The “Redlands Yes”

While studying abroad at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, first-generation student Jamie Jovel-Flores ’26 found her “Redlands Yes.” What began as a research paper on Nazi propaganda in World War II films caught the attention of Media and Communication Professor Natalia Chaban, who soon invited Jovel-Flores to collaborate on a new project examining Australians’ attitudes toward the war in Ukraine. The unexpected opportunity would push Jovel-Flores beyond the classroom — transforming her confidence and broadening her academic journey.

“As with other opportunities in my life, I didn’t search this one out — it fell into my lap,” Jovel-Flores said. “I remember getting the email with the subject line, ‘We need to talk about your paper,’ and stressing that I had done something wrong. I went on to read how much Professor Chaban loved it and asked if I’d be interested in joining her in researching the attitudes of Australians towards the Ukrainian war.”

Jovel-Flores, a double major in Business Administration and Media & Communication, applied what she calls the “Redlands Yes,” a term she coined that reflected her immediate enthusiasm for saying yes to opportunities on campus.

From September to November 2024, Jovel-Flores became one of two undergraduate students to analyze hundreds of articles published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on the Ukrainian war, tracking how news coverage framed key figures, political decisions, and international responses. Her unwavering dedication to the project went beyond the classroom — upon completing her research, Jovel-Flores was invited to present her findings to the Ukrainian Ambassador.

“Australian attitudes towards the war were neutral, which was expected because of how they've leaned in the past,” she said. “The ambassador wasn’t too shocked by my research, though he did congratulate us all on our work.”

The experience was transformative for Jovel-Flores’ confidence. Traditionally shy and quiet, her faculty advisor, Business Administration faculty Scott Randolph, noticed a more spirited individual upon her return to the Redlands campus. As Jovel-Flores reflected on the experience, she recalled how Redlands courses, like Randolph’s Business 226, helped push her outside of her comfort zone.

“Redlands continually meets students where they are — it gives you the confidence to say yes to something that you probably wouldn’t have,” she said. “That’s the ‘Redlands Yes. It’s being in a small classroom where you’re able to make a mistake or take an opportunity and know it’s going to be okay. It’s when someone sees something in you that you didn’t see in yourself.”

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