A beloved Metro State University journalism professor and publisher died suddenly Sunday leaving a void at student-run Met Media, where he was associate director.

Alfonzo Porter collapsed at his home Sunday at the age of 60.

According to students, he had an unexpected heart attack and services for Porter have yet to be announced.

It is with a heavy heart that we report longtime journalism professor, amplifier of Black voices and Met Media’s Associate Director Alfonzo Porter has passed away. Honor his memory with us and learn more about his legacy here: https://t.co/vajXqGBLeK pic.twitter.com/r6JMrQc5KF

— The Metropolitan (@TheMetOnline) March 14, 2023

Porter was once a vice principal at Baltimore’s Wood Lawn High School and happened to be at the helm during the time of Hae Min Lee’s well-publicized 1999 murder, which was highlighted on the podcast “Serial.” Adnan Syed was accused of her murder but was recently released from prison. He served 20 years for a murder he said he didn’t commit. 

In a Sept. 2022 email to his students, he said that Lee and Syed were his students.

“I knew them both. It was tragic,” wrote Porter. “They were both excellent students and I NEVER thought he did it.”

A 1987 alumnus of Metro State University (then known as Metropolitan State College or “Metro” by students), Porter returned to the media department in 2014 as an adjunct professor and when the chips were down during the pandemic, he stepped up.  

When a former associate director was let go due to staff cuts, Porter helped prop up Metro’s student media department stepping in to run a weekly magazine in addition to overseeing the Metropolitan school newspaper.

“During that time, we were in limbo,” said Assistant General Manager for Met Radio, Jeremy Sommer. “He was incredibly passionate about journalism. He made sure he equipped us with skills we could take into the real world.” 

One of Porter’s goals was the quest to diversify newsrooms, a task he said would be hard because it would require uncomfortable truth-telling. 

Besides his work as a mentor, Porter also wrote at the Denver Urban Spectrum, where he was editor-in-chief.

“He was the voice of the Denver Urban Spectrum,” said Rosalind “Bee” Harris, publisher. “He was our spokesperson on panels, and moderated so many events. He never said no.”

Harris worked with Porter for more than five years. 

“He was just so full of knowledge,” she said. “I’m going to miss him so much. My heart is very heavy thinking about it.”

The full extent of his impact on the community, and the students, didn’t come to life until after his death, Harris said. 

“He never boasted about all the accolades he had over the years. I never heard that out of him,” she said. “He just worked so hard. I’m just now realizing so much of what he meant to those students and how much he cared. They meant a lot to him, too.” 

He also authored a book titled “Digital Citizenship: Promoting Wellness for Thriving in a Connected World.” The text book focused on the social, emotional and mental health of secondary school students as they navigate the cyber world.

Sommer said that Met Media is having a tough time adjusting to the loss of their “mentor, ally and friend,” whom he described as selfless and passionate. 

“Alfonzo was my boss and my teacher,” said Sara Martin, editor in chief of The Metropolitan, Metro State’s student newspaper. “I don’t think I realized until he passed how big of an impact he had on a lot of people. He’s helped so many students who came through. He was a listener.”

Sommer said that Porter “left a lifetime of positive impact on so many students and people here, emphasizing the importance of independent young voices.”