COMMUNICATION - Department of Communication Studies

COMMUNICATION
1
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
2
DEPARTMENT CHAIR
EDITOR
STUDENT CONTRIBUTORS
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER
DESIGNER
Dr. Shawn Long
Cheryl Spainhour
Carolyn Hallahan and Emily Tamilin
Gabrielle Lover
Drew Humphries
W
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
[email protected]
news
PROGRAMS ABROAD
4
FACULTY MEMBER TO PERUSE PERU
D
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.
5
Ashton Lewis visits Petra, Jordan
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TRAVELS THE WORLD
A
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.”
news
FACULTY NEWS
6
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
7
Department Chair Receives Prestigious Award
D
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
C
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
news
BOOKS, TALKS & CREDENTIALS
8
Leeman Discusses “The Teleological Discourse of Barack Obama”
at UNC Charlotte’s ‘Personally Speaking’ Series
D
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
R
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”
C
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.”
9
news
PROGRAMS & PEOPLE
10
Paddock Sets High Goals for Communication Studies New
Learning Community
J.
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
S
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!
11
Chancellor’s Diversity Grant funds speaker Dubriwny and Adams
T
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.
D
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.
news
COMMUNITY OUTREACH & STUDIES
12
“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
T
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.”
13
Graduate Student Plays Vital Role in NC Eugenics Program Reasearch
O
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.
K
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!”
news
GRANTS & INTERNSHIPS
14
PR Practicum Students Help Purify North Carolina’s Water
T
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.
15
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
W
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.
news
FORENSICS TEAM,
HONOR SOCIETY & SCHOLARSHIPS
16
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
17
Lambda Pi ETA Communication Honor Society
UNC Charlotte Nu Lambda Chapter Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 Inductees
L
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
news
CLUBS & INTERNSHIPS
18
Health Communication Club News
T
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
I
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
19
PRSSA Reginal Conference Held at
UNC Charlotte’s Center City
U
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
20
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”
21
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
news
GRADUATE PROGRAM
22
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!
news
GRADUATE PROGRAM NEWS
24
Communication Studies Graduate Student Association Wrap up
with the Power of Girls and Promising Pages
C
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
C
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
D
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
T
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/
25
26
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
27
news
NEW FACULTY
28
Plotnick Joins Faculty in Fall
T
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
T
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.
STAFF
Adventurous Alum Takes on Academic Advising Role
T
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.”
D
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