Alumni Spotlight: Andrea Mooney

Andrea Mooney (B.A. ’03) is this week’s featured alum in our new Alumni Spotlight series for the This Week at Meadows e-newsletter. Each week, a different Meadows alum will be highlighted for their accomplishments post-graduation.

Meadows has long prepared journalism students to navigate an industry defined by constant change. Andrea Mooney, a graduate of the Division of Journalism, has built a career at the forefront of that evolution. Now serving as Vice President of Audience & Brand at D Magazine, Mooney leads efforts to grow and engage audiences across print, digital, and experiential platforms, shaping how one of Dallas’ most recognized media brands connects with its community.

As a student, Mooney’s path was shaped less by perfection and more by passion. While she did not see herself as a traditional straight-A student, her deep interest in news and media was quickly recognized by faculty mentors who helped her identify where she excelled. Professors like Carolyn Barta and Dr. Camille Kraeplin played pivotal roles in refining her direction, guiding her toward editing, digital strategy, and the emerging intersection of journalism and technology.

“The program helped me connect storytelling, technology, and audience needs long before those disciplines were expected to work together, encouraging curiosity and adaptability in a constantly evolving media landscape,” explains Mooney. “Even as my career expanded beyond traditional reporting, the journalism fundamentals I learned at Meadows remained central.”

Being based in Dallas, one of the nation’s largest media markets, provided invaluable real-world experience for Mooney. By graduation, she had completed internships with PBS, NBC, and The Dallas Morning News, securing her first professional role just weeks before her final semester at SMU concluded.

At D Magazine, Mooney now works across the organization to drive audience development and engagement for all D-branded communities. Her role spans both print and digital initiatives, while also supporting the publication’s awards and events programs. The position allows Mooney to collaborate across editorial, sales, marketing, product, and data teams, bridging strategy and execution to help build engagement with audiences.

“At Meadows, I learned that journalism isn’t just about producing content: it’s about serving an audience,” she says. “That audience-first mindset has stayed with me throughout my career and continues to shape how I think about engagement, trust and relevance across every platform.”

Today, Mooney encourages students interested in journalism and media careers to focus on curiosity, adaptability, and real-world experience. She emphasizes the importance of internships, experimentation, and understanding not only how stories are told, but how they reach audiences across platforms. For her, the journalists who thrive are those who care deeply about impact just as much as the story itself, skills she first began developing during her time in the journalism program at Meadows and continued to cultivate throughout her professional journey.

Learn more about the Division of Journalism here.