Baylor Journalism, Public Relations & New Media
MIDWINTER 2017
GRADUATE QUARTERLY THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER FOR THE BAYLOR DEPARTMENT OF
JOURNALISM, Public relations &
NEW MEDIA GRADUATE PROGRAM
Visit to New Smithsonian African-American Museum Causes Emotional Reactions for Baylor Faculty WASHINGTON – The grand opening of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in September was a historic event for many reasons. Not only was this the first time Baylor University contributed an exhibit to a Smithsonian museum, but many people also viewed this exhibit as an opportunity for AfricanAmericans to tell their story. Baylor journalism professor Dr. Mia Moody-Ramirez and her family were among the first guests to visit the museum. She said she felt fortunate to witness history alongside her children. “That was a historical moment for all of us, for everyone who went on that day,” Moody-Ramirez said. “It’s something that we will always remember, something my children will be able to tell their children. They were actually there.” As president of the Waco chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc., Moody-Ramirez was excited to enjoy the experience with members of the organization, her family and Baylor School of Law Professor Connie Nichols, who served as chair of the trip. Jack & Jill is a multicultural
organization of mothers with children ages 2-19, dedicated to nurturing future leaders by strengthening children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving and civic duty. The first day the highly coveted tickets became available to the public, a member of the Waco Chapter of Jack & Jill was able to secure several dozen for members of the nonprofit organization. “This was not easy,” MoodyRamirez said. “Several members spent several hours on the telephone to secure the ticket. Only one person was able to get through.” Moody-Ramirez said she thought her two sons, ages 11 and 13, learned valuable lessons about their heritage from the museum. They also had the chance to hear from African-American leaders and celebrities who spoke at the museum’s opening ceremony, including President Barack and Michelle Obama, Oprah, and Will Smith. “They talked about the struggle and the importance of the museum, the hard work that had gone into building the museum because it’s been a long time
coming,” Moody-Ramirez said. While her sons preferred the pop culture exhibits, Moody-Ramirez said she enjoyed seeing the exhibits about the relationship between race and gender, a topic on which much of her own research is focused. She also said she was excited to see the work of her colleague, Professor Robert Darden, on display at the museum. After more than 10 years of tracking down and digitizing thousands of selections of Black gospel music, Darden finally had the chance to share the music with the world. He and the rest of the contributors to the museum had the opportunity to see the museum before its official opening. Darden said he shared emotional conversations with other museum donors that day, including those whose family members had been slaves. In his opinion, people of all races should care about hearing stories about the history and culture of African-Americans. “So much of the history of this country has been us coming to some sort of a relationship, a kind of understanding,” Darden said. “If we as a country ever want
JUMP TO MUSEUM – PAGE 4
FROM THE
Director Dr. Mia Moody-Ramirez
Fall was an exciting time for Baylor’s Department of Journalism, PR & New Media graduate program. We experienced continued growth and vitality! The department registered six new graduate students—four in the Journalism program and two in American Studies. We’ll introduce Amber George, Kaitlyn Rieper, Abbey Palich, Jordon and Pollard Conner Womble in this newsletter. Applications and enrollment numbers have increased each semester for two years as we’ve beefed up our recruitment efforts and visibility using social media and other recruitment measures. The 2016 Open House sponsored by Baylor’s Graduate School was one such avenue. During this event, six prospective students visited—two applied and were accepted. Baylor JPR&NM also relies on campus visits, phone calls, email and word of mouth to help inform prospective students. Scholarship is another area of progress. Baylor JPR&NM graduate faculty and graduate students continue to present at top academic conferences and publish work in some of top academic journals. Congratulations to graduate student Kaitlyn Skinner, who received an award for top paper from the Entertainment Division at the 2016 AEJMC conference in Minneapolis this summer. Danielle Brown Kilgo, who graduated with both bachelor and master’s degrees in our program, received the Mary Gardner Award for Graduate Research at the 2016 AEJMC meeting. Kilgo has accepted a job as an assistant professor at Indiana University’s Media School. Other students have reached milestones as they have completed research papers, submitted articles and abstracts to conferences. On the horizon for the graduate program is a new set of policies and procedures for graduate students. The graduate faculty created the document this fall to cover areas such as assistantships, course drops/withdrawals and graduate projects. We believe this set of guidelines will be useful for incoming students as well as current students, as they outline the department’s expectations for students and set the standards for the program. We also have added a midpoint review. Graduate students are encouraged to cultivate scholarship, service and career development skills that will foster their success in their desired careers. Members of the Journalism, PR & New Media graduate faculty will review each graduate student’s mid-point report to determine if the student is eligible to remain in the program. Upon completing 18 hours, students must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, or resume. During this midpoint evaluation, graduate faculty members will evaluate each graduate student for collegiality, academics, scholarship, service to the department, and attendance at Baylor and attendance at department-sponsored events. In addition, all graduate students in the journalism program must submit a career portfolio to the department prior to graduating. We’re excited about these changes, since our goal is to better prepare students of their prospective careers. We believe these changes will help students become better prepared to enter the job market, graduate programs or any future endeavors.
FALL GATHERING AT PROFESSOR BOB DARDEN’S HOUSE
Media Theory Presentation Day
2016 Fall Open House
GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017 What does the JPRNM graduate program have to offer students? Our program offers students interested in obtaining a Ph.D. the necessary academic foundation for the rigors of graduate education. With our M.A. degree, a student can feel confident that they are ready for a doctoral program in communications at any major university in the United States. We also have an outstanding faculty that works with our students every step of the way.
FROM THE CHAIR OF THE CHAIR Q&A with Dr. Sara Stone
MUSEUM
How does the program prepare students for careers in higher education or the professional world? Students who enter the professional world of journalism, public relations, advertising, photojournalism are well-prepared for their careers. A good example are two of our M.A. graduates, Megan Henderson and Becca Broaddus. They both are employed by Baylor and are adjuncts who teach courses to our majors. They are both teaching sections of JOU 4340, Writing and Editing for the Online Media. What’s been the most rewarding part of chairing the department? The most rewarding part of chairing the department is getting to know so many of our wonderful undergraduate and graduate students and working with our outstanding faculty. Nearly
to get to a true point of reconciliation, we’ve got to understand each other’s stories.” In his quest to save this music, Darden said the help of the Baylor libraries has been invaluable. The construction of the Riley Digitization Center in particular helped him to make sure the music was preserved for future generations. Dean Pattie Orr, vice president for Information Technology and Dean of University Libraries at Baylor, jokingly calls Darden her “soulmate” when it comes to their shared passion for the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project. Orr said that the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project was a fitting contribution for Baylor to make to the Smithsonian museum because of the university’s Christian commitment. “We really love not just the music, but the message,” Orr said. Orr was able to visit the museum on the same trip as Darden at a sneak preview the week before the museum
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one-half of our faculty members have one or more Baylor degrees, which is a testimony not only to the education they received in our department, but to how much they love the university. They could teach anywhere, but they wanted to teach here. All together, we have about 370 students. They are talented and eager to use what they learn here as they start their careers. We hear back from employers that our students are wellprepared. That is music to our ears. What should students expect when they apply for the program? What should they expect once accepted? Students applying to our program need to know that they are being measured against not only Baylor’s high standards but our faculty’s high standards. Our program is rigorous. Once accepted, students need to be prepared to work hard. Self-discipline is an absolute requirement for anyone who wants to be one of our graduate students. What advice would you give to students looking about applying? For those in it? Students interested in our graduate program need to have a vision for what they want to do with their lives and what they want to get out of our program. If they work hard, there are huge rewards in academic satisfaction and career opportunities for them.
officially opened. Her favorite part of the trip was watching other visitors experience the music she had helped collect. “Knowing that there are millions of people who are going to come through here and be touched by this music, that was really cool,” Orr said. “We stood there like proud parents.” Besides the music floor, she said she was touched by the floor honoring the African-Americans who served in various wars. Orr said there was enough material in the museum for a guest to spend an entire week browsing the exhibits. Five of the songs contributed by the Black Gospel Music Restoration project are currently on display in the museum. They will be replaced with other songs periodically. Darden said he likes this arrangement because visitors can have a new experience each time they listen. “What I like best about it is that it isn’t just an artifact,” Darden said. “It is an interactive, living, changing part of that institution that will continue to live and
breathe and change and update and will not be stopped.” Orr also expressed her enthusiasm about the interactive component of the museum. She said hearing the music and flipping through artfully designed album covers gave the museum the feel of a record shop from the ’50s. The interactivity did not go unnoticed by Moody-Ramirez either, who said it enhanced the experience, especially for her sons. She said she loved that most rooms had audio components and television screens with old news stories. “You could use all of your senses to enjoy the museum, and that’s very important for children,” Moody-Ramirez said. “That’s one reason this museum is such a great addition to the other Smithsonian museums.”
GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
Journalism Faculty & Students Make Great Research Contributions in 2016 By William Denton, journalism student Baylor’s Department of Journalism, PR & New Media is dedicated to the university’s commitment to fostering compelling scholarship among faculty and students. To fulfill this mission and to remain abreast of industry trends, faculty members consistently conduct studies that contribute to the theoretical development of mass media scholarship. In 2016, Drs. Marlene Neill and Mia Moody-Ramirez, just two of the distinguished faculty members in Baylor’s journalism department, completed many research studies covering culture, social media, employee communication and ethics. “Right now is an exciting time to explore topics such as user-generated content and media representations because social media platforms are changing daily,” Moody-Ramirez said. Neill and Moody-Ramirez share findings from their research with colleagues, students, at academic conferences and meetings for professional associations. Graduate students also have an opportunity to contribute to some of their studies. Students have co-authored journal articles and presented at various academic conferences, often garnering top paper awards. Most recently Kaitlyn Skinner, a journalism graduate student, won top paper at the 2016 AEJMC conference for her research on Snapchat. Other graduate students who have won awards include Liz Fassih, who graduated in 2016 with a master’s degree in American Studies. She is studying law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. “Researching timely topics helps us keep up with industry trends, which is beneficial to our students,” MoodyRamirez said. “Students appreciate our enthusiasm for research and emphasis on teaching fresh content each semester.” Neill, who is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America, started teaching at Baylor in 2006. Her research interests typically cover ethics in public relations. She had four different studies published in 2016 alone with two more in press. The new articles include: • “Accredited vs. non-accredited: How accreditation impacts perceptions and readiness to provide ethics counsel,” Public Relations Review. • “Roles in Social Media: How the Practice of Public Relations is Evolving,” Public Relations Journal – coauthor Nicole Lee, North Carolina State University
• “The Influence of Employer Branding in Internal Communication,” Research Journal of the Institute for Public Relations • “Native Advertising is the New Journalism: How Deception Impacts Social Responsibility,” American Behavioral Scientist – coauthors Erin E. Schauster and Patrick Ferrucci, University of Colorado – Boulder “I am grateful for the support of the Arthur W. Page Center and the PRSA Board of Ethics and Professional Standards for supporting Baylor ethics research,” Neill said. “We just received our third consecutive grant to begin a new study in 2017 that will provide new insights for public relations practitioners on how to successfully raise ethical concerns.” Moody-Ramirez, the department’s graduate program director and director of American Studies, started teaching at Baylor in 2001. She published four articles in 2016 and has two articles in press. Moody-Ramirez focuses on many issues related to the mass media’s framing of women, people of color and other underrepresented groups. More recently she has focused on historical stereotypes and how they are present in social media. Moody-Ramirez’s latest articles include: • “Content Analysis: YouTube Responses to President Obama’s ‘Amazing Grace’ Rendition,” Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – coauthors Riva Brown and David Lin. • “Twitter Analysis of Tweets that Emerged after the #Wacoshooting,” Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – coauthor Kaitlyn Skinner and David Lin. • “Rap Music Literacy: A Case Study of Millennial Audience Reception to Rap Lyrics Depicting Independent Women,” Journal of Media Literacy Education – coauthor Lakia Scott. • Campbell, C. (2016). Gender and Black Feminist Theory. Routledge Companion to Race and Media. Routledge: New York. • “Citizen Framing of #Ferguson on Twitter,” The Journal of Social Media in Society – coauthors Gabriel Tait, Lillie Fears, Ceeon Smith, and Brenda Randle. (in press).
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GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
MEET OUR NEW MASTER’S CANDIDATES robert rogers With a borrowed camera, I started photography in high school. I was incredibly shy and wanted a way to meet girls. Working for the student newspaper forced me to get names for captions, so I had to learn how to talk to people – even the pretty ones. Before coming to Baylor University in 2005, I’D worked for a variety of newspapers as a photojournalist and/or photo editor since 1977. I spent several years running my own business, working as team photographer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and director of photography with the Tampa Bay Rays, as well as a freelance photographer with Sports Illustrated. I love walking the sidelines on Saturdays. Working at Baylor is an extension of my career that is based on story telling. Sometimes we just discover new ways to share our story. I’m the lead administrator of our school’s Instagram account, with 75K+ followers. We recently merged the photo and video departments, allowing us to broaden our ability to share great stories. Growing up in Brooksville, Florida, and graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Photojournalism degree, I continue to want to learn more about our craft. My wife, Franci is a freelance writer and adjunct faculty at Baylor. We occasionally get to work on projects together. We have a son, Carter, 14, who loves Legos, video games and is a 9th grader at Vanguard. He’s a member of the Order of the Arrow and a Life Scout, working toward Eagle. We all run 5Ks together. Sometimes I run a bit farther.
My name is Alyssa Gonzalez and I’m from Grand Prairie, Texas. I recently graduated from Baylor University in December of 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a minor in apparel merchandising. As an undergraduate student, I was a Victoria Secret PINK campus representative for Baylor University, as well as a member of Baylor Apparel Professionals and Alpha Delta Pi sorority. I also assisted in organizing and advertising the Baylor Bookstore’s first fashion show, Fashion at the Fountain. As a sophomore at Baylor I had the opportunity to study abroad in Denia, Spain. There I was able to expand my knowledge of life and culture in Spain while also enhancing my Spanish speaking ability and serving as a kids camp leader. Shortly after graduation I became engaged to the love of my life and best friend, Cameron, who is currently in his second year at Baylor Law. I enjoy photography, design, hiking and playing tennis with my fiancé. In the future, I hope to work in the public relations or fashion industry.
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alyssa gonzalez
GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
andrew church Andrew B Church completed his B.A. in photojournalism at the University of Missouri, Columbia in 2009. In 2010, Andrew joined the U.S. Navy. He served as a media correspondent aboard USS Wasp and was awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal for his coverage of international shipboard operations in 2011. He was promoted to media director and developed large-scale, cross-platform multimedia products for global dissemination aboard USS Bonhomme Richard, USS Germantown, and USS New York. In 2013, he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his coverage of joint naval operations in the South China Sea. He helped shape official Navy training of media personnel and reset the bar in multimedia design. After his honorable discharge in 2014, Andrew continued his work in multimedia journalism by freelancing in photography, videography, graphic design, layout and design, digital animation, and multimedia production. Andrew is interested in promoting the identity of small-town America, rebuilding local journalism, and producing mixedmedia “micro-documentaries” to advance social cohesiveness and democratic action.
jon platt Jon Platt is a Texas-born, award-winning writer. He is in his first year as a student of Baylor University’s journalism graduate program. His research interests include social movements, protest music and media dissemination. Currently, he also works with a new start up in Waco, Higher Education Innovations, where he coordinates marketing. Jon received a B.A. in journalism from Baylor University in 2016. He had a Dalmatian named Penny. He spends his spare time reading about social theories and drinking coffee.
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GET TO KNOW OUR MASTER’S CANDIDATES Kaitlyn Rieper What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? Being able to merge my love of science and communication into my first science-communication research project and paper. What attracted you to Baylor? The atmosphere on campus. Everything is so close-knit. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? You’ve worked hard, so don’t ever think you aren’t good enough to be in grad school. Just keep working hard. Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? Photography helped me see ordinary things in a different, creative light. Maybe that would help me on a desert island. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional life? My undergrad degree was in science, so switching to journalism has been interesting. The staff have helped me to not be afraid to ask for help and to really pursue the topics I’m interested in. What turned out to be your biggest misconception about the life of a graduate student? I thought grad students I knew were exaggerating how little time they had outside of school work. I couldn’t imagine just three classes taking up the majority of my week, but I was very wrong. Time definitely becomes a luxury, but it’s all worth it.
DEREK BLAINE What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? Getting to apply the knowledge I gained during the 2016 election. When was the last time you were really embarrassed? When I ended up scaring my group by having the wrong duedate written down. What attracted you to Baylor? They were close to home and offered me the financial backing I needed to attend college. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? Use your calendar more, you doofus. Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? My PR courses, so I could avoid being eaten by the natives. How has the mentorship of the teachers here helped you in your personal life? They have helped me find a purpose and focus I was lacking.
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JORDAN POLLARD What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? The moment I realized that I wanted to become an academic for the rest of my life. What attracted you to Baylor? Good friend of mine named Doug Ferdon and I completed my undergraduate degree at Baylor. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? Finish your work 2-3 weeks ahead of time, so you have plenty of time to rewrite if necessary and learn Chicago style. Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? I took a backpacking and camping course back in spring of 2015. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional livfe? Doug’s made a huge difference in my life, providing me with opportunities and guidance, as well as becoming a good friend. What turned out to be your biggest misconception about the life of a graduate student? That it would be anything like undergrad.
kendallMcCullough What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? Playing basketball every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Baylor graduate students, professors and friends. What attracted you to Baylor? Tuition, stipend, and TA position. I also liked that Baylor was Christian school with a great reputation and high academics. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? Find community ASAP. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Everyone feels like an imposter in graduate school. Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? None of them were practical survival courses. Maybe my English research class because we read different books about people’s lives, and I could pick up a survival tip here and there. How has the mentorship of the teachers here helped you in your personal life? The teachers have all been very kind and accommodating. American Studies is a unique beast and I’m not sure universities know how to handle it well.
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GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
CONNER WOMBLE What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? My favorite moment from my life as a grad student has to be the feeling of accomplishment and relief that accompanied the turning in of that assignment. What attracted you to Baylor? Two-thirds of my family attended and graduated from Baylor, so green and gold run in my blood. I spent a lot of my life feeling associated with and like a part of Baylor, so that made attending Baylor for both my undergrad, as well as my graduate degree, relatively easy. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? I’d have to say actually working on the research papers throughout the semester and completing them piece-by-piece, instead of stressing over the paper the night before the due date would be some good advice.
AEJMC Conference NEWS By Daniel Grant, pre-business student Baylor University’s Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media was well represented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, which was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Aug. 4-7. At this conference, attendees had the opportunity to attend panel discussions, award ceremonies and research presentations. One of the most notable awards was presented to Dr. Mia Moody-Ramirez, who received the Outstanding Woman in Journalism and Mass Communication Award, which is presented by the Commission on the Status of Women. This award is given to a female who the commission believes is a positive representation of women both personally and professionally as an educator. “This was a tremendous honor for me,” Moody-Ramirez said. “I am excited to represent the Commission on the Status of Women in this capacity.” “I am extremely proud of Mia for receiving this national recognition,” said Dr. Sara Stone, chair of the department. “When you look at the Who’s Who of female journalism educators who preceded her in receiving this award since its inception 25 years ago, you realize the significance. Women like Lillian Lodge
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Kopenhaver of Florida International, Douglas Ann Newsom of TCU, Maurine Beasley of Maryland, MaryAnn Yodelis Smith of Wisconsin, and Mary Gardner of Michigan State, just to name a few. As females, they were pioneer educators and stellar researchers. They made major contributions to the advancement of women in academia. Mia definitely belongs in this award category.” Moody-Ramirez was not the only member from Baylor to receive an award at the AEJMC conference. Danielle Brown Kilgo, who received a B.A. in journalism in 2008 and an M.A. in journalism in 2013, received the Mary Gardner Award for Graduate Student Research, which also is given by the Commission on the Status of Women. She is working on a Ph.D. at the University of Texas. Faculty and graduate students presented research studies during the conference. Moody-Ramirez and Kaitlyn Skinner, a Baylor University graduate student, presented their research titled, “Twitter Analysis of Tweets that Emerged after the #Wacoshooting.” Kaitlyn Skinner also presented her research titled, “What happens on Snapchat stays on SnapChat? A content analysis of themes in screenshots.” Skinner also received the
award for the top student paper in the entertainment division. Finally, Dr. Moody-Ramirez represented coauthors Elizabeth Fassih and Macarena Hernandez for their research titled, “Spanning the Decades: An analysis of Monica Lewinsky’s Image Restoration Strategies during a 2015 TED Talks Appearance.” MoodyRamirez also served on the Commission on the Status of Women research panel session titled, “Transgressive Girls, Mothers, and Feminists: Transformations Through Social Media.” Lastly, Baylor JPRNM faculty were selected to serve in leadership roles for various AEJMC divisions and commissions. Dr. Marlene Neill, a Baylor University journalism professor, was selected as the vice chair of the Membership Committee for the Public Relations Division of AEJMC. Dr. Moody-Ramirez was selected to serve as Vice Head for the Minorities and Communications Division and secretary for the Commission on the Status of Women. The AEJMC conference is held annually and has taken place in cites all over the U.S. and Canada. The next conference is going to be held in Chicago during summer 2017.
GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
ELLY SPENCER What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? I think my favorite moment in grad school had to be completing my Spring 2016 case study on politics and gender. It was so gratifying to know that I had done hours of work on this project, and it was finally over. Something I was very proud of. When was the last time you were really embarrassed? Recently, I fell asleep at work, in which I work in a very quiet office setting at the front desk. It was early in the morning, and pre-coffee, and my head hit the desk so hard it made half the people at surrounding desks to look around and see where the noise had some from. What attracted you to Baylor? I received my bachelor’s degree from Baylor, and I really wanted to continue working with my professors in Castellaw. I just wasn’t ready to let them go. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? I would say not to worry so much. Papers will get completed, and grades will get turned in, so take care of yourself, do your work, and don’t stress so much! Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? I took a biking lifestyle fitness class that might help me minimally ha-ha How has the mentorship of the teachers here helped you in your personal life? While my actual degree and classes are important, I would say meeting with my professors outside of class and getting to know them on a more personal level has been absolutely invaluable. They’re guidance in and out of the classroom has taught me more than any textbook or syllabus ever could.
carlye thornton What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? Flip courses, in which we learn from our professor as well as our classmates. I really enjoy the discussion that plays out from general interest among my classmates. What attracted you to Baylor? Christian basis, personable and involved professors, small program. Also, it’s a huge plus Baylor foots the bill for tuition, since I work for the university full time. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? It’s O.K. to cry when you grow up. If you procrastinate, you have no one to blame but yourself. Sleep is overrated. Coffee saves lives. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional life? Encouraging me daily, pushing me to achieve my dreams of becoming a college professor and recognized writer. What turned out to be your biggest misconception about the life of a graduate student? Believe it or not, research is not difficult if you’re studying something you’re interested in.
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GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
ABBEY PALICH
What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? Working with other students on 2016 Election Day/Night What attracted you to Baylor? Loving environment with strong academic curriculum If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? Do it early. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? Religion. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional life? The open-door policy, willingness to listen and provide direction from every faculty and staff member is amazing and touched every part of my life. What turned out to be your biggest misconception about the life of a graduate student? That they are only students. Almost everyone is balancing other commitments. Whether it is a job, family or volunteer work, there are many stresses and factors on each of our hearts and minds.
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What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? My favorite moment from grad school has been when I passed the Spanish Foreign Language Graduate Proficiency Exam. All the hours of studying Spanish paid off in a tangible way. What attracted you to Baylor? The MIJ program attracted me because it’s a small program and combined my interests of journalism and public relations with international cultures, and lots of scholarship money always makes choosing a program easier. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? If you had turned off Netflix, that paper would have been finished earlier. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional life? The mentoring of the staff has helped me tremendously. Whether it is help on a research paper or career advice, the faculty and staff in the journalism department are always willing to help. What turned out to be your biggest misconception about the life of a graduate student? I thought grad students had no lives and only studied, but life as a grad student has been so much more than studying. I have been able to learn things that interest me, and I have been invested in by the faculty and staff at Baylor. If you could get them to serve one dish or food item on campus regularly, what would it be? During my freshman year at Baylor, the sub had Ninfa’s. If they could bring that back, that would be great!
AMBER GEORGE
GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
KAITLYN SKINNER What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? My favorite moment was getting to present at the AEJMC Conference this summer. The best part was after I presented, when I found out my paper had won Top Student Paper for the Entertainment Studies Interest Group. What attracted you to Baylor? I’ve always been a Baylor Bear at heart! Both of my parents went to Baylor and I grew up in Waco. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? Don’t be intimidated. All of the other grad students have become friends. It really feels like everyone genuinely wants each other to succeed! Professors go above and beyond to help you. Also, I remind myself about the importance of time management. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional life? Staff mentoring is the only reason I’m even in grad school. They’ve taught me concepts that transfer over to my professional life at work. They’ve helped me realize is that it’s not worth sacrificing my health and sanity to try do everything perfectly, so I have to learn how to accept my limits. I truly appreciate the time, energy and compassion that each professor has shown me. What turned out to be your biggest misconception about the life of a graduate student? My biggest misconception was that I’d have free time. In reality, being a graduate student has required a number of personal sacrifices in order to try to be successful at my different responsibilities. However, the chance to grow both my knowledge and skillset by working with a department full of both experience and compassion is an honor and an opportunity worth sacrificing for.
What’s your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? My favorite moment as a graduate student at Baylor has been the continuation of studying what I’m passionate about. What attracted you to Baylor? Baylor University has been a central part of my family life. I’m the first of my family (immediate and extended) to attend Baylor. It’s always been a dream of mine to join the Bear family and attend such a prestigious school with a great journalism program! If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? Don’t stress yourself out too much! You’re always going to want to get everything done, but don’t forget about taking care of yourself. Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? Definitely World Literature. I read so many books about what it was like to be trapped on the sea, island, etc. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional lives? I have done so much with the support of staff here. I’m thankful to have such a great support system that helps me continue my dream. What turned out to be your biggest misconception about the life of a graduate student? The biggest misconception was time management. I knew it was busy, but never could’ve imagined it would be this busy!
MAYRA MONROY
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sawyer smith
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What is your favorite moment from your Baylor graduate student life? There have been several good moments, but one that stands out from the rest is the day my interview with Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett, which was published on the front page of The Lariat. What attracted you to Baylor? Baylor’s respected academic reputation attracted me initially, and learning details about the graduate journalism program concreted my interest. If you could give your younger self some advice about being a grad student, what would it be? Don’t get behind on big projects or papers. Make a study or work schedule that fits you, and keep it. Staying ahead allows you to produce better quality results, and do so stress-free. Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? Statistical Methods because the course material seems most applicable in a desert island setting, compared to other classes in journalism. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional life? Baylor’s journalism professors have done a good job encouraging me inside and outside of class. Their support has helped me get through challenging courses in the pursuit of my career goals. What turned out to be your biggest misconception about the life of a graduate student? Something that struck me about graduate school is how much less time students spend in class than in undergraduate years. Graduate school focuses on what is done outside of class. Classes during the week keep you on track with lessons and success in a grad program is based on your efforts.
GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
ashley yeaman
ABOUT US
What is your favorite moment from your life as a Baylor graduate student? One of my favorite highlights so far was volunteering with fellow graduate students on Election Night 2016 at a local watch party. What attracted you to Baylor? I toured the campus when I was a senior in high school and fell in love with the beautiful campus and all of the program options. I had a great undergraduate experience, so after working a few years, I decided to return to earn my master’s in international journalism. The program was a way to combine my diverse interests, and it’s been great being back and learning from all the wonderful professors in the journalism department. Which of your classes prepared you the most if you happened to be trapped on a desert island? Backpacking and Camping---I took it for a lifetime fitness credit during my undergraduate degree. How has the mentoring of the staff helped you in your personal or professional life? I really appreciate being able to meet with the professors to ask questions about the program whenever I’ve needed. It’s obvious they really care about the students. Having guidance from professionals who’ve worked in the field is invaluable. If you could get them to serve one dish or food item on campus regularly, what would it be? I know this would never happen, but sometimes I really wish I could grab a Coke while I’m on campus---especially during late nights in the library.
Baylor’s Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media offers two graduate-level programs for those interested in foreign correspondence, mass media, PR and more. Application Deadlines: Spring Semester General: Dec. 1 Summer Semester General: May 1 Fall Semester General: Feb. 15
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ONE DEPARTMENT THREE GREAT CHOICES 1. Master of International Journalism 2. Master of Arts in Journalism 3. Master of Arts in American Studies
GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
Give
to Baylor JPRNM
When you believe in Baylor, it makes sense to give back, allowing future and current Bears to have your Baylor experience. Your gift to the Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media permits students to grow, learn and find their calling while being taught by highly qualified faculty. • •
Journalism Endowed Excellence Fund Public Relations Endowed Excellence Fund
If you prefer not to make your gift electronically via credit card, you may mail gifts to: University Development One Bear Place #97050 Waco, TX 76798-7050 You may also call 1-800-BAYLOR-U (1-800-229-5678), option 4, to speak with someone regarding your gift. Please designate the Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media as the recipient. Thanks for your interest and support!
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GRADUATE QUARTERLY | midwinter 2017
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What’s going on in your life? Recently married? Had a baby? Recently hired? Published a paper? Joined the military?
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ALUMNI UPDATE Want to be included in our Graduate Quarterly? Send your information to bugradprogram@gmail.com
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Baylor Department of Journalism, PR & New Media Faculty and Staff Dr. Clark Baker Dr. Elizabeth Bates Sharon Gripp Dr. Cassy Burleson Curtis Callaway Professor Robert Darden Macarena Hernandez
Dr. Mia Moody-Ramirez Dr. Seul Lee Dr. Marlene Neill Dr. Brad Owens Maxey Parrish Carol Perry Dr. Sara Stone Kevin Tankersley
Office Manager Coordinator: Margaret Kramer Administrative Associate: Lanisa Tovar
Designed by Carlye Thornton 16