thescoop spring14
DESCRIPTION
The Scoop Spring 2014.TRANSCRIPT
The Scoop A Resource for Alumni of UNC Charlotte’s M.A.
Program in Communication Studies
!
!
!
Welcome!
• Catch up with our
faculty on the program
website
• Reconnect with old
classmates and let us
know what’s new with
you! Visit our alumni
Facebook page and
join our LinkedIn
group.
• Want to contribute to
the next issue of The
Scoop? Contact
Inside this issue
CCA 2
Kristen
Okamoto 3
Meet the 4-5
New Cohort
Faculty 6
Spotlight
NCA 7
Let’s Keep
In Touch! 8
Newsletter Staff
Editor in chief:
Dr. Christine Davis
Writer and Editor:
Anne Deekens
Contributing Writer:
Jaclyn Marsh
Welcome! A Note From the Graduate Program Coordinator
!
!
Volume 1, Issue 2 Spring 2014
Dear Alumni,
I hope this newsletter finds you well!
We miss you!
The newsletter outlines a great deal of
very exciting things going on in the life
of our program. Our MA students are
conducting and presenting research, and
they are graduating and going on to PhD
programs and other exciting career
opportunities. We’ve graduated our 85th
graduate of the program, and our
incoming class of 10 students this year
included 4 international students. Our
faculty is growing (we hired media
scholar Dr. Rachel Plotnick from
Northwestern University this year and are
in the middle of interviewing for a new
Organizational Communication scholar).
Dr. Christine S. Davis
Communication Studies
Graduate Program Director,
Associate Professor
For the third time and second year in a row, one of our alumni (Kristen Okamoto)
was awarded the Graduate Dean’s Master’s Thesis Award. Our students are
receiving recognition for their research at a variety of conferences, including
Carolinas Communication Association and Organization for the Study of
Communication, Language and Gender. Our students Nicole Sikora Heschong,
Heather Sackett, and Nan Wilson, will present their research on LinkedIn and
impression management at the 2014 International Communication Association
Conference in Seattle. Congratulations to all of our students for their hard work and
achievements!
Please keep in touch with us. Send me an email to let me know how you’re doing.
If you’re in the area, invite me out for coffee. Subscribe to our alumni LinkedIn
page (if you have not yet) by going to UNCC M.A. in Communication Studies –
ALUMNI.
And have a very happy New Year!
Cordially,
Dr. Cris
!
CCA 2013 – A Great Success for UNC Charlotte!
Page 2
Our department made a formidable showing at this
year’s Carolinas Communication Association
Conference (CCA), which was held October 4-5 at
Charlotte’s Central Piedmont Community College.
Academics, graduate and undergraduate students
from across the Carolinas flocked to Charlotte to
share their research, network, and celebrate being
communication scholars. The conference theme was
“Communication and Civility in Technological
Contexts”.
CCA Reception
On Friday night, conference guests were treated to a
reception at UNC Charlotte’s Uptown Campus,
hosted by UNCC Graduate School. Our
Communication Studies Graduate Student
Association (CSGSA) planned and coordinated the
event with the help of Communication Studies
Department Budget and Grant Administrator David
Landrum and Chartwells Catering.
According to Kenechukwu Onwugbolu, second year
masters student, the event allowed students to
network with communication scholars. “I saw
students swapping business cards with some of the
academics that attended, and I’m sure it will lead to
something great for those students,” he said. Our
reception was a success – to quote Dr. Margaret
Quinlan, “It was an excellent way to showcase our
program at UNC Charlotte.”
Graduate Student Panels
Several of our graduate students presented on both
the undergraduate and graduate panels on Saturday.
James Hooks, first year masters student, presented
his paper, “Privacy and Self Disclosure Perspectives
in an Increasingly Online World” on the Mary E.
Jarrard Undergraduate Award Panel.
Our students also did well on this year’s Mary E.
Jarrard Graduate Panel! Nicole Sikora Heschong,
Heather Sackett, Meghan Snider, Rachael Thomas,
and Anne Deekens all gave outstanding presentations
and received valuable feedback about their research.
Nicole Sikora Heschong and Heather Sackett
discussed “Impression management in LinkedIn vs.
traditional resumes: A comparison of attitudes and
behaviors”, a paper they originally wrote for Dr.
Jaehee Cho’s Research Methods course. “We felt our
research filled a gap in existing literature and CCA
gave us a good opportunity to share our ideas with
academics,” Sikora Heschong said. Meghan Snider
and Rachael Thomas also presented their Research
Methods proposal, “A helping tweet: Exploring new
forums for abortion social support through social
networking sites”.
Anne Deekens, second year masters student, won the
Mary E. Jarrard Award for her paper “Are apple slices
the new Big Mac?: A rhetorical analysis of
McDonald’s issues management and identification
strategies”. She originally wrote the paper for Dr.
Ashli Stokes’ Organizational Rhetoric class and is
currently revising it for her thesis.
For many students, CCA was their first conference.
Sikora Heschong said, “This was a great opportunity
to test the waters and see how it felt to participate in
such events on a local scale.” Overwhelming, the
students agree that CCA was a fantastic experience.
Many of them plan to attend next year’s conference.
Our representation at CCA symbolizes UNC
Charlotte Communication Studies’ commitment to
academic achievement. “Student success at this
conference provides strong evidence that our Masters
program is succeeding at a very high level,” said Dr.
Jonathan Crane.
Dr. Christine Davis and graduate students
attending the 2013 CCA Conference
Reception, hosted by UNCC Graduate
School.
!
Interview with Kristen Okamoto
Kristen Okamoto, M.A. graduate of 2013 and Graduate Dean’s Master’s Thesis Award Winner, is now a doctoral
candidate at Ohio University. We interviewed her about her life as a PhD student and how our program helped
prepare her for this exciting stage in her academic career.
!
!
!
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Page 3
What is your area of concentration at Ohio
University?
I am focusing on health communication, with a
secondary emphasis in rhetorical studies. My research
interests focus on health as it is constructed and
understood by the active body.
What classes do you teach?
I am currently teaching two sections of the basic
course in public speaking.
When did you first decide to pursue your PhD?
After graduating with my BS degree, I went to work
in the auto insurance industry for about four years. I
quickly realized that the 9-5 grind was not for me!
The moments that inspired me the most were ones in
which I was training other employees. I then realized
that I would be better suited for a life rooted in
teaching, researching, and service to others. I entered
the MA program at UNCC with ambitions of
pursuing my PhD so that
I would be able to teach and inspire others in the same
way that so many professors inspired me in the past. I
firmly believe in the power of a liberal arts education
and wanted to be in a position to further advance
those goals.
What made you interested in applying to Ohio?
My thesis advisor, Dr. Quinlan, is an alumna of the
program. I am extremely thankful for her quiet
guidance throughout my application process. I applied
to PhD programs while studying abroad. I remember
fondly many Skype and e-mail conversations in
which we discussed various programs. After visiting
Ohio and meeting with the faculty and students, I
knew I had found a home in Athens.
What do you enjoy most about being a PhD
student?
My favorite part of being a PhD student is two-fold.
The first is the ability to be able to interact with
faculty members who inspire and challenge me on a
daily basis. I love the collaborative nature of the
program. I enjoy collaborating with my fellow
cohort members as well. I also enjoy being in the
classroom. My students teach me as much as I teach
them. I thrive off of their energy. It keeps me
grounded and helps me to realize the importance of
education.
How has UNCC prepared you for your doctoral
program?
The communication studies program at UNCC was an
invaluable experience for me. As a graduate
assistant, I had the opportunity to teach a wide variety
of courses. This prepared me for teaching in the
future. I also had a very good grasp of theoretical and
methodological approaches upon entering my PhD
program. These classes equipped me with the
necessary vocabulary to converse with others in our
field.
You’ve earned your doctorate! What’s next?
I aspire to obtain at a faculty, tenured-track position at
a master’s-granting institution. I hope to partner with
non-profit agencies in order to further the promotion
of sport engagement and community. I am excited to
see what the next chapter of my life will bring!
!
Kristen Okamoto
PhD Candidate, Ohio University
UNCC Communication Studies
Master’s Graduate, Class of 2013
Page 4
Meet the New Cohort!
Maria Armendariz Robin Cavin James Hooks
Jaclyn Marsh Julia Ochs Joni Oleson
Jerome Ortmann Brittany Pailthorpe Emily Thomas
Page 5
Meet the New Cohort!
Let’s give a huge welcome to our new master’s candidates!
We asked the students to tell us a little about themselves – see below for their
responses. If you’d like to pass along any advice, career/networking opportunities,
or just want to wish them well, feel free to contact them!
Maria Armendariz [email protected]
Universidad San Francisco de Quito- Ecuador
“I’m interested in Health Communication and
Social Responsibility.”
!
Robin Cavin [email protected]
Western Carolina University and UNC Charlotte
“I’m excited about being part of an academic
community again, particularly communication, as it is
constantly growing and ever changing.”
James Hooks [email protected]
UNC Charlotte
“I look forward to developing my research
interests and to becoming a scholar.”
Jaclyn Marsh [email protected]
Baldwin-Wallace College
“I am most excited about learning different
theories and applying them to my writing.”
Julia Ochs [email protected]
Free University Berlin
“I am excited about the teaching and
research experiences!”
Joni Oleson [email protected]
University of North Florida
“What excites me about the program is the opportunity it
affords me to advance my career. I am excited about the
challenge to take my knowledge and skills to the next
level.”
Jerome Ortmann [email protected]
Hanze University Groningen, the
Netherlands
“I'm excited about the opportunity to
broaden my horizon further and to
refine my skills while being around
likeminded and interesting people I get
to learn something new with every
day.”
Brittany Pailthorpe [email protected]
University of Rhode Island
“My research interests are
Media and Rhetoric. I’m
excited to start thinking
critically about new
communication phenomenon
and finding my voice in
academia.”
Emily Thomas [email protected]
Appalachian State
University
“I can’t wait to develop
my research interests!”
!
! "#$%!&!
Faculty Spotlight
We are proud to have so many alumni who are now UNCC Communication Studies faculty members! Our
alumni share their experiences about life on the other side of the desk.
!
!
Sayde J. Brais
Brais, M.A. graduate of 2012, currently teaches
Research Methods. Her experiences as a teaching
assistant for Melody Dixon Brown’s Business
Communication course shaped her decision to become
an instructor. “When I got in front of the class for the
first time, it made sense to me”, Brais said. “I felt like
I had found my calling and could use my talents to
help others.”
Tim Horne
A 2005 graduate, Horne now teaches
Argumentation and Debate and Advanced
Public Speaking. He is also the head of the
Forensics Debate Team. Teaching is his passion
– one that he owes “100 percent” to our M.A.
program. “I would not be here had I not had the
opportunity to practice getting in front of the
class and teaching as a graduate assistant,” he
said.
Henrique Viana
Viana, who graduated in 2010, currently teaches
Business Communication and Public Speaking. For
him, teaching is a fulfilling experience. “Knowing that
I am contributing to someone's future, even if just in the
tiniest way, is extremely rewarding,” he said. “Aside
from all of that, being able to work with folks I had
become close to as friends, professors, advisors, etc,
when I was a M.A. student made the transition into
faculty that much easier. “
Sherri Walker
Walker, M.A. graduate of 2012, teaches Public
Speaking and End of Life Communication. Her
volunteer experiences teaching at her church and
children’s schools convinced her to go into
teaching as a profession. “I love passing on my
passion for the subject matter,” she said. “It's
incredibly fulfilling to watch the students
become as excited about the topics we're
covering as I am.”
!
!
!
Page 7
NCA First-Timer Reflection Article
By Jaclyn Marsh, Class of 2015
Jaclyn Marsh, first-year master’s candidate, attended the 2013 National Communication Association
Conference in Washington, D.C along with many of our faculty and students. Here, she describes her
experiences as a “first-timer” at the conference.
NCA was more than I could have imagined. I had
been to communication conferences before, but this
was different. This was at our nation’s capital, not
just a downtown college atmosphere, but where
politicians and press secretaries decide what to
communicate to the public. The event took place in
one of the largest hotels in Washington D.C. and you
could tell it was a very prominent hotel in the area. It
had such wonderful decorations and was full of
people. Over the course of the weekend, I truly
enjoyed the location choice for this years’ event. It
was just a short cab ride away to visit memorials and
monuments or a walk to local restaurants. Not only
was the hotel amazing, but the people were all so
wonderful. I was a little nervous as to what to expect
at such a large venue, but everyone that helped my
husband and I settle in were great! My husband came
along for the ride because I am thinking of pursing a
doctorate in communication studies, and do not want
to make such an important choice without him. He
was also surprised by how many people were in
attendance.
Aside from the venue, the sessions were very
informative and enlightening! I attended a “death”
session, a session on what to do with your doctorate
if you do not want to go the traditional way,
ethnographic research being conducted in the field
and a mini-class session. I learned a lot from the
“death” session, that the pain we go through can
actually help our work. Through their experiences
with death these scholars wrote memorable pieces
that contributed to the field. The session on what to
do with a doctorate was very eye opening for a
person like me who never thought about the different
ways to use one’s doctorate before. I enjoyed getting
to know one of our professors more during that
session and truly appreciated the honestly that came
from the panel. The ethnographic research conducted
in the field was another eye-opening experience,
because there were so many different ways of!!
!
studying communication. The scholars in this panel
all studied something different and were working on
publishing their findings, in most cases. Lastly, I
attended a great workshop/mini-class session on how
to incorporate narratives into health communication
classes. I enjoyed this course because it struck a chord
within me about how communication can make such
a large impact on our community, if done well.
The parties were a great way to get to know people as
well. Our UNCC party was packed with people
excited to learn more about what UNCC had to over.
It was a great turn out. Being surrounded by our very
own UNCC scholars was a great experience. I had the
privilege of listening to Dr. Davis, Dr. Crane, and Dr.
Quinlan voice their project ideas as well as countless
others at the party. For me the best part about NCA
was getting to know the other attendees and listening
to scholars in the field talk about their research. I
have made some strong connections that I look
forward to continuing throughout the years to come.!!
!
Jaclyn Marsh
UNCC Master’s Candidate
Class of 2015
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Give
Online!
!
Let’s Keep in Touch!
Would you like to be a class representative?
We are in the process of choosing class representatives for each
of our past cohorts. Responsibilities will include:
" Suggesting article topics for the next issue of The
Scoop
" Keeping us up-to-date on the latest news and successes
of our former classmates
" Encouraging informal gatherings with fellow alumni
This would be an excellent opportunity for you to maintain
close ties with the program and to reap the benefits of being an
active alumnus! Please contact Anne Deekens at
[email protected] if interested.
Want to see what your peers have been up to? Here’s
how:
o Visit our alumni Facebook page
o Join our LinkedIn group
o Check your email for the next issue of The Scoop
Email Anne Deekens at [email protected] with any
career/personal updates, article ideas, networking events, and any
other news you would like to share. Also, feel free to post updates,
questions, and discussion topics on the alumni Facebook page and
LinkedIn group. We look forward to hearing from you!!