about covering stories centered around my community, and Balderas has supported me in doing that. It’s comforting to have someone who I can speak Spanish to and not feel judged,” she said. “This is just one of the reasons why having diversity within departments is so important.”
Celebrating the beauty of diversity
A self-described “Texan American with a Mexican heart,” Balderas views Hispanic Heritage Month through the lens of the cultures that have shaped the United States.
“It’s about celebrating many cultures who have been able to adapt their cultures to this idea of ‘American citizen,’” he said. “What I love about Hispanic Heritage Month is that we get to show off the beauty of our diversity in a society that is diverse.”
Balderas describes that blending of cultures as a “stew,” one he sees reflected regularly on Elon’s campus. He points to El Centro, a space within the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education that celebrates Latine and Hispanic cultures while sharing them with the broader Elon community.
“Every time I go to El Centro, there are kids from all over, and they’re all happy, and they’re ready to tell us about their abuelita (grandmother), they’re ready to tell us about their family,” Balderas said. “They’re ready to tell us about the history of their country. And in sharing all that, we get to build community together.”
Elon honors Hispanic Heritage Month
As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, Elon University is sharing stories that celebrate the contributions, identities and experiences of students, faculty and staff. This month recognizes the rich histories and cultures of Hispanic and Latine communities, while also honoring the ways these traditions connect with and inspire people of all backgrounds. This month provides a special opportunity to honor Hispanic and Latine heritage, but it also serves as an invitation for all members of the university to engage, learn and celebrate together.