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Jeremias Campos: Bridging Academia and Global Impact
By Lauren Martin
Jeremias' hometown: Toronto, On
As a Master of Arts in Media Studies student, Jeremias blends academic research with firsthand experiences to explore environmental activism and social change in El Salvador.
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Driven by a love for travel and a passion for humanitarian work, Jeremias Campos seeks out meaningful connections wherever he goes. From exploring the streets of Prague to engaging with local communities in El Salvador, every journey offers a lesson in humanity.
“I like to go around and be able to connect with people in the context of where they are,” he said. “Providing a service, even if it’s just a hello, is so important.”
This curiosity about the world and its people led Jeremias to the Master of Arts in Media Studies program at Western University, where his global experiences now fuel his research on environmental activism and social change.
Growing up in Toronto, he later moved to London, Ont., where he completed his Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology at Western. It was during the final year of his undergraduate degree that he discovered the Master of Arts in Media Studies program. The opportunity came through an experiential learning course offered by the Media and Communications Studies (MACS) undergraduate program that took him to El Salvador, a trip that would shape the direction of his research.
“The trip was incredible,” he said. “It was not only illuminating, but it was also challenging. Seeing the hardships there and then coming home to a comfortable life really put things into perspective.”
Now a graduate student in Media Studies, Jeremias was drawn to the flexibility the program offers. “The program is unique because you have the option to focus your project on an area that is highly academic or more research-based,” he said.
His time in El Salvador became the foundation of his research. His work focuses on the Santa Marta Five, a group of five environmental activists, profiled in the 2021 award-winning book The Water Defenders, and the discourse surrounding metallic mining in the country. His tentative research paper title is Santa Marta Five, Metallic Mining and the State of Exception in El Salvador.
“Seven years ago, El Salvador became the first country to ban metallic mining because it was not sustainable, and regulations were not being enforced,” he said. “Now, due to a change in political leadership, the country is reopening metallic mining, which could lead to an environmental catastrophe.”
In May, Jeremias will return to El Salvador as a component of his independent research project where he will visit the Santa Marta community and meet with local leaders and youth organizations.
Fun Fact
Jeremias can match every national flag to its corresponding country.
Jeremias hopes his research will contribute to the existing literature about the environmental impacts of metallic mining while making a meaningful impact on the Santa Marta community and those affected by it in El Salvador.
“Connecting with people is the best indicator of the success of my research paper,” he said. “For me, staying in touch with these people means my work there made a difference.”
Beyond his research, Jeremias has found a strong sense of community within the Media Studies program. He credits his peers for making his graduate experience even more meaningful.
“I am very grateful for my cohort and cherish the fact that we are all in this program together,” he said.
As he looks to the future, Jeremias is eager to complete his research paper and ready to take on his next adventure.
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Profiles in the Meet Our Students section are written by students in the Master of Media in Journalism & Communication program, who are enrolled in MMJC 9604 - Professional Writing.
