Morgan Aguilar’s professional journey began at just 12 years old when she first saw Stephanie Vigil—a local news anchor who Morgan perceived to be Hispanic. Growing up in a predominantly white community in north Idaho, it was a rarity for young Morgan to see women of color in positions of power. Thinking of Vigil as a Hispanic woman who was more than just a “side character” sparked Morgan’s dream of becoming a news anchor- a dream which ultimately led her to the Journalism School at CU Boulder.
Now a Communications Specialist and Grad Student at the University of Utah, Morgan’s successful career continues to show the influence of her time at the University of Colorado, Boulder. When she first arrived at CU, Morgan had never heard of feminism. Luckily, her advisor enrolled her in an introduction to women’s studies class that revealed a new passion for female advocacy and a four-year volunteer commitment at the Women’s Resource Center. “I had never heard of feminism and I had never heard of social justice. I didn’t know about any of these things, but I was obsessed with that class and became really passionate about it…the Women’s Resource Center changed my life more than anything ever has,” she says.
Morgan’s time at the Women’s Resource Center came with a support group of strong mentors, workshops on topics like salary negotiations, and some very wise advice for today’s college women. “My number one piece of advice- yes, it (journalism) is a really tough industry and tough market, but don’t sell yourself short. Know your worth, know your skill set, and apply for jobs that you don’t think you’re qualified for- because you probably are.”
When she first graduated from CU, Morgan applied to small-market jobs and found herself producing and anchoring a newscast for a small news station in Idaho. Though she gained solid, hands-on experience from this position, Morgan wishes that she wouldn’t have limited her range of applications. Nevertheless, after two years, Morgan started a position as a producer for a local morning newscast in Albuquerque, New Mexico: a top 50 market. After nearly two years of working the graveyard shift, Morgan advocated for herself by creating news packages on her own time to present to her boss- a move which then landed her a two-year contract as an on-air reporter.
In a bold career leap, Morgan moved to Salt Lake City and googled “Communications Director: University of Utah.” With no prior contact, she emailed the University’s communications director. He responded, and the pair got coffee to speak about what the industry shift from Journalism to Higher Education might look like. He didn’t have any jobs available at the time, but Morgan followed up with him every few months until she eventually received a job application. This fearless networking move brought Morgan to her current position at the University of Utah, where she works on overall communications operations and has helped facilitate projects such as the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate.
Though Morgan has confidently advocated for herself throughout her career, her position in Higher Ed doesn’t come without self-doubt. The higher education field consists of predominantly older, white males. This can be intimidating to a young, Hispanic woman, but Morgan strongly believes that finding a female mentor can make all the difference. “You have to find women mentors who have been there and have been through it and know exactly what your concerns are about speaking up in these big scary board rooms. They can give you some tips on using your voice at those tables,” she says. Even now, Morgan sometimes catches herself thinking that as a 29-year-old woman, she should stay quiet in the boardroom. However, as she thinks back on her time at CU Boulder and the Women’s Resource Center, this voice of self-doubt is quickly silenced.
Too often, women stifle their opinions. Morgan Aguilar’s driven mindset and strong, female mentors have helped her raise her voice. Now, she hopes to do the same for others as a mentor herself.