Communication Matters 2013

COMMUNICATION

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MATTERS Spring 2013

WINNER OF THE 2012-13 PROVOST’S AWARD FOR TEACHING AWARD FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE

Department of Communication Studies at UNC Charlotte Ezine

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1

communication

NOTES FROM THE CHAIR

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DEPARTMENT CHAIR EDITOR

STUDENT CONTRIBUTORS

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER

DESIGNER

Dr. Shawn Long

Cheryl Spainhour

Carolyn Hallahan and Emily Tamilin Gabrielle Lover

Drew Humphries

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VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1 3

elcome to the third issue of Matters, the official electronic magazine of the Department of Communication Studies at UNC Charlotte. This has been a banner year for our department in the areas of teaching, research, service and outreach.

As the cover of the magazine indicates, our department received the 18th Annual Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at UNC Charlotte for 2012-13. This award is supported by funds from the UNC System Board of Governors. It is granted annually to an academic department, office, or program in recognition of the collective responsibility of faculty members for maintaining high-quality teaching. The award is intended to recognize documented efforts of that improve student learning and outcomes.

Our Department is thrilled and honored to receive this recognition. Teaching and the creation and dissemination of knowledge are at the core of what we do as an academic unit at UNC Charlotte, so I am so proud of the work of our faculty in meeting this charge. It is humbling to be recognized when there are a number of equally deserving departments with many outstanding educators and faculty across the university. I appreciate the support of Dean Nancy Gutierrez and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for supporting our nomination.

As you read through the virtual pages of this magazine, you will see that teaching is a significant, but not the sole, activity in our department. Our faculty members are cutting- edge researchers (2010 CIOS/ COMM Vista Top Ten department for Research Productivity in Communication Studies), engaged academic citizens and leaders in our discipline and community. Our undergraduate and graduate students are doing meaningful and state of the field work both inside and outside of the classroom, landing great jobs and are being admitted into top graduate programs across the country. Our graduate program graduated our 80th MA student in late April 2013.

We continue to grow as a department. We will welcome Dr. Plotnick, Assistant Professor in Media Studies (Northwestern University, Ph.D.) and Ms. Sayde Brais, Lecturer (UNC Charlotte, MA) to our department as fulltime faculty beginning Fall 2013. We welcomed Ms. Adrienne Barnette (UNC Charlotte, MA) in February 2013 as our new academic advisor, Mr. David Landrum as our Office and Budget Manager in July 2012 and Ms. Patty Atkinson as our Administrative Associate in August 2012.

I hope that you enjoy this issue of Matters. Special thanks to Ms. Cheryl Spainhour and her team for their excellent work to produce this magazine.

We believe that Communication “Matters” in the world and we hope that you enjoy our individual and collective contributions to this idea.

Best regards,

Shawn D. Long, Department Chair Shawn.long@uncc.edu

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PROGRAMS ABROAD

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FACULTY MEMBER TO PERUSE PERU

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r. Jillian Tullis will visit Peru in May in preparation for a Health Communication study abroad course for students. Dr. Tullis will visit Lima and Cusco during the week-long trip site visit. “Many South American countries aren’t considered for study abroad courses,” she said, “which will present several unique opportunities for our students, such as the chance to visit an ancient site, such as Machu Pichu, and learn more about our neighbors to the south.” She says she looks forward to learning about the health opportunities and challenges there in order to develop a course to help students learn about and apply Health Communications concepts. While there, Dr. Tullis will meet with people from the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, in Lima, and make contacts with local health care organization and providers.

Ashton Lewis took this photograph of The Cliffs of Moher, located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland.

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Ashton Lewis visits Petra, Jordan

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TRAVELS THE WORLD

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shton Lewis, a senior Communication Studies student, took advantage of the study abroad program when he traveled to Northern Ireland for two semesters in 2012. Lewis attended classes at the University of Ulster in Coleraine. Unlike semesters at American colleges, students only take two classes per semester. Lewis took classes in media law, literature, creative writing and mass media. Traveling is something Lewis was accustomed to growing up in an Army family. When it comes to the race for his favorite aspect of studying abroad, his travels won by a mile. He traveled to places many people only see in

coffee table books: among those was the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, the beaches in Morocco, the Coliseum in Rome, the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. According to Lewis, the only caveat to studying abroad is that you have to be careful where you choose to go, especially if you are planning to go for two semesters, like he did. In October, he is joining the Peace Corps. While his destination country has yet to be determined, he included a few “musthaves” when he decided to join, and those are “hot and dangerous.”

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FACULTY NEWS

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Faculty Accolades Senior Lecturer Debbie Baker was appointed to serve as the first CAC Fellow in Oral Communication next year.

Dr. Jaehee Cho received a UNC Charlotte Faculty Research Grant: “Investigation of Korean Immigrants’ Social Media Use and Its Effects on Social Capital, Psychological Well-Being, and Sociocultural Adjustment”; an internal grant with Dr. Loril Gossett from UNCC Graduate School: “Assessment of Online Graduate Request System at UNC Charlotte”; and The Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund: “Assessment of International Students’ Communication and Schoolwork.”

Dr. Christine Davis received the Conversation in Qualitative Communication Scholarship and awarded Top Paper in Ethnography Interest Group. She presented at the 2013 SSCA convention, Ethnography Interest Group. Her forthcoming book, to be published in 2013 by Left Coast Press, is “Communicating hope: An ethnography of a children’s mental health care team”.

Dr. Loril Gossett served as the Organizational Communication division’s official representative for the NCA legislative council during the 2012 convention. She was elected to the NCA Legislative Council’s Agenda Committee -- for the Fall 2013 convention.

She received a SOTL grant this Spring to study online vs. paper course evaluations over the Spring and Summer.

Senior Lecturer Sandy Hanson will travel to Wyoming in July with the Levine Scholars program.

Dr. Min Jiang was nominated this year by students for faculty achievement on international education at UNC Charlotte. This spring she received a $15,000 UNC Charlotte College of Arts and Sciences Digital Humanities Seed Grant for “Tweet China: Visualizing China on Twitter in Map, Picture & Event Modes in a Big Data initiative with Dr. Xiaoyu Wang, BigData, who leads the UNC Charlotte Visualization Center.

Dr. Dean Kruckeberg was inducted into Rowan University’s Public Relations 2013 Hall of Fame. He was awarded Chair & CEO’s 2012 Citation for Meritorious Service as Co-Chair, Commission on PR Education. He is an Executive Committee member of the Mu Chapter of Phi Beta Delta. He is serving a three-year term on Professional Freedom and Responsibility Committee, one of three national committees of AEJMC. He is the Resolution chair of AEJMC within the PF&R committee. He is a Member, board of directors, and chair, editorial review committee of Journal of New Communications Research, and Senior Fellow.

Dr. Richard Leeman was a Guest Lecturer in Rhetoric, College of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China last summer. His article, “Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Benjamin Chavis Jr. and Issues of Definition and Community.” Received Top Paper Panel, Rhetoric and Public Address Division at SSCA. He and Dr. Min Jiang received a CLAS Small Research Grant for “The Obamas’ political discourse and Chinese social media.”

Dr. Shawn D. Long received the 2012 Outstanding Service Award from the African American Communication and Culture Division and Black Caucus in the NCA. Chair (appointed), Affirmative Action and Intercaucus Committee. He is also a member of the NCA Legislative Assembly. He was inducted into Phi Beta Delta, Honor Society for International Scholars. He was appointed to the SSCA Finance Committee, 2013-16.

Dr. Margaret Quinlan received the UNC Charlotte Health Academy Junior Investigator Award. She and Dr. Jillian Tullis received a UNC Charlotte’s Chancellor’s Challenge Fund for their Gender communication speaker series: Topics in LGBTQ sexuality and women’s health.

Department Promotions Debbie Baker

Promoted to Senior Lecturer

Dr. Min Jiang

Promoted to Associate Professor

Dr. Shawn Long

Promoted to Full Professor

Cheryl Spainhour

Promoted to Senior Lecturer

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Department Chair Receives Prestigious Award

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r. Shawn Long, the Communication Studies chair, was the 2012 recipient of the Outstanding Service Award from the African American Communication and Culture Division and the Black Caucus of the National Communication Association. The award was presented during the NCA’s 98th annual convention in Orlando, Nov. 15-18, 2012.

According to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, the award is given to a member of the National Communication Association for “extraordinary works of service with an impact on the livelihood of African Americans in academia and in the national and international Black community.”

“Dr. Long’s receipt of this honor demonstrates how dedicated our faculty and our academic leaders are,” says CLAS Dean Nancy Gutierrez. “[He] provides an outstanding guide to us all as we encourage a service-learning ethic that helps develop our abilities to think creatively and critically as we live and thrive in this diverse world.” Dean Gutierrez noted Dr. Long’s commitment to diversity and inclusion within the world of academia and its impact on the Communications Department and the university. Some of his notable service includes serving as chair of the African American Communication and Culture Division with the NCA and Legislative Assembly membership. “He is developer and inaugural coordinator of the Organizational Science Summer Institute at UNC Charlotte,” the dean added, “which focuses on expanding diversity among students in the field.”

Communication Studies Faculty and Graduate Student Attend NCA

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ommunication Studies faculty members and one graduate student attended the 98th Annual National Communication Association Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Nov. 15-18, 2012.

In addition to their presentations, six graduate faculty members were elected to NCA leadership positions. Dr. Christine Davis was elected Vice Chair elect of the Communication as Social Construction Division.

Dr. Loril Gossett was elected to the legislative assembly. Dr. Dan Grano was elected Legislative Assembly at Large Representative, SSCA. Dr. Shawn Long was elected to the Affirmative Action and Intercaucus Committee.

Dr. Margaret Quinlan was elected to the Leslie Irene Coger award committee. Dr. Jillian Tullis was elected to the Legislative Assembly and Secretary of the Ethnography Division. Many of these positions carry a minimum of a two-year term. “We once again had a very nice presence,” Dr. Long said. “I am most excited about our increasing leadership presence within NCA. These important positions inevitably will help shape the future of NCA.” Jennifer Wilson, a dual master’s degree student in business and communication, presented on a panel titled “Partnering for professional trajectories for master’s students” for the Masters Education Division of NCA. She, along with Dr. Davis, presented research conducted as part of a service assessment for Jewish Family Services.

The data for this project was collected during an Advanced Research Methods: Focus Groups course in fall, 2011 where students had the opportunity to get hands on experience working with a local not-for-profit organization.

When asked about her experience, Wilson said attending her first NCA conference, “completely altered my view of

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BOOKS, TALKS & CREDENTIALS

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Leeman Discusses “The Teleological Discourse of Barack Obama” at UNC Charlotte’s ‘Personally Speaking’ Series

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r. Richard Leeman kicked off the 2012-13 ‘Personally Speaking’ series on Sept. 18, 2012, at UNC Charlotte’s Center City campus. Dr. Leeman spoke to nearly 100 faculty, students and community members about his book “The Teleological Discourse of Barack Obama.” The speech was followed by an extensive Q&A session. The academic book examines Obama’s speaking style, using teleology, and how it impacts politics and the way people view him. Teleology is a philosophy that aims to explain phenomena by examining the design of the journey. Leeman believes that Obama’s style is the epitome of teleology. “I think it’s because he has embraced the notion of the American Dream,” says Leeman. “I think he deeply believes in this.”

by Dr. Richard Leeman

Dr. Leeman wrote this book after he was invited to do a lecture in the spring of 2010 for an Africana Studies class. This sparked his interest and he later wrote an article on teleology that he eventually developed into his book.

The ‘Personally Speaking’ series is put on by UNC Charlotte’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Department Lecturer Earns APR Credentials

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obin Rothberg, a Public Relations lecturer, earned her Accreditation in Public Relations credential in the fall, joining ranks with two other faculty members in the Communication Studies Department. According to the website for the Public Relations Society of America and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 5,000 out of more than 320,000 Public Relations manager and specialists hold an APR credential. “I think of APR as the public relations equivalent of a CPA for an accountant,” said Dr. Alan Freitag, who is also APR certified. “It gives them practical credibility and demonstrates a mastery of the application of public relations.”

In order to earn the APR, Rothberg submitted essays to the local PRSA chapter, which qualified her to present her two-hour readiness review showcasing her essay answers, knowledge of communications theory, capability for research, and strategic planning and implementation of those plans. “I used my Communication Campaigns class as a model during this process,” she said. “Once I cleared the three-person readiness review committee, I could take the 188-question, computer-based examination covering 16 categories of my public relations knowledge, skills and abilities.” Rothberg said she strived to earn her APR credential to serve as a model for her students, but the process of preparing for the exam also invoked empathy for her students.

by Dr. Christine Davis

“Communicating Hope: An Ethnography of a Children’s Mental Health Care Team”

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ommunicating Hope: An Ethnography of a Children’s Mental Health Care Team,” by Dr. Christine Davis, is an evocative narrative that depicts ways social service workers can heal troubled families who are struggling in difficult situations. The narrative follows Kevin, a sometimes-violent teenager with severe emotional disturbance in a family environment of poverty and stress.

In this ethnography of a children’s mental health care team, Dr. Davis delves deeply into how members of the team create hope for themselves, for Kevin, and for his family using a strengths orientation and future focus. The narrative highlights multiple voices and interpretations, Davis provides

a multilayered study of how social service workers can motivate and heal troubled families in challenging environments. The volume includes clinical and practice considerations for those working in the social welfare system. “This book is taken from my dissertation research, a narrative ethnography in which I studied the social construction of hope through communication in a children’s mental health care team,” Dr. Davis said. “I studied the team’s systemic communication for over a year through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus groups. This research shows how a difficult situation can be made more positive through communicating hope.”

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PROGRAMS & PEOPLE

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Paddock Sets High Goals for Communication Studies New Learning Community

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Craig Paddock, named director of the Communication Studies Learning Community, will lead the first group of freshman students in the fall of 2014.

As director, Paddock will help orient freshmen to the University, the Communication Studies Department and to each other. “We know that students who develop connections with other students and with their department tend to do better in college -- that is, they graduate on time, their grades are better and they are generally just more engaged,” he said.

The students will take an orientation class together where they will be introduced to study methods, support services, such as the Learning Center, and the various tracks in the major. “They’ll take this orientation class in the fall and Public Speaking together the following spring,” he said. “I’d also like to do some activities together around Charlotte -fun things that will just build a bond among the students. Hopefully, all this will help them develop lasting friendships and create that sense of community that will encourage them to thrive in the college setting.

“Getting to know students and helping them succeed is by far the best part of my job,” he added. “I think this learning community job will help me do that in a very direct way, where I’ll be impacting people’s lives.”

Hanson Takes on Wyoming Expedition with Levine Scholars

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enior lecturer Sandy Hanson will be a faculty facilitator this summer (’13) for the incoming Levine Scholars on a 90-mile, 25-day-long hike through the Absaroka Mountain Range on the Wyoming Expedition. The Levine Scholars foundation prepares scholars to assume leadership roles through teamwork and communication skills, as well as to help them apply effective decision-making tools for real world scenarios.

For 25 days, they will travel through “lush valleys surrounded by sheer cliffs of crumbly volcanic breccia” of the Absaroka mountains. The course is a classic mountain expedition. “This magical environment is one of the most pristine areas left in the lower 48 states.” The participants will use the skills they learn while exploring the

Absarokas wherever in the world they choose to travel.

“I regularly teach and preach the value of cohesion-building activities for my Small Group classes,” Hanson said. “Sending the latest cohort of Levine Scholars on a wilderness expedition exemplifies this concept since the collective experiences will solidify supportive relationships for their years here at UNC Charlotte and beyond.

Professionally, I look forward to observing the development of the group(s) and relationships as we forge through difficult and exciting times. Personally, I know all too well that challenges are thrust upon us every day, but this is a challenge I chose for myself. I’m looking forward to learning more about myself as I embrace what will surely be an experience of a lifetime!

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Chancellor’s Diversity Grant funds speaker Dubriwny and Adams

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he Department of Communication Studies and the Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund welcomed Dr. Tasha Dubriwny on Feb. 11 to discuss her recently published book, “The Vulnerable Woman: Feminism, Postfeminism and Women’s Health.”

Dr. Dubriwny is an Assistant Professor in the Communications Department and the Women and Gender Studies program at Texas A&M where her research focuses on the connections between feminism, health, and politics.

In her book, she analyzes popular media representations to understand the ways that women’s health problems are discussed in the American public.

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r. Tony Adams, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre at Northeastern Illinois University, spoke on March 18 to a packed audience in one of Fretwell’s lecture halls.

Adams spoke about his book, “Narrating the Closet: An Autoethnography of Same Sex Attraction,” and his experiences with “the closet” as a relational construct between people and their sexualities. His book explores each stage of the closet, from entering it, to inhabiting it, and finally, coming out of it, as well as strategies for reframing difficult closet experiences. The talk was followed by a short question and answer session.

Adams’ talk was one of two programs coordinated by Dr. Jillian Tullis and Dr. Margaret Quinlan funded by the Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge grant.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH & STUDIES

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“Should We Right Past Wrongs?” Public Radio Discussion Expolores Ethical Issues

Pictured (left to right) at WFAE’s studio: Elliot Hamer, Dr. Margaret Quinlan, Kirsten Sikkelee, Host Mike Collins, and Dr. Dan Grano

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hree members of the Communication Studies department at UNC Charlotte spoke out on a Jan. 24 WFAE radio panel about the ethics of reparation and whether today’s generation should be responsible to right the wrongs committed by previous generations. Associate Professor Dr. Dan Grano, Assistant Professor Dr. Margaret Quinlan, Elliot Hamer, an MA student in the Department of Communication Studies and Kirsten Sikkelee - CEO of the YWCA of Charlotte, participated in the

Charlotte Talks program on “Should We Right Past Wrongs?” North Carolina state officials are making efforts to compensate victims of forced sterilization from the former North Carolina Eugenics program that took place from 1929 to 1974. Former Gov. Mike Easley issued formal apologies on behalf of North Carolina state leaders for the sterilization of 7,600 people in the last century. Efforts to financially compensate the survivors have failed thus far. Key arguments in the debate for survivor reparations were that

monetary compensation would not right the wrongs that had been done to the victims.

“I believe that Dan, Elliot and I are supportive of reparations if that is what the state decides,” Quinlan said.

“We are glad that our state has taken on this issue and is looking back at what was done in the state--- we hope that it never happens again.”

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Graduate Student Plays Vital Role in NC Eugenics Program Reasearch

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ne of the major perks of the Department’s master’s program is the opportunity students have to work with the graduate faculty on their research. During his second semester, graduate student and assistant Elliot Hamer, engaged in several informal hallway conversations with Dr. Margaret Quinlan and Dr. Dan Grano about eugenics in North Carolina and current efforts to obtain compensation for survivors. The scholars were interested in why the state’s eugenics program was particularly shocking and how the public discourse about compensating victims raised real tensions in understanding our past. When the graduate faculty members discussed starting this project together, Elliot approached proposed an independent study. For the past year, he has helped research local and national newspaper articles on eugenics and legislative debates on the bill to compensate victims from both

current and archived state documents. He also helped the team code the data. While the research project is still in progress, it has already been presented on WFAE’s Charlotte Talks and as a special presentation at the YWCA in 2013.

“It has been valuable as I learned first hand about the research process and it has certainly been great to gain the experience of working alongside two professors in our very own department,” Elliot said. “Ultimately, it is very hard to prognosticate what kind of practical outcomes could come out of the first paper we plan to write. But since we have had our talk with the YWCA I’ve thought a lot about how one of my real goals for communication scholarship is to have my projects and writings create some kind of positive impact in the community.”

MA Student Heads to Ohio for Ph.D.

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risten Okamoto, a second-year graduate student finishing up her thesis titled “Running alone, together: An ethnographic study of the embodied experiences of RunningWorks athletes,” recently accepted a fully-funded position in Ohio University’s Communication Studies doctoral program. Kristen, a Charlotte native, said that she entered graduate school knowing she wanted to go on for her Ph.D. The process for applying to Ph.D programs can be daunting while coupled with the demands of a master’s program. Kristen’s specific situation was made even more complicated because she applied while studying abroad in Germany. She submitted her applications to several schools in mid-December, received notice of acceptance from Ohio University in mid-January and accepted the offer in mid-March.

When asked about how she felt about the acceptance phone call from Ohio U., she said, “I silently jumped up and down in my living room as he spoke. In that moment, I felt validated, as if my hard word had paid off.” She also said that without the support of the graduate faculty, especially her thesis advisor, Dr. Margaret Quinlan, her friends and her family, that none of this would be possible. “It is a huge honor to have Kristen accept and attend (with full funding!) Ohio University where I received my Ph.D,” Dr. Quinlan said. “I am incredibly proud of her and am looking forward to watching her grow while working on her doctorate. It will be nice to see her at conferences and to have her as a life-long colleague. Go 49ers and Bobcats!”

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GRANTS & INTERNSHIPS

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PR Practicum Students Help Purify North Carolina’s Water

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o help keep their water clean, more than 2 million wate utility customers across North Carolina are partially depending on documents flowing out of a Communication Studies Department class this spring. In the classroom, nine PR Practicum students are creating educational materials to help prevent sewer overflows from fat, oil or grease (FOG). As part of a nearly $50,000 grant, the students will present their FOG prevention items to 12 state water utilities at the end of the semester. The experience has allowed students to merge public relations and chemistry, with planned outreach including a recipe book and accompanying video blog, grease can-decorating contests and a jingle-based social media plan students hope will be the next “Harlem Shake.” The grant has also funded the first departmental access to professional-grade stock photography. “Participating in the PR Practicum course has allowed me to tap into my creative abilities in more ways than I could have ever imagined,” said student Alexes Johnson, who also represented the class in an undergraduate poster session at the Water Resources Research Institute conference in March. “Being able to produce actual products that may be distributed to customers encourages me to work extremely hard and produce the best-looking products possible.”

Robin Rothberg (Note: The FOG project originated in 2010 when the North Carolina Urban Consortium funded a grant to help create a communication “roadmap”. Dr. Alan Freitag, Dr. Cliff Scott and Dr. Maria Oliveira oversaw the project. Robin Rothberg teaches the PR Practicum course working on the project this spring.)

(from left) Shayla Sadler, Ashley Heath and Erica McDaniel present drafts of PR Practicum work to officials from the city of Durham water utility.

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Spring Internship Fair

The Communication Studies department held its second annual Spring Internship Fair on March 13 at the Student Union.

Seventeen organizations attended the fair to give Communication Studies students an opportunity to network with potential sponsors and look for a professional internship. About 60 students attended the fair and seemed satisfied with their experience. Internship Director Staci Kuntzman, who organized the fair, said she would like to see a stronger turnout for future internship fairs.

Grant-Funded Course Hones Student Writing Skills on the Arts

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riting About the Arts and Culture,” a grant- funded class, exposes UNC Charlotte students to new art forms as well as a variety of cultural experiences. “Our students venture critically into a host of different arts, from popular music and opera to television, theatre, the visual arts and film,” said lecturer John Schacht.

The students’ works are published on a student blog website with hopes they get picked up by publications who participate in the Charlotte Arts Journalism Alliance (CAJA). “From a journalism standpoint, the students get the benefit of the same thorough editing I apply to the professional writers I work with every day,” Schacht says. “With the help of William Zinsser’s seminal text ‘On Writing Well,’ the goal is for students to come out of the course with strong self-editing skills, the kind that lead to the concise and engaging articles that grab and keep a reader’s attention throughout.”

Schacht and Cheryl Spainhour were also tapped to teach free community writing courses on the arts offered at Center City in the spring, where students honed interviewing and writing skills about local arts festivals. Their work was published on the CAJA workshop website.

The classes were made possible by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, that “aims to help sustain democracy by leading journalism to its best possible future in the 21st century,” according to the organization’s website.

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FORENSICS TEAM, HONOR SOCIETY & SCHOLARSHIPS

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Forensics Team Racks up Awards

CFA AT THE BEACH FORENSICS TOURNAMENT Alex Krzynski • 5th in Duo Jaleel Boone • 4th in Poetry Samantha Kong • 6th in Persuasion Matthew Morales • 6th in DI Hoke Pittman Hoke Pittman • 5th 5th in in Impromptu Impromptu • 5th 5th in in Duo Duo • 2nd 2nd in in Prose Prose • 2nd 2nd in in DI DI • 1st 1st in in Penthalon Penthalon(reserved (reservedfor speakers for compete in whospeakers competewho in 5 or more events from 5 or more events from each category peech) of forensic speech)

TEAM AWARD • 4th team sweepstakes

YEARLY AWARDS Hoke Pittman • 2nd place DI of the year • 1st place prose of the year

CFA HOLIDAY FORENSICS TOURNAMENT Hoke Pittman • 6th place Impromptu Speaking • 2nd place Duo Improvisation • 2nd place Dramatic Interpretation • 1st place Prose • 6th place Pentathlon (reserved for speakers who compete in 5 or more events from each category of forensic speech) Alex Krzyinski • 2nd place Duo Improvisation • 2nd place Impromptu Speaking Kate Wedman • 6th place Communication Analysis TEAM AWARD • 6th team sweepstakes

CFA FALL INVITATIONAL FORENSICS TOURNAMENT Hala Sadek • 3rd in Declamation • 5th in Dramatic Interpretation Hoke Pittman • 5th in Prose • 1st in Dramatic Interpretation Matthew Morales • 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation • 2nd in Poetry TEAM AWARD • 5th team sweestakes

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Lambda Pi ETA Communication Honor Society UNC Charlotte Nu Lambda Chapter Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 Inductees

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ambda Pi Eta is the official undergraduate honor society of the National Communication Association (NCA), and is also an accredited honor society through the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS). Lambda Pi Eta is an academic honor that enhances a student’s resume and LPE members have the benefit of establishing long-term connections to fellow members of the NCA. “Lambda Pi Eta serves as a visible reminder of students’ work ethic and commitment to Communication Studies- a commitment that is appreciated and recognized,” said Melody Dixon-Brown, who serves as the Society’s advisor.

Students who meet the following criteria are invited to join Lambda Pi Eta: - Communication Studies Major - At least 3.0 GPA - At least 3.25 GPA in Communication Studies - At least 60 cumulative credit hours - At least 12 hours in Communication Studies

Fall 2012

Spring 2013

Ryanne Bennett

Jenna Hege

Elizabeth Considine

Mallory Holmes

Samnatha Falchook

Alexandra Jamieson

Abigail Hendrix

Victoria Karlek

Camillia McKay

Angelica Mitchell

Melissa Medaugh

Kayla Sutton

Niala Samnarine

Theresa Sutton

Justin White

Katherine Tomey

Khiara McMillin

Kerrie Ward

Charis Leitch 2012-13 Lambda Pi Eta executive team: President Chase McBride (left) and Treasurer Regina Davis

THE 2013 COMMUNICATION STUDIES DEPARTMENT’S SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ARE:

Cy N. Bahakel Scholarship

Hector Linares and Justin Allen White

Brycie Baber Forensics Scholarship Rebecca and Walter Roberts Scholarship

Hoke Pittman and Matthew Morales Johnetta Mendez, Kayla Sutton and Rand Alkurd

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CLUBS & INTERNSHIPS

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Health Communication Club News

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he Health Communication Club has had a busy year with events and visits from health scholars and speakers. The club has hosted three speakers on campus who gave talks about social marketing, feminism and women’s health, and LGBT experiences. Recruiting and promoting efforts from Stephanie Brown, Amanda Hodgin, and Sandy Hanson have paid off as the club added 15 new members this past semester.

In March the Health Communication Club hosted a blood drive with the help of the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC). Of the 81 people who attended the drive, 54 were able to donate. Dr. Jillian Tullis said, “It is because of all of HCC’s efforts and the generosity of the donors that CBCC will be able to help at least 162 patients staying at our local hospitals.” The club gave away raffle prizes every hour and each donor received a T-shirt for donating.

C.S.S.A- News

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n the past year, CSSA has improved and grown as an organization. CSSA is designed to help students of all majors learn communication and journalism skills as well as network with others in the major. The Student Government Association assists CSSA, granting the organization money to purchase materials for events and trips. The young organization has come a long way since it became an established organization on campus a couple years ago. At the end of last semester, CSSA hosted a cupcake mixer for members and faculty to bond and learn more about one another: CSSA acquired two new executive committee members. CSSA also played a role in the Communication Studies Internship Fair in March. Many members attended a WBTV newsroom tour, led by Amanda Devoe, to give them a taste of what it is like to be a broadcast journalist. CSSA works with other groups on campus, such as the Student Niner Media. Membership chair Sarah Obeid hosted a journalism event with guest speaker Haley Twist, Editor-in-chief of the Niner Times, who informed members about how to get published on campus, what Niner Media has to offer, and internship opportunities in the journalism field. CSSA has been successful as its members continue to work to promote communication-related topics, such as interviewing skills and resume writing.

Sarah Obeid, Membership Chair

Students from the Communication Studies Department interned at the Democratic National Convention held in Charlotte in September, 2013. Internships included CBS, CNN, Fox News, New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Above, journalism student Anita Shivraj asked questions to the panel on an election broadcast special of PBS "Washington Week with Gwen Ifill," recorded in Robinson Hall on the Friday before the convention.

CSSA (2012-2013):

Faculty Adcisor- Debbie Baker President- Sydney Morehead Vice President- Darien Talley Secretary- Amando Devoe Treasurer- Amanda Sobkowiak Membership Chair- Sarah Obeid Programs Chair- Kelsey Bailey

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PRSSA Reginal Conference Held at UNC Charlotte’s Center City

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NC Charlotte’s chapter of The Public Relations Student Society of America hosted the 2013 Region 7 PRSSA Conference. PRSSA students from North Carolina South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and West Virginia attended the conference on April 27 at UNCC’s Center City campus in uptown Charlotte.

The 2013 Regional Conference, titled “What’s Your Professional Value … Are You In-Demand?” “informed public relations students about the skills they’ll need to become an invaluable asset to any company,” said Charlotte’s PRSSA President Samantha Falchook.

“Attendees were equipped with the knowledge and skills infrequently taught in the classroom. Topics covered included: social media strategies, selfbranding, networking, international public relations, and more.” Experienced and recognized public relations professionals from across the country presented at the conference.

alumni

EYE ON ALUMNI

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Jordan Jaws about Journalism Jason Jordan (’04) is everything a teacher could hope for in a former student. The 31-year-old Rocky Mount native has shot up in the journalism field with hard work and perseverance. He lives with his wife in Raleigh when he’s not traveling the country for USA Today, reporting and writing about the up and coming high school basketball players who will likely be starting players in their NCAA futures. Jason graduated with a Communication Studies degree on the Media Studies track and minored in Journalism.

And he gives back to his Alma mater anytime he’s asked – he’s automatic -always available to current students interested in sports journalism careers.

I recently caught up with Jason to inquire about his journalism career and I also asked him to share advice with students interested in becoming journalists. -- Cheryl Spainhour Q. Tell us about what you’re doing these days with USA Today.

A. I’m covering national college basketball recruiting and high schools.

Q. What other journalism jobs have you had since you graduated in 2004? And how have they helped you get to the level you are at today?

A. My first job out of college was at the Daily Press in Virginia. This is where I learned to be a reporter. I think newspapers give the best training for the basics of this profession. I spent four years there and came back to ESPN in 2008. After four years with ESPN, I joined USA Today in September of 2012. ESPN gave me the national platform and the freedom to be creative and I really took advantage of that. Now I’ve got even more of the same thing at USA Today. It’s truly a blessing.

Q. The summer after you graduated, you interned for ESPN in New York City, and as we all know, a pricey place to live. Was it worth it? Do you think internships are a necessity for undergraduate students who want to pursue journalism?

A. Well, the good thing about the internship with ESPN was that it was fully paid, which included housing in the city. It was one of those once-in-alifetime gigs. I don’t say that in a bragging way, I just know how blessed I was to land it. Internships are an absolute must. I can’t stress that enough. In this business experience is everything. I interned with the Charlotte Observer during the year. I always tell kids college is necessary, but you’ve got to make it work for you too. Your goal as a freshman should be to get the best internship possible. And have a better one each summer. Make where you want to ultimately work the goal. Get an internship there. Don’t take no for an answer.

You’ve truly got to be relentless in the pursuit of your dream.

Q. What skills did you hone while you studied at UNC Charlotte? What were some of the classes that challenged you the most?

Q. What are your future career plans?

Q. You’ve always reached out to our undergraduate students who are interested in journalism, which is such a great attribute for an alum. What are some of the things you’ve passed on to them?

Q. Anything else you’d like to add?

A. My writing skills were developed in my journalism classes! That’s 100 percent true. I tell people this all the time. Specifically the [advanced] feature writing class. I was so intrigued at how you could make a simple story become a movie in someone’s mind by being descriptive and using the right flow. This class is what made me want to become a sports writer.

A. The biggest thing I tell them is to write, write, write! You have to get reps to be the best. I wrote for NinerOnline.com for a full year, over 130 articles, for free. You’ve got to love this. I have never thought about what I do as work. I swear I’m robbing USA Today blind. Reps are the most important thing. Also, as much as you work on being a better writer, you’ve got to work on your relatability. Contacts and access are key in my line of work and I’m naturally good at relating to people.

But it’s something that can also be learned. The other thing is you’ve got to aggressively pursue big internships. Don’t settle for the local paper: go for CNN or the New York Times or ESPN. Go big. What can they tell you, no? Newsflash, you’re going to get hundreds of “no’s” but that one yes will help you develop amnesia about all of them. Zero in on what you want to do and where you want to work and find someone’s email in that company and stay in touch. Be transparent about your situation.

Be relentless, but find the balance between being driven and just being annoying to your contacts.

It’s not easy, but ‘when’ it all works out in the end, it’s pretty sweet!

A. I get this question a lot and I feel like I should have this really well thought out, cool answer but I’m doing my dream job right now. I’m sure at some point I’ll probably move over to the editor’s chair but I love being among people and covering tournaments. I’m headed to Texas next week for a story where I’m literally just spending time with an athlete and his family. I’m a relationship guy.

I like to build bonds with people so I don’t see myself wanting to stop this any time soon.

A. I just want students to learn to enjoy the process of pursuing the dreams, but to never lose focus of them. You may have to start out covering the nursing home beat at a 10,000 circulation newspaper, but find something cool about that.

Pick the brains of the grandmothers there and gain some wisdom in other areas of your life.

If you have the ability to do that, find the cool part about the worst assignments, you WILL be successful because you’ll write great stuff. I used to have to cover high school swim meets and golf matches and I’d always find something cool about it. Trust me -- that is hard to do. Always remember to stay encouraged because your time will come.

LINK: While working at ESPN, Jason wrote a story and did a video interview with an up and coming N.C. sixth grader who was drawing a lot of attention in the world of basketball. Update: Jason said Damon Harge Jr., who is currently a seventh-grader, is “still doing really well. The seventh grader is already being heavily recruited by top colleges.”

Here’s the link: http://espn.go.com/high-school/ boys-basketball/story/_/id/7330294/sixth-grader-next-hoops-phenom?eleven=twelve

Graduate Alum Finds Success in California’s “City of Love”

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Heidi Germain graduated from the Department’s MA program in the Spring of 2012. While UNC Charlotte offers a generalist program, Heidi’s research and interest area focused on organizational communication. Her thesis, titled “Coaching conversations: A discussion of professional identity among executive coaches,” explored the ways that executive coaches construct and perform their professional identity through behaviors and how they define who they are in an unregulated industry.

Heidi recently answered questions from her California home about her experience at UNC Charlotte and how it has contributed to her current success.

Q. Where are you currently working and how did you find this job?

A. I currently work at Burson-Marsteller, a global PR firm in San Francisco, Calif.

I found this job through a contact from undergrad. I originally began as an intern and after the internship was hired on fulltime into the corporate/financial practice.

I work on several clients such as US Trust, Great Place to Work Institute, Novartis, UnitedHealthcare, and Ford as well as several start-up clients in the Valley.

- probably the most memorable is when I ran into the building sign with my car at Queens University complex on my way to a meeting with the group I was studying for my thesis. I remember standing in a flower garden in my suit waving at all my interviewees as they pulled into their meeting. One of the reasons it was memorable was not because my car was stuck in a flower patch, embedded in a sign, but rather that I had come to know the group I was studying well and many stopped to chat and see if I needed help.

It was mortifying but hilarious, and it was toward the end of my thesis days. And then of course, the next memorable event was defending my thesis.

For prospective students, do informational interviews, visit the campus, and visit the city. Make sure it’s a good fit for you and what you want to accomplish. Also, think about what you want to accomplish from going to grad school and what that’s going to do for your future success, don’t just go because you’re unsure of your next step.

Q. Why did you choose UNC Charlotte?

A. I chose UNC Charlotte because of the focus on research and the well-known Q. What skill did you learn in the faculty. I did an informational interview with Communication Studies M.A. program that my soon-to-be adviser (wasn’t planned that help you in your current position? way) while I was in undergrad. After speaking A. All of the skills I developed in the MA with her I decided that the program was program are invaluable but, I think two the right fit. I also felt that Charlotte was a skills that helped the most are writing for great location for career opportunity after different audiences and tailoring messages.

Understanding that you aren’t able to use a Q. What tips do you have for current and graduating as well as research opportunity during the program. The program is unique blanket message for everyone makes a huge prospective students? difference to clients and contributes greatly A. For current students, the first semester where you are able to choose your path and try different courses you wouldn’t otherwise to your team. is the hardest. If you think you can’t do take. Overall, there’s no other place that it, chances are everyone else thinks they can’t do it either. But you can and you will. I saw myself and I’m lucky to have studied under such great professors that encouraged Q. What was your most memorable Also, don’t give up on what you set out me to go either to academia or practice. moment as a graduate student at UNCC? to do. For instance, if you choose to go A. There are so many memorable moments the thesis route, have faith: you and your as a graduate student that are unforgettable committee will get you through.

For prospective students, do informational

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GRADUATE PROGRAM

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Congratulations to the 2012/2013 Graduates of the MA Program!

A Look Back: Sayde Brais, who graduated in summer 2012, was recently hired through a competitive search as a lecturer for our Department beginning Fall 2013. Sayde will be primarily teaching Communication Research Methods. David Askay (2011), who received his MA in our department in 2011, recently successfully defended his Dissertation Proposal in the Organizational Science PhD program and was hired for a tenure track Assistant Professor job at University of California Poly State for fall 2013.

Chelsea Wilde (2012) won the gradate school’s Outstanding Thesis in Humanities Award this year. Morgan Smalls (2012) is a lecturer of Communication Studies at Columbia College. Heidi Germain (2012) is a public relations practitioner at Burson-Marsteller in San Francisco. Rebecca Potts (2010) says she’s planning to return to Charlotte from New York in the near future. Brian Richards (2012) is Coordinator for the Carolina Diversity Council.

Here and Now: I’d also like to congratulate our current graduate students who have made us proud time and time again this

year. To name just a few accomplishments: first year students Nan Wilson and Rachael Thomas just did a fantastic job at their research presentation on “Millennials’ Perceptions of CEO’s Social Media Use and Its Effect on Job-Seeking Patterns” at the Graduate Research Symposium! Their research was supervised by Dr. Jaehee Cho. In the audience were CLAS Dean Nancy Gutierrez, UNCC Provost Joan Lorden, chair of graduate council Rob Roy McGregor, Dr. Jaehee Cho and Dr. Christine Davis. Nan and Rachael were intelligent and poised and handled questions beautifully. Kenechukwu Onwugbolu was awarded the Halton Scholarship for Study Abroad this year.

To our 2012/2013 graduates: We have a record graduating class this year, and have surpassed our 75th graduate of the program! In fact, we expect we will reach 85 graduates by the end of the summer.

#70: Amanda Agee: Amanda completed her thesis titled “PR and Community in a Social Media Setting” in September under the direction of Dr. Dean Kruckeberg.

Drs. Freitag and Stokes were also on her committee. Dr. Kruckeberg says that in her thesis, Amanda did a good job in extending the community building theory from the 1980s in a contemporary context. A paper based on her thesis was presented and received positive feedback at the International Public Relations Research Conference in Miami in June.

Amanda has recently returned to Charlotte after working for Edelman PR agency in Chicago.

#71: Sherri Fairbairn: Sherri completed her thesis titled “Autoethnography of being a mother of a child with Down Syndrome” in the fall, under the direction of Dr. Maggie Quinlan. Dr. Tullis and Dr. Davis were also on her committee.

While a student, Sherri gave numerous research presentations at conferences. Since graduating, she’s been taking the class “Teaching at the College Level,” and she looks forward to teaching in our department in the fall. Sherri presented a paper at the Southern Gerontological Society conference a few weeks ago, and also co-presented a workshop with Dr. Davis on “Family Stories” at that conference. Dr. Quinlan says that Sherri is one of the strongest students she has worked with and is a great writer. #72: Melinda Skutnick: Melinda successfully completed her comprehensive exams in November, under the direction of Dr. Min Jiang. Drs. Kruckeberg and Gossett were also on her committee. While enrolled in our program (and still), Melinda worked full time as Communication Specialist for the Town of Harrisburg.

Dr. Christine Davis

#73: Kaitlin Rogers: Prior to graduation Kaitlin was a Graduate Assistant for undergraduate Business Communications and Communications Theory courses, and assisted faculty in their scholarship research as a Research Assistant.

Kaitlin is now the Public Relations Manager for Burke Communications, a full-service marketing and creative design firm in Charlotte, NC. She is involved with the Charlotte chapters of PRSA

and IABC, and has plans to earn her APR in the near future. Kaitlin completed her comprehensive examination in the fall under the direction of Dr. Ashli Stokes. Drs. Freitag and Kruckeberg were on her committee.

Kaitlin assisted Dr. Stokes with her research on activism and public relations and Dr. Davis with her research on Community Based Participatory Research in healthcare.

#74: Carrie Vass: Carrie successfully completed her comprehensive exam under the direction of Dr. Dan Grano. Drs. Tullis and Stokes were also on her committee.

In her classes, Carrie has conducted a critical analysis on mediated representations of Ashley Dupre--the former prostitute involved with NY governor, Eliot Spitzer; a rhetorical analysis of Monster Beverage Corporations discourse surrounding allegations that its drinks are unsafe; an analysis of public discourse surrounding the “birth control mandate debate;” and other research on post-feminism, the Oedipus complex, and ideological state apparatuses. Carrie is Vice President for the Communication Studies Graduate Student Association (CSGSA) this year. She held a graduate assistantship in which she conducted qualitative research for the Atkins Library Ethnography Project, working with library anthropologist. Dr. Quinlan says that she’s appreciated Carrie’s intelligent and thoughtful discourse in her class.

23 #75: Oluwakemi Obasola: Kemi successfully completed her comprehensive exam under the direction of Dr. Jillian Tullis. Drs. Gossett and Freitag were also on her committee. Kemi has been working with Dr. Gossett’s research into how the UNCC Graduate School should best move from paper to online system.

Kemi plans to go into the field of public relations while she works on plans to get her Ph.D. in Media and Communication. Dr. Tullis says that Kemi is one of the most polite, respectful, and hard-working students she has worked with. Kemi is currently helping Dr. Davis on her research on end-of-life communication, and Dr. Davis says she appreciates her hard work, curiosity, and industriousness. #76: Emily Tamilin: After earning a BA in Political Science and Women’s Studies from the University of Pittsburgh in 2009, Emily wanted to pursue her interests in Communication Studies. Drawing on these interests, her qualitative research focuses on gender, sexuality and politics. In employing rhetorical strategies, Emily is interested in interrogating the ways that popular and political discourses reinforce and resist dominate ideologies. She is President of the Communication Studies Graduate Student Association (CSGSA) this year, and Dr. Davis says she has greatly enjoyed working with her. Emily also was Graduate Assistant to Dr. Davis and Dr. Crane, and both say she is a GA extraordinaire and Dr. Crane says about her, she is “the Rocky Bleir (Pittsburgh Steelers) of grad students.” Dr. Quinlan commends Emily on her leadership ability and her being a role model for other students and her ability to clearly articulate herself as a communication scholar. Emily successfully completed her comprehensive exams under the direction of Dr. Maggie Quinlan. Drs. Tullis and Grano were also on her committee.

#77: Elliot Hamer: Elliot received his bachelor of arts from UNCC in Communication Studies with a minor in Film Studies. He says he was drawn to the program for his interests in media studies and sports. He’s currently working on a rhetorical criticism of survivors’ narratives after North Carolina’s eugenics program and a qualitative study on student motivations for taking online course evaluations. After graduation, he’s moving to Madison, WI next semester to pursue his dream as a cheese salesman, a career that our program has clearly prepared him for. Elliot completed his comprehensive exam under the direction of Dr. Dan Grano. Drs. Jiang and Crane were on his committee.

Next to graduate:

Sarah Burton: Sarah successfully completed her directed project under the direction of Dr. Christine Davis, on “Organizational Identity and Alumni Giving.” Graduates should stay-tuned, as the program will begin implementing Sarah’s recommendations on engaging graduate alumni. Drs. Long and Gossett are also on her committee. Sarah has been a CSGSA Senator, she interned at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce for 3 months, and she was Graduate Assistant for the Tutorial Services program.

Dr. Davis says that Sarah is one of the best writers she has supervised, and Sarah’s directed project was thorough and solid. Sarah just started a new position at Wells Fargo as a Learning and Development Specialist.

Nick Woods: Nick says to say he is a big sports fan (especially NBA and college football) and he always knew his thesis would come from a sports-related problem/issue. Also, another interesting thing to know about his is that he comes from a family that has placed an emphasis on higher education – his mom, dad, stepdad, stepmom, and grandparents also have Masters degrees. Nick is completing his thesis under the direction of Dr. Dan Grano and Dr. Grano says that Nick’s thesis is one of the best he has overseen. Drs. Jiang and Crane are on his committee.

Kristen Okamoto: Kristen’s research interests lie at the intersections of health, marginalization, and social justice. Her thesis work was guided by narrative and ethnographic sensibilities and involved a local non-profit organization that serves the homeless population through running. She will begin work towards her PhD at Ohio University in the fall. Kristen is completing her thesis under the direction of Dr. Maggie Quinlan. Drs. Tullis and Grano are also on her committee. Dr. Quinlan says that she appreciates Kristen’s intelligence, good writing ability, and community involvement and she looks forward to watching Dr. Okamoto’s future.

Julian Boucherle: Julian Boucherle received his B.A. in organizational communication from UNC Charlotte in December, 2012. Julian has spent the last two years completing his masters in COMM, which emphasized courses in both the org comm. and PR. Julian is interested in working in the area of community relations and campaign development, especially in the context of small businesses. In his spare time, Julian plays guitar and sings in the Jon Linker Band, a local southern rock group. Julian is completing his comprehensive examination under the direction of Dr. Cliff Scott.

Drs. Gossett and Jiang are on his committee.

Ivana Baric: Ivana has worked as the Graduate Assistant at the University Career Center. She was also the senator for CSGSA last year and the secretary this year. She joined PRSSA and says enjoyed all the different topics she’s researched and written proposals on throughout the program such as online health support, conflict in the workplace, interracial relationship communication, and currently a rheological criticism on a topic related to politics and religion which she says is always a pretty interesting debate. Ivana is completing her comprehensive examination under the direction of Dr. Min Jiang. Drs. Scott and Freitag are also on her committee.

Kayla Maynarich Kayla has spent the past two years working as a Graduate Assistant for the Department of Recreational Services. This position has allowed her to assist in planning major events including RecFest, 49er Gold Rush 5k, and the On the Green Golf Tournament. Kayla has also served as a volunteer to the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) for the past six years. Last semester she had the opportunity to work as a Communications and Development intern for the RMH of Charlotte. She helped to develop a new fundraising initiative named the Million Tab Challenge in order to increase pop-tab donations across local elementary schools. One of her favorite moments during the graduate program was traveling to London to participate in the International Public Relations Seminar. Kayla is completing her comprehensive examination under the direction of Dr. Min Jiang. Drs. Quinlan and Freitag are on her committee.

Ashley Peckham: Ashley’s thesis examines how social media is redefining the notion of publics, impacting organization-public dialogue and changing the power dynamics of organization-public relationships. In her two years at UNC Charlotte, she has been an active member in Graduate & Professional Student Government (GPSG) and serves as its Public Relations Cabinet Member. Through her involvement with GPSG, she helped plan the Graduate Research Symposium. Additionally, her Graduate Assistantship with the Housing and Residence Life Department gave her the opportunity to connect and network with departments across campus, and supervise and advise undergraduates living on campus. Ashley is completing her thesis under the direction of Dr. Min Jiang. Drs. Freitag and Kruckeberg are on her committee.

Regina Young: Regina will successful defend her thesis this summer, an autoethnographic narrative titled “Living with Two Wounds: Major Depressive disorder and breast Cancer,” a project combining narrative theory with muted group theory, Beck’s cognitive theory of depression, and a theory of intrapersonal dialogue. Regina co-presented a workshop with Dr. Davis on “Family Stories” at the Southern Gerontological Society conference in March. Regina is finishing her dissertation under the direction of Dr. Christine Davis. Dr. Quinlan and Dr. Warren-Findlow of the Public Health Sciences Dept. are on her committee. Dr. Davis says that Regina’s thesis is intellectually and theoretically sound and her writing is emotionally engaging.

Congratulations to our graduating MA students!

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GRADUATE PROGRAM NEWS

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Communication Studies Graduate Student Association Wrap up with the Power of Girls and Promising Pages

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SGSA members visited Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Charlotte last fall (2012) to lend a helping hand with the Power of Girls program in their annual service day. The program works with the Girl Scouts of America toward helping girls lift themselves and their communities out of poverty. The event featured a book wrapping party with Promising Pages, an organization dedicated to recycling used books and gifting them to children in need. Members of CSGSA worked with Promising Pages and the Power of Girls to wrap hundreds of children’s books that were then donated to Charlotte’s Crisis Assistance Ministry. They also donated approximately 100 books to Promising Pages for future wrapping parties. When asked about the experience, Emily Tamilin, CSGSA president, said, “It was an amazing experience and an opportunity for us to donate our time to three worthwhile organizations in one day. We had a fantastic turnout from both students and their families. We hope to do volunteer outings like this one in the future.”

Recent Graduate Wins Thesis Award

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helsea Wilde (2012 MA) won the Outstanding Thesis in Humanities Award at last year’s Graduate Research Fair for her project titled, ““For the game, For the world: A public relations approach to corporate social responsibility and global mega-events.” “It was very rewarding to receive recognition for something I had put a lot of hard work and time into,” Chelsea said about the honor. “I’m also thankful for my committee’s guidance, which went a long way in helping me make my thesis the best it could be. And let’s be honest, the cash prize was an added bonus!” Her committee was chaired

by Dr. Ashli Stokes, who enjoyed working with Chelsea.

“Working with Chelsea is an example of how a talented graduate student and her advisor can work together as an academic team,” Dr. Stokes said. “Chelsea had a fabulous idea and my role was to guide her through the process of fully exploring it. I am so proud that Chelsea’s work was featured across the University so that our excellent students and department get the recognition they deserve!”

Each year, the Graduate School and the Graduate Professional and Student Government (GPSG) sponsor a graduate research symposium to showcase the wide range of research being done by the UNC Charlotte graduate community.

This photograph was taken by Samantha Kaufman, a Communication Studies student who traveled to London with fellow student Amanda Sutherland over their Spring (2013) break. The Communication Studies 11th annual Study Abroad trip to London to study global public relations takes place early this summer.

Ph.D. Student Wins Prestigious Award at NCA

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avid Askay, (MA, 2011) a Ph.D. student in organizational science and adjunct lecturer for the Communication Studies Department, received the prestigious Donald P. Cushman Memorial Award at the National Communication Association Conference in Orlando, Fla. in November (2012). The award recognized his top-ranked-student-authored paper, “Silence in the Crowd: The Spiral of Silence Contributing to the Positive Bias of Opinions in an Online Review System.” When asked about this accomplishment, David said, “It was shocking for me to be recognized with the award because this paper was outright rejected at the same conference the previous year. After following the reviewers’ advice and speaking to some of our fantastic faculty, I made revisions and resubmitted. It goes to show the importance of not giving up just because a paper may be rejected.”

According to the NCA website, this highly competitive award honors Dr. Cushman’s spirit for mentoring students and socializing them into the discipline. Dr. Cris Davis, the Department’s graduate coordinator, expressed pride, saying, “This is such an honor for David, our

program, our college, and the university. To win such a nationally prestigious award from our field’s national organization is recognition of the quality, relevance, and importance of David’s scholarship and it is a recognition of the quality of scholarship the Communication Studies and Organizational Science graduate programs produce.”

David Askay (right) won the University’s Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year Award and Chelsea Wilde (left) won the University’s Master’s Thesis of the Year Award. Dr. Ashli Stokes and Dr. Loril Gossett are two of their professors.

MA Students Present Top Papers at CCA Conference

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he Department was well-represented by two graduate students at the 2012 Carolinas Communication Association Conference. MA students Heather Sackett and Elliot Hamer each presented for the first time at a conference on Oct. 5-6, 2012, at the historic Rose Hill Estates in downtown Aiken, S.C. Heather, a first-year student, presented her undergraduate thesis titled “Uses of Communication of Accommodation Theory within Computer-Mediated Communication and its Effect on the Language” as part of the Marry Jarrard Top Undergraduate Paper Panel.

Elliot, a second-year .student, presented his paper titled “Faces of the net: An online ethnographic study of visual internet memes” as part of the Mary Jarrard Top Graduate Paper Panel. When asked about the experience, Elliot responded, “It worked out really well for me, as a first time attendee to any scholarly conference, because the setting was fairly intimate.”

The coming year’s conference will be held Oct. 5-6, 2013 at Central Piedmont Community College’s main campus in Charlotte. The theme will be “Communication and Civility in traditional and technological contexts.” To find out more information, visit the association’s website at http://www.carolinascommunication.org/

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COMMUNICATION STUDIES CE COMMUNICATION

Joe Bonham Project: Former Marine and UNC Charlotte illustration major Robert Bates, along with Founder Michael Fay, illustrators Jeffrey Fisher and Victor Juhasz, represented the Joe Bonham Project, a series of artwork displaying wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan and their agonizing – but determined – road to recovery. The April 22 panel was moderated by Dr. Jon Crane in the Rowe Recital Hall.

Graduate Student Poster Session Graduate students in the Communication Studies program showcased their research at a poster session and research fair on April 24. The meet-and-greet event was open to students, faculty, and community members to view the projects and speak with the graduate students about their topics.

Dr. Michael Butterworth, Associate Professor of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University, spoke at the SAC on April 23 as a part of Communications Studies Week. Nearly 100 students and staff attended the talk, titled “Presidential PECOTAS,” where Dr. Butterworth discussed the relationship between rhetoric, sports, and politics.

LEBRATION WEEK April 22-27 STUDIES WEEK Communication Studies Years of Service Melody Dixon-Brown (5 years) Dean Kruckeberg (5 years) Robin Rothberg (5 years) Debbie Kilby-Baker (10 years) Cheryl Spainhour (10 years) Alan Freitag (15 years) Jon Crane (25 years)

Alumni from the Communication Studies Department spoke on a panel moderated by Robin Rothberg about “How to Get a Job You Love.” Students and faculty packed the Cone conference room on April 25. Alum panelists included: Kathryn Taylor, of Dalliance Films; AJ Mead, with the Charlotte 49ers Athletic Department, Consultant Kelly Wolf; Logistics Coordinator Emily Robinson; and Associate Label Coordinator Cameron Crye.

Global Public Relations Conference Presenters from as far away as Singapore, Macao, Nigeria, Egypt and Poland joined Microsoft’s director of corporate communications – corporate citizenship and community affairs programs, at the Third Annual Global Research Conference on April 26. Microsoft’s Tom Murphy gave the keynote address at the all-day event, “The Millennium Generation Communication Challenge,” sponsored by UNC Charlotte’s Center for Global Public Relations.

Photos by Christine Miller, Carrie Hallahan and Jordan Stutts

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NEW FACULTY

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Plotnick Joins Faculty in Fall

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he Communication Studies Department welcomes Rachel Plotnick as the new Media Studies Assistant Professor. This spring, Rachel successfully defended her dissertation, “Signal and switch: a cultural history of the push-button interface,” at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois. She says she also has her hands full with her family.

She is a new mom to her son, Shane, and his four-legged sisters, beagles Lucy and Sophie. During her rare free time, Rachel says she enjoys painting and creative writing. “It’s a lot to juggle, but I’m having a great time wearing these different hats,” she says, “and I have a fantastic spouse [Stuart] to share in the ups and downs of everyday life.”

Rachel earned her master’s degree in Communication, Culture and Technology Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. in 2007. She graduated from Indiana University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a Certificate in Journalism.

Rachel and Stuart are looking forward to moving to Charlotte this summer and seeing what this new chapter in their lives will bring.

Alum Joins Department

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he Communication Studies Department has added another new face and welcomes Sayde Brais as a new, full-time lecturer. Sayde graduated from UNC Charlotte in May 2012 with a master’s degree focused in Organizational Communication. While earning her master’s degree, she worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, which led her to teaching at the college level. She also received her bachelor’s degree from UNC Charlotte in Communication Studies with an emphasis in International Public Relations and a minor in Journalism.

In her spare time, Sayde likes to take on extra research or service projects. “I’m currently working on a research project with the Environmental Assistance Office on campus and the Urban Water Consortium of NC,” Sayde says, “which is focused on determining the most effective ways to communicate to target communities about the proper ways to dispose of cooking fats, oils, and grease --which is not down the drain!” She has worked on various research projects with multiple faculty members including projects on Event Planning, Journalism, Organizational Communication and Virtual Work. Her hobbies include reading, exercising, traveling. This spring, she is spending her spare time helping to plan her best friend’s wedding.

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Adventurous Alum Takes on Academic Advising Role

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he Communication Studies Department would like to welcome to the team our new academic advisor, Adrienne Barnette. Adrienne earned her master’s degree in School Counseling in 2007 from UNC Charlotte. She did her undergraduate work here as well, double-majoring in Communication Studies and Psychology in 2004.

Prior to her work at UNCC, Adrienne spent nearly a year in Los Angeles, performing in a rock and soul band, The Barnettes, with her siblings.

She plays several instruments, including the bass guitar, electric guitar, “double-headed dragon” (which she says is a guitar with both a bass and electric guitar connected), violin and keyboard.

In 2011, Adrienne and a friend retraced the 1961 Freedom Riders Route on their motorcycles. “My current project is ‘Carolina Character Pedal for Peace,’ which is retracing the Underground Railroad via bicycle,” Adrienne explained. “The Pedal for Peace project, in similar fashion, is about character education and sharing with students important lessons on positive character.” This summer (2013), she’ll ride 800 miles on her bike with a teacher from Cincinnati to Canada.

“I think that adventurous spirit was developed through my time at UNC Charlotte as a student athlete,” says Adrienne.

“While attending UNC Charlotte I competed on the Track and Field Team as a high jumper.”

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avid Landrum joined the Communication Studies Department in 2012 as the new Office Manager. He also serves as the Budget and Grant Administrator. David may be new to the Department, but he has been a member of the university community for nearly two decades. He graduated with UNC Charlotte’s class of 1997 and has been employed at the University since 2000. He previously held positions as an advisor for the Africana Studies department as well as Grants Manager for the Writing Resource Center.

Last fall, David took a long vacation to South Korea, where is mother’s family lives. He toured the country for two and a half weeks visiting places like the coastal city of Gyeongju and the volcanic island of Jeju.

Debbie Kilby Baker, Senior Lecturer, has taught undergraduate courses in business communication, small group, interpersonal communication contexts, and public speaking – including Freshman Learning Community sections – since January 2001. Having earned licensure in education with graduate work in communication theory and teaching effectiveness, Baker specializes in creating diverse, engaging learning opportunities to help students be inspired, challenged and successful learners. “Walk by my classroom and you might hear laughter flowing freely, the ‘Olympics Fanfare’ medley resonating when teams proudly accept their medals or complete silence as students work intently on an exercise,” she says. “I proudly hang in my office a 2011 student-designed faculty award which states ‘Most Eccentric’ for my teaching style and personality because it acknowledges the effective pedagogical and andragogical research for which I value.” Outside of the classroom, mentoring has been an integral part of Baker’s professional engagement.

She has designed and presented several workshops and training sessions for Diversity Summer Institute, S.A.F.E, University Center of Academic Excellence and Communication Across the Curriculum on campus, in addition to a myriad of departmental and community instruction. She currently serves as COMM 1101 Adjunct Faculty Liaison, Communication Studies Student Association Faculty Advisor and has been recently appointed to serve as the first Communication Across the Curriculum Fellow in 2013-2014, a trailblazing initiative which aims to support departments in developing and revising “O” Goal course designs and instructional strategies for academic excellence.

Jaehee Cho

Debbie Baker

Dr. Jaehee Cho earned his BA from Sogang University in South Korea and his MA and Ph.D degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Core Faculty of the Doctoral Program of Organizational

Science. He joined the Department in Fall 2011 and teaches Communication Research Methods and Intercultural Communication. He has published articles in the Journal of Applied Communication Research and Human Communication Research. His main research areas include: issues related to organizational communication in intercultural settings, informationsharing, and multitasking/multi-communication at workplaces. Cho’s research philosophy is “Theory must be followed by practice, and vice versa.” About teaching, he says, “If you can’t escape it, enjoy it. I really want my students to ‘ENJOY’ my classes and ‘USE’ knowledge from them.” Outside of education, he says he loves fishing and farming. He and his wife have a son, who loves playing piano and practicing Taekwondo. They are also expecting a baby girl in May.

Jon Crane

Dr. Jon Crane received his bachelor’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois, and studied for his doctorate at The Institute of Communications Research, specializing in cultural studies. Currently he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in communication theory, mass media and film studies. “Teaching is an activity akin to chatting with a friend over coffee, swapping lies with mates at a bar and revisiting family legends around the dinner table,” he says. “It is one of the ways we best apprehend our shared world and when it goes well there are few better ways of fashioning common sense.” Crane’s areas of interest include media, film, and popular culture, and his research projects deal extensively with film and the role genre plays in the interpretation of cinematic violence. He is an author of Terror and Everyday Life: Singular Moments in the History of the Horror Film (Sage, 1994), and has also written extensively on the complex interplay between individual directors and their chosen generic niche. A devoted Chicago baseball fan, Crane has this to say:

John Crane

Debbie Kilby Baker

Jaehee Cho

FACULTY

Alan Freitag

Melody Dixon-Brown

Christine Davis

Melody Dixon-Brown “The unfounded rumors that have circulated for decades maintaining that there are two professional baseball franchises in Chicago are patently untrue. There is only one professional baseball team in the Windy City and they play ball on the Southside.”

Christine Davis

Dr. Christine Davis is Associate Professor of Communication Studies, and the Coordinator of Graduate Studies for the department. She received her BA degree in 1979 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; her MA in 1999 from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro; and her Ph.D. in 2005 from the University of South Florida, all in the field of Communication Studies. She teaches courses related to Health Communication and Communication Research Methods, and focuses her research and teaching on the areas of children’s mental health, disability, aging, endof-life communication, and health communication in the contexts of family, patient-provider, and healthcare teams. She has a strong interest in Communication Research Methods, especially in the areas of narrative, ethnography, and autoethnography. Dr. Davis has recently published two books – Death: The Beginning of a Relationship (2010) and the second edition of Straight Talk about Communication Research Methods (2012) – co-written with Dr. Heather Gallardo and Dr. Kenneth Lachlan. Her current research includes several projects related to end-of-life communication in material culture and communication in children’s treatment teams. Dr. Davis says that she “strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students, the university, and the community—both locally and nationally” through her research and teaching. About her teaching philosophy, she says: “I think that part of my role as instructor is to develop in students a love of learning. I am very intentional about fostering a culture of openness and high expectations.” In her spare time, Dr. Davis loves to sail, hike, and jog.

Melody Dixon-Brown, Senior Lecturer, emphasizes the business elements of communications. With almost 20 years of corporate experience that included BBDO Advertising and DuPont, Dixon-Brown believes that “ students must build on their strengths of creativity and oral and written communication; however, they must learn managing, budgeting, and professional ‘best practices’ as well.” She has taught business communication, event planning, and small group communication. She has a dual degree in marketing and classic movies. communications management from Syracuse University and an MBA from The University of Delaware. When not teaching, you’ll find her enjoying a good book or watching

Alan Freitag

Professor Dr. Alan Freitag earned his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh in 1973, his M.A. from Webster University in 1977, and before completing his Ph.D from Ohio University in 1999, he began teaching here in August 1998. He teaches undergraduate courses within his areas of interest, including Fundamentals of Public Relations, Public Relations Writing, International Public Relations, Research Methods, Event Planning and News Writing. He also teaches graduate courses in Communication Campaign Management, Internationals Public Relations, and Media Relations. He also advises the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). In the classroom, Freitag says, “I have striven to maintain sharp focus on preparing students for entry into the demanding profession of public relations and rapid ascent to its higher levels.” Dr. Freitag has had works published in Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Journal of Public Relations Research, Journal of Communication Management, Public Relations Quarterly, Newspaper Research Journal, Airman, and Asia-Pacific Defense Forum. He has also earned formal, professional accreditation in public relations practice through the Public Relations Society of America. In the past, Freitag performed in several dozen amateur theatrical productions and appeared in a motion picture, “The Last Days of Patton,” with George C. Scott.

Sandy Hanson

Loril Gossett

Dan Grano

Dan Grano Dr. Daniel Grano is a graduate and undergraduate professor of Rhetorical Theory, Criticism, Ethics and Cultural Studies. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis in 1995 and his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Rhetoric and Public Address from Louisiana State University in 1997 and 2003, respectively. His research focuses on how power shapes moral judgment, especially in popular cultural contexts like mediated sport, and he has published in various journals, including “Critical Studies in Media Communication”, “Rhetoric & Public Affairs”, “Rhetoric Society Quarterly”, and “The Southern Communication Journal.” His latest article in “The Quarterly Journal of Speech” is on the race and class politics of the New Orleans Superdome reopening. As a teacher he says his philosophy is grounded in a basic assumption from the liberal arts tradition. “Our job is to prepare students for critical and ethical participation in civic life,” Grano says. “For me teaching is exciting because there is always something new to take up with students based on research developments or everyday events, so semester to semester our exchanges are always changing shape.”

When not teaching he enjoys being the proud father of his baby boy, Anthony.

Loril Gossett

Dr. Loril Gossett is an associate professor in Introduction to Organizational Communication and Control and Motivation in Organizational Settings. She has interests in areas of Organizational Communication, Nonstandard Labor Arrangements and Identification, Participation and Control in Organizational Settings. From the University of Colorado, Boulder she earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1993 and her Doctorate degree in 2001. In her research she examines how alternative work relationships, such as out-sourced employees, volunteers, and geographically dispersed workers, impact our understanding of what it means to be or communicate as an organizational member. Gossett says she loves the topics she teaches and

showing students how these concepts can impact their daily lives. “I consider teaching to be a highly interactive process. I work to create a classroom environment that encourages students to freely contribute their ideas.0 In order to make the course material come alive, I use case studies, video clips, and discussion questions. I also design research and writing activities that encourage students to apply course concepts to their daily lives.”

Outside teaching, Gossett enjoys film and has attended several film festivals, including South by Southwest and Charlotte Film Festival. She is a long-distance runner and has completed three marathons, with plans to participate in more.

Sandy Hanson

Sandy Hanson received her Bachelor of Science at Louisiana State University and her Master of Science at Florida State University. She has been a full-time Lecturer since 2000, teaching undergraduate courses in Organizational Communication, Small Group Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Advanced Organizational Communication, Public Speaking, and Communication Conflict. In 2010, she was promoted to Senior Lecturer. Hanson has published a chapter in an introductory textbook on conflict and communication. In addition to her teaching duties, she serves as a guest lecturer with the English Language Training Institute, writes textbook reviews for various publishing companies, and presents papers at professional organizational conferences. “Teaching, well, is challenging!” she says. “I work hard to enliven classroom discussions with humor, student participation, and anecdotes to bring theory to life. Also, I believe in an experiential learning model so I use Problem-Based Learning in my classes. This allows my students the opportunity to refine their analytical skills through participant-observation and reflection.” She manages to make time to teach 9-10 classes of water aerobics a week, just shy of 20 years of teaching experience in the water.

Min Jiang

Tim Horne

After working in news and film industries in China and receiving her Ph.D. degree in Communication from Purdue University, Dr. Min Jiang now teach classes in new media & technology, global media, and research methods at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She also conducts research on Chinese Internet technologies, politics, and policies. Various research institutions have invited her to present her work or funded her research, including the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR), Fairbank Center at Harvard University, Programme in Comparative Media Law & Policy at the University of Oxford, the International Reporting Project (IRP), the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns

Dr. Jiang’s work is highly interdisciplinary, blending new media studies, political communication, international communication, legal studies, and information science.

Her work has appeared in New Media & Society, Social Computer Science Review, Electronic Journal of Communication, SAIS Review of International Affairs, Information Visualization, Sage Handbook of Conflict Communication among others. More specifically, she has written about Internet sovereignty, authoritarian deliberation, regime legitimacy, Internet events, state capitalism, and search engines (Google, Baidu, and Jike in China). Currently, she conducts research in digital technologies (search engines and microblogging) in global contexts, Chinese Internet policies, media activism (helping set research agenda for the Asian region), Outside work, Dr Jiang enjoys running, tennis, yoga and piano practice. She is a great fan of Downton Abbey and Breaking Bad. Fun fact: Dr Jiang worked as film director Quentin Tarantino’s assistant while a graduate student in Beijing and has always admired great art and artists.

Dean Kruckeberg

Dr. Dean Kruckeberg, APR, Fellow PRSA, is executive director of the Center for Global Public Relations and a professor in the Department of Communication Studies.

He has a Bachelor’s in English with a minor in journalism from Wartburg College (1969); an M.A. in journalism (PR) from Northern Illinois University (1974); and a Ph.D. in Mass Communications from the University of Iowa (1985). Dr. Kruckeberg has co-authored several publications, including Public Relations and Community: A Reconstructed Theory and the 10th (2010), 9th (2006), 8th (2004), 7th (2000) and 6th (1996) editions of This Is PR: The Realities of Public Relations. In spring 2010, he taught UNCC’s London International Public Relations Seminar at Regent’s College. He has earned prestigious teaching awards as well, including national “Outstanding Educator” of the Public Relations Society of America Dean Kruckerberg

Tim Horne has been an instructor with the department since 2006 and serves as the Director of Forensics.

The Forensics Team gives students at UNC Charlotte the opportunity to develop their argumentation and communication skills by competing with other universities and colleges throughout the nation. During his tenure with the team, the forensics program has received over 150 awards on both the regional and national level. In addition to his work with forensics, Horne also teaches a number of courses for the Communications Department, including Advanced Public Speaking, Persuasion, Mass Media, Media Ethics, and Argumentation and Debate. Horne’s approach to the classroom setting encourages students to take the skills and information learned in his courses and apply them in a macro sense to other courses at UNC Charlotte and throughout their careers. Horne was honored with a B.E.S.T. Outstanding Teaching Excellence award for his work in his courses. Horne completed both his undergraduate and graduate degrees at UNC Charlotte in Communication Studies. An avid “Simpsons” fan, his office is decorated with various Simpsons collectibles.

“It may be the greatest television show ever created,” says Horne, “it just operates on so many levels that there is always new things to be discovered. It reminds me that a noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.”

and digital diplomacy (Chinese microblogging public’s responses to DNC and U.S. presidential election).Hopkins University, the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), University of Hong Kong, and the Center for New Media & Society in Moscow, Russia (planning).

Min Jiang

Tim Horne

Lecturer Staci Kuntzman has held several titles since she came to work for the Department in 1997. As Internship Director since 2005, her duties include interviewing all potential interns and evaluating the performance of current interns, among others. She also teaches undergraduate courses in her areas of interest, Interpersonal Communication and Public Speaking.

She has served as the Forensics Director, advisor to the university’s chapter of the Pi Kappa Delta, lieutenant governor for the Southeastern province of Pi Kappa Delta, and does community service at the university level. She attended Marshall University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and M.A. in Communication Studies with an emphasis in interpersonal communication, and was later awarded the Catherine Cummings Pedagogy Award for excellence in teaching. “Offering a variety of techniques to learn, such as powerpoint presentations, videos, and online resources is vital to reaching different learning styles,” she says about teaching. “However, students also must commit to the learning process by listening and responding during lectures.” In 2009, Ms. Kuntzman gave her twelve-year-old daughter twin brothers to play with, adding to her already happy family.

Carol Leeman

Staci Kuntzman

Undergraduate Coordinator and Senior Lecturer Carol Leeman has been teaching at UNC Charlotte since 1988.

Leeman became a full time faculty member in 1997 after receiving her Bachelor’s degree from UNC Charlotte in 1985 and her Master’s degree from Wake Forest

Richard Leeman

Dr. Richard Leeman joined the Communication Studies Department faculty in 1989. He became the Department’s second chairperson in 2001 and served until 2010.

He teaches undergraduate courses within his areas of interest, including Rhetoric, Public Address, Political Communication and African American Orator. He also teaches courses on the graduate level in Textual Analysis. His teaching philosophy comes from his drive to challenge his students’ ways of thinking about the world.

“My job is not so much to tell them what to think, but I do hope to help them decide what to think about.“ Leeman received his B.S. from Shippensburg State University in 1977 and his Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, in 1982 and 1990 respectively. Currently, Leeman is working on a critical anthology of African American speeches, and in the past he has participated in writing, co-writing, or editing five books: The Rhetoric of Terrorism and Counterterrorism,

Richard Leeman

Staci Kuntzman

University in 1993. Courses she has taught include Small Group Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Communication and Conflict, Freshman Seminar, the Sophomore Seminar for the Arts and Sciences Freshman Learning Community, and Persuasion. She says what she loves the most about teaching Communication courses is the often direct application of communication theories to everyday life. “My goal is to convey the theories and principles of the course in such a way that the students see the connection between the material and how it can enrich their lives.” Previously, she served as Coordinator of the College of Arts and Sciences Freshman Learning Community. She has conducted workshops in managing conflict, communicating assertively and creating supportive climates for a variety of campus and community organizations. Her other accomplishments include membership on the CHAMPS/Life Skills Coalition Advisory Committee and Greek Matrix Committee. She is active in the Carolinas Communication Association, where she has served as President. In her free time, Leeman says she likes to venture outside the Queen City: “I love to travel, and to see new things and learn about different places.”

Carol Leeman

(1995) and the Wartburg College Alumni Citation that recognized his accomplishments as one of the nation’s leading public relations educators (1998). He continues stressing the value of achievements in higher education in his teaching philosophy: “I try always to remember the importance of what we do as educators and the good that we can do when we perform our jobs well.

Those in higher education are responsible for preparing tomorrow’s leaders of global society, which is an awesome responsibility but a most rewarding task.”

Shawn Long

Dr. Shawn D. Long is Chair of the Department of Communication Studies. Long earned his undergraduate and M.P.A. degrees from Tennessee State University and his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Kentucky. He centralizes organizational communication, virtual work, diversity communication, virtual-team assimilation and socialization, health communication and interpretive methods associated with the study of organizational culture and symbolism as his primary teaching and research areas. He is an award winning teacher, researcher and administrator. His most recent research appears in Communication Monographs, Clinical Transplantation, Journal of the National Medical Association, Journal of Health Communication and Communication Teacher. He has published two books, “Communication, Relationships and Practices in Virtual Work” and “Virtual Work and Interaction Research.”

Long serves on several editorial boards and has consulted local, regional and national organizations. Dr. Long is immediate-past Chair of the African American Communication and Culture Division (AACCD) of the National Communication Association.

Craig Paddock

Lecturer, J. “Craig Paddock received his Bachelor’s in Print Journalism from Bob Jones University and his Master’s in Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina. He teaches undergraduate journalism courses in editing, media ethics, and Introduction to Journalism for

Margaret Quinlan

Craig Paddock

Shawn Long

“Do- Everything Reform:” The Oratory of Frances E. Willard, African-American Oratory: A BioCritical Sourcebook, American Voices: Encyclopedia of Contemporary Oratory (with Bernard K. Duffy) and The Art and Practice of Argumentation and Debate (with Dr. Bill Hill). Aside from his teaching and publishing achievements, Leeman divulges a little known fact about himself: “[I am] distantly related to Irene Ryan, who played Granny on the Beverly Hillbillies. Helps explain the good looks.”

the Department. He has taught communication studies at various area colleges, including Wingate, Gardner-Webb and CPCC since 2005 and has worked as a copy editor and page designer at newspapers such as The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C. and the Charlotte Observer for 20 years. His teaching philosophy is simple: “I like to think I bring a journalist’s mindset into the classroom -- a curiosity about the world, a love for asking questions and a real interest in people.” In addition to his teaching and newspaper responsibilities, Paddock, once a pipe organ player, has taken to raising chickens ... he assures the two are not related.

Margaret Quinlan

Dr. Margaret M. Quinlan is an Assistant Professor of Communication and a Core Faculty Member of the Health Psychology Ph.D. Program. She joined the Department in 2009. Her scholarly work explores the organizing of health care resources and work opportunities for people with lived differences. She has published in Text & Performance Quarterly, Health Communication, Management Communication Quarterly, Communication Teacher, Communication Research Reports, Journal of Research in Special Education Needs, The Braille Monitor, and Review of Communication. She earned her Bachelors of Science from Marist College, her Master of Science from Illinois State University, and her Doctor of Philosophy from Ohio University in 2009.

She teaches Communication Theory, Interpersonal Health Communication, Gender Health Communication, and Narratives of Health and Illness. “My goal for the courses I teach is to create an environment where we are co-learners,” she says. “In doing so, I hope to create a safe and effective environment for learning and discussing the topics that are necessary for a person to be able to become a better student and a more effective communicator ... Ultimately, I believe that the quality of each student’s education is largely dependent on her or his own efforts, attitudes, and behaviors.” Outside the world of academia, Quinlan has a Yorkshire terrier puppy, named Parker.

Lecturer Robin Rothberg earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Communications and English (double major) from Florida State University in 1999 and her Master of Arts in Journalism with a certificate in business and economics reporting from New York University in 2000. She teaches undergraduate courses in Public Relations and Journalism/Public Relations. In the classroom, she says: “My goal is to help my students understand the material, of course, but also themselves and their responsibilities as communicators.” A little known fact about Robin Rothberg: she’s a full- fledged, lacto-vegetarian. “I haven’t eaten any meat since I was in college as a student,” she says. “My husband, meanwhile, never met a steak he didn’t like!”

Clifton Scott

After earning his Bachelor’s degree from Bradley University, his Master’s degree from Northern Illinois University and his Doctorate from Arizona State University in 1997, 2001 and 2005, respectively, Dr. Cliff Scott joined UNC Charlotte as an assistant professor, teaching classes in organizational communication, research methods, communication theory and organizational science. As a teacher, Scott says he views learning as a shared responsibility between students and instructors. “I see our time together in the classroom as an opportunity to extend and deepen what students have already learned outside the classroom through their reading and via their personal experiences,” Scott says, adding that “if you don’t like to read, don’t enjoy thinking critically and abstractly about your own everyday experiences, and prefer spoon feeding, you probably won’t enjoy my classes.” Outside of teaching, Scott’s research on organizational communication concerns occupational safety and health, organizational socialization, high reliability organizing and work meetings. His research has been published in outlets as diverse as Management Communication Quarterly, Human Resource Management, MIT Sloan

Cheryl Spainhour

Clifton Scott

Robin Rothberg

Robin Rothberg

Management Review, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Communication Theory and Communication Monographs. He also serves as a consultant for local organizations through UNC Charlotte’s Organizational Science Consulting and Research Unit. In his free time, Scott says he enjoys spending time with his wife, their dog, and his growing collection of used cars.

Cheryl Spainhour

Cheryl Spainhour is a full-time Lecturer in the Communication Studies Department who is passionate about the journalism courses she has been teaching here since 1998. She currently teaches undergraduate courses in the Journalism minor, including Advanced News Reporting and Writing, Feature Writing, and Introduction to Journalism. She also teaches Public Speaking. She earned a Master’s degree in Speech Communications and Theatre Arts from Wake Forest University and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia. She is a 2010 recipient of B.E.S.T. Teaching Award (Building Educational Strengths and Talents) for excellence in teaching and assisting undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte. She is honored to be a founding member of the new (2010) Charlotte chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. She was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2012. In the classroom, she aims at getting her students caught up in the world of journalism (and the current technology revolution) and encourages them to read and commit outstanding journalism. Outside of work, she happily revels in life in the country with her family, always outnumbered by a menagerie (of both wild and domestic types).

Ashli Stokes

Dr. Ashli Q. Stokes is an assistant professor in Communication Studies Department, teaching graduate and undergraduate classes in public relations and health communication campaigns. She received her bachelor’s degree at Virginia Tech University, her master’s at

Jillian Tullis

Ashli Stokes Wake Forest University, and worked in public relations before she began studying for her doctorate in 2004 at the University of Georgia. The majority of her research focuses on public relations and public communication, specializing in rhetorical approaches to analyzing public relations controversies. She has published in numerous journals and has authored several book chapters. She is also co-author with colleague Dr. Alan Freitag of the book Global Public Relations: Spanning Borders, Spanning Cultures. Dr. Stokes sums up her philosophy about teaching this way: She feels lucky to get to share what she loves with her students and loves watching them develop their own careers and apply the knowledge gained in our program. Outside of work, Stokes is a proud first time mom to daughter Kate. She, husband Jeff, Kate and super golden retriever Brody love to hike, walk in the neighborhood, and go on family adventures up to Lake Norman and other places in the Charlotte Metro Area. She aspires to learn how not to crash a sailboat, to ski without running into a tree, and to cook like Ina Garten.

Health Communication and Religion and Commun ication: An Anthology of Extensions in Theory, Research, and Method (co-authored with Dr. Long). In addition to her work in the Department of Communication Studies, Dr. Tullis maintains faculty affiliations in the Gerontology Program, the Center for Professional and Applied Ethics, and Health Psychology. She is also an active member of the Mecklenburg County End of Life Care Coalition, which seeks to improve care at the end of life. And in her free time, she volunteers with Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte Region and enjoys being the proud owner of a 12-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier mix named Amber.

Jillian Tullis

Jillian Tullis, Ph.D. (University of South Florida) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies and is known for her passionate pursuit of understanding how people communicate about dying and death. Her research agenda focuses on improving health communication and care, especially at the endof-life for patients, their families, healthcare providers and organizations. The role of spirituality in health and healthcare choices is a central theme that runs through her research and teaching. Dr. Tullis teaches classes in Health Communication, Spirituality, Communication and Health, Communication Theory, Research Methods, and recently added Intercultural Health Communication to her repertoire. She likes to keep her classroom interactive, engaging and pragmatic. By doing so, she says that “students recognize the benefits of scholarly exploration of communication, while helping them develop communication skills that will benefit them personally and professionally.� Dr. Tullis has forth coming publications in the highly ranked journal,

Internships COMM 4410 Professional Internship Visit the UNC Charlotte Communication Studies Department Internship website for more information. http://communications.uncc.edu

Congratulations to the class of 2013 MA Graduates!

Department of Communication Studies at UNC Charlotte Ezine

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1