Victor Kalalanda (he/him) was born and raised in Zambia, the home of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Mosi-oa-Tunya. He is a doctoral student in the Department of Journalism and Media Communication.

A first-generation student, he earned his bachelor’s in mass communication from the University of Zambia in 2021 and his Master of Science in media studies from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) in 2023.

Victor previously assisted with internal and external communications at the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE. While at SIUE he led the African Students Association (ASA) through one of its most dynamic periods coming on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the spring of 2022, ASA hosted its flagship event, the African Banquet, successfully in-person for the first time in two years.

His current research examines how the impact of AI-enhanced mineral exploration on local communities in Zambia is framed in Western news organizations such as the New York Times. His quantitative research program is focused on the nexus between social media and democracy in Zambia.