Kent State University School of Communication Studies

Two students from Associate Professor Rekha Sharma's Criticism of Public Discourse class (Fall 2023) participated in Kent State University's Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors last week:

⚡️ Korren Cullom took first place in her category, conducting a feminist critique of a speech by Dr. Bernice Sandler, and tying her analysis to contemporary issues

⚡️ Hallie Gornall presented a neo-Aristotelian critique of a speech by Sojourner Truth

Congratulations!

https://www.kent.edu/today/news/research-scholarship-and-creativity-display-undergraduate-symposium

“As professional communicators, we know that story is the most powerful and illuminating force in humanity, and stories really matter to our students too." (Stephanie Danes Smith, Associate Professor, instructor of Global Perspectives Book Club course)

Read about how students are discovering empathy, new cultural perspectives and more through a new student-led class in our School: https://www.kent.edu/comm/news/student-led-global-book-club-course-brings-fresh-perspectives-through-storytelling

Our latest edition of the COMM alumni newsletter is centered on advocacy. Read it here: https://connect.kent.edu/go?cmd=message&id=d59be3bb-35fe-44c7-a33a-538a51016f06

"We generally think of an advocate as someone who pleads for or argues on behalf of a person, group or cause," writes Director Paul Haridakis. "Advocacy is central to the practice of communication in action. Advocacy is also a theme of this newsletter, showcasing students and alumni who are involved in advocacy in various ways."

“I’ve always known that I have a love for writing … I’ve gotten to practice crafting witty and concise messages for social media, and it’s a skill I want to continue developing.”

Communication Studies major Bella Palowitz, ’24, has been getting practice in many aspects of creative marketing at her internship with Palo Creative this semester: writing creative copy for social media, e-newsletters and blogs; editing short-form videos; designing graphics for social media; and using tools like HubSpot to manage social media and schedule emails. She credits Kent State University faculty for preparing her!

“The professors in the School of Communication Studies have been instrumental to my professional development,” Bella says. “I have developed personal relationships with several of them, and I know that I can turn to them for professional guidance and career opportunities.”

Read more: https://www.kent.edu/comm/intern/bella-palowitz

We're proud to call Michael J. Houser a COMM alumnus!

The 2011 Kent State University graduate shares his story of applying communication skills to his career in advocacy and public service:

Communication and Advocacy: Alumnus Champions Cleveland, its School Kids through Work | Kent State University Communication and Advocacy: Alumnus Champions Cleveland, its School Kids through Work | School of Communication Studies | As a Kent State student, Michael J. Houser, ’11, learned the value of good communication, and those lessons have propelled him throughout his career."From the first class to th...

When Kent State University alumnus Dan Gerbracht isn’t working for the city of Hudson as video department manager, you might find him at a Cleveland Guardians or Cleveland Cavaliers game. He won’t be in the stands — but running the videos you see on the scoreboard and controlling the live production cameras.

As a result of the gig, the COMM alumnus has been part of some of Cleveland's biggest sports moments, including Game 7 of the World Series in 2016.

As a Copywriter for FCB Health New York, COMM alumna Grace Petitjean, '21, takes high-science medical content and crafts messages that tailor the information to be understood by the general public, ensuring everyone has equal access to health information.

Read her story here: https://www.kent.edu/comm/news/alumna-excels-simplifying-medical-info-through-copywriting

Scenes from Communication in Action, 2023! The student work will be on display in the Taylor Hall Gallery until mid-next-week.

Read more here: https://www.kent.edu/comm/news/display-student-work-highlights-communication-action

📸: Hayden Cruz, '25, and Alex Thompson, '24

After decades as a pastor, David Zachrich had a sudden and dramatic reevaluation of his life. A life-threatening heart attack 15 years ago forced him to step back and reconsider his path. He immediately thought of teaching, and has spent the past nine years building inclusive and welcoming learning environments here in COMM.

This fall, he was honored with the Outstanding Teaching Award, one of Kent State University's highest teaching honors.

Read more:

The Heart of Teaching | Kent State University The Heart of Teaching | Kent State Today, School of Communication Studies University News, Student Life, Profiles | After decades as a pastor, David Zachrich had a sudden and dramatic reevaluation of his life. A life-threatening heart attack 15 years ago forced him to step back and reconsider his pa...

Victoria Humphreys, '13, first learned how she could use her communication skills to positively impact her community through the federal government as a COMM student at Kent State University.

Today, she is a public affairs specialist in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior, advocating for Tribal communities and helping advance a lasting legacy for Tribal communities across the nation.

Read more: https://www.kent.edu/alumni/news/victoria-humphreys-13

A good read for : Assistant Professor David Silva studies online conversations, and in a recent interview, he shed light on how online civility plays a role in building a stronger democracy.

Building a Stronger Democracy Through Civility | Kent State University Building a Stronger Democracy Through Civility | College of Communication & Information, School of Emerging Media and Technology, School of Communication Studies, Kent State Today Community & Society, Profiles, Research & Science, Community Impact | With election day approaching, more and more polit...

Communication Studies alumna Ilianna Velez was recently spotlighted as one of cleveland.com's 50 Hispanic Leaders in northern Ohio. She's currently the assistant director of the E. Timothy Moore Kent State Student Multicultural Center here at Kent State University.

Read her story here:
https://www.kent.edu/today/news/barrier-busting-latinx-community

Team-building, decision-making and leadership are all important parts of the course Communication and Conflict Management.

Last week, students in Senior Lecturer Aaron Bacue Maguire's class put those skills to work, with a challenge to build a free-standing structure with 20 strands of uncooked spaghetti, a yard of string, 1 yard of masking tape and one marshmallow. The team with the tallest structure earned bonus points!

Scenes from last night's Read-In 🤩Thanks to the many members of the Kent State University community who joined us!

📸: Ryan Moore, '24

Next week: We're thrilled to be hosting our annual Read-In, in conjunction with partners across Kent State University ⚡️

See you there with your favorite banned or challenged book!

Wick Poetry Center, Kent State University- Africana Studies Kent State Le***an Gay Bisexual Transgender and Q***r Plus Center May 4 Visitors Center Reinberger Children's Library Center Kent State University School of Information School of Peace and Conflict Studies at Kent State University Kent State University Libraries Flash Activities Board

In conjunction with Education Abroad Showcase Week, come by the Taylor Hall Gallery this Thursday to learn about study abroad opportunities for CCI students!

New this year: COMM Assistant Professor Teddy Workneh, Ph.D., will be co-teaching a class in Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹

Details below!

Before graduating a couple of weeks ago, COMM student Virgilio Glorioso completed an internship at Solidarity Health Network, where he learned to carry out a variety of communication-related tasks and ethically conduct business.

"I wouldn’t have been half as prepared for this internship if it weren’t for the amazing and wonderful professors, we have at Kent State. ... Just about everything we learn in Communication Studies can be applied to the business world to give you an edge over everyone else. For that, I am forever grateful.”

Read more about his experience: https://www.kent.edu/comm/intern/virgilio-glorioso

Near the end of the spring semester, Communication Studies student Angela Gerstner, ’24, placed painted rocks near the Kent State rec center, creating a memorial rock garden to honor the people of the six Indigenous tribes that once called Kent State’s land home. This was a semester-long project she completed for Global Communication, a class that focuses on human rights and human dignity. This semester, the class explored cultural genocide – the attempt to wipe away a group’s culture or identity, and Angela chose to focus the six Indigenous tribes mentioned in Kent State’s land acknowledgement statement. She set up educational tabling stations during the last couple weeks of the semester, encouraging students to paint rocks for the memorial garden.

Read more here: https://www.kent.edu/comm/news/university-land-acknowledgement-statement-inspires-students-sacred-soil-project

Congratulations to our spring Class of 2023 graduates! 🎓⚡️

Congratulations to our faculty who recently earned promotions 🎊

⚡️Cristin Compton, tenured ➡️ associate professor
⚡️Aaron Maguire, ➡️ senior lecturer
⚡️Ikram Toumi, ➡️ associate professor
⚡️Ginger Bihn-Coss, tenured ➡️ associate professor

Congratulations 🎉 to our faculty who have recently earned promotion and tenure:

Kent State University School of Communication Studies:
⚡️Cristin Compton, tenured ➡️ associate professor
⚡️Aaron Maguire, ➡️ senior lecturer
⚡️Ikram Toumi, ➡️ associate professor
⚡️Ginger Bihn-Coss, tenured ➡️ associate professor
Kent State University School of Information:
⚡️Katie Campana, tenured ➡️ associate professor
⚡️Marianne Martens, ➡️ full professor
Kent State University School of Visual Communication Design:
⚡️Jess Barness, ➡️ full professor
⚡️Jillian Coorey, ➡️ full professor
⚡️Jaime Kennedy, ➡️ full professor
Kent State School of Emerging Media and Technology:
⚡️Enrico Gandolfi, tenured ➡️ associate professor

“May 4, 1970 is a living legacy at Kent State with relevant implications for students today."

Senior Avery Hall reflects on her two years as Chair of the May 4 Task Force: https://www.kent.edu/comm/news/she-prepares-graduate-senior-reflects-experience-chair-may-4-task-force

Serving as the Chair of the May 4 Task Force has been something communication studies major Avery Hall, ’23, describes as one of the most impactful and rewarding experiences she’s had at Kent State University.

On this day of remembrance, she reflects on the experience:
https://www.kent.edu/comm/news/she-prepares-graduate-senior-reflects-experience-chair-may-4-task-force

This week, students in Associate Professor Rekha Sharma’s “Criticism of Public Discourse” class toured the May 4 Visitors Center in Taylor Hall. In this class, students examine the ways people communicate about social conflict and controversy.

“Part of that involves understanding how social movements arise, how they sustain engagement among members, and how they advocate for their points of view,” Professor Sharma says. “So, it is especially important for our students to understand the unique legacy of May 4th and the kinds of arguments that were being advanced then as well as how they resonate in a contemporary sense.”

We would like to thank Lori Boes, Assistant Director of the May 4 Visitors Center, and graduate student Skylar Wrisley, who wrote and curated the “Vocal Majority” exhibit currently on display, for sharing their knowledge.

Spending her final semester in Washington, D.C. 🏛 through Kent State's Washington Program in National Issues has been “pivotal” in preparing COMM student Mary Joyce for life after graduation. She has been interning at the public relations firm Seven Letter, where she drafts press releases and op-eds, crafts media lists and assists with social media pages and client meetings. She’s taken class and engaged in networking with professionals from the Pentagon, Supreme Court and Government Accountability Office alongside students of various majors.

“Interacting with people from other majors has been super interesting because I learn more about their majors and how they approach a question. I think through things from a public relations lens while someone from political science thinks through them in a policy lens,” Mary says.

After graduation, she is headed to Falls & Co marketing agency to work as an assistant account executive. Good luck, Mary 🎓

Our annual speech competition, the Hyde Park Forum, featured Kent State University students across majors speaking on important topics like the opioid epidemic, neurodivergent labels and more.

Read more:

Speech Competition Finalists Present on Issues that Hit Close to Home | Kent State University Speech Competition Finalists Present on Issues that Hit Close to Home | School of Communication Studies, College of Communication & Information | At Hyde Park's famous Speaker's Corner in London, citizens come together to discuss social issues they are passionate about. A similar tradition exists at...

Assistant Professor Ikram Toumi is bringing global perspectives into Kent State University classrooms through partnerships with international institutions and transnational course topics.

Communication Studies Professor Brings Transnational Perspective to Students Originally from Tunisia, Toumi is tri-lingual, speaking Arabic, English and French, which fuels her interest in multicultural and socially-diverse dimensions of global media and communication.

Through her job at Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities, alumna Courtney Flickinger, '20, uses communication skills to advocate for aging populations. This semester, she is partnering with two Communication Studies courses and sharing her knowledge.

Students Shape Communication Advocacy Efforts to Help Aging Populations Through Partnership with Alumna | Kent State University Students Shape Communication Advocacy Efforts to Help Aging Populations Through Partnership with Alumna | School of Communication Studies, College of Communication & Information | Kent State alumna Courtney Flickinger, ’20, has been using communication skills to advocate for aging populations sinc...

Congratulations to our scholarship winners and student leaders. And thank you to our generous donors, who make moments like these — and Kent State University educations — possible!

Read about our annual scholarship celebration, which took place Friday, March 10: https://www.kent.edu/comm/news/celebrating-scholarship-and-leadership

📸: Katie Carpenter, '23

In Communication and Conflict, students study how conflict is perceived based on families, relationship history, media representation and more. In a recent activity, students illustrated their own interpretation of conflict by creating illustrative and written metaphors.

Several students shared their work: https://www.kent.edu/comm/news/students-share-metaphors-conflict-communication