April 26, 2016
Members of communication studies department present research at Central States Conference
Communication Studies professors, graduate students and undergraduate students presented their research at the annual Central States Communication Association conference, April 13-17, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Gregory Paul, assistant professor, and Aaron Cunningham, communication studies undergraduate, presented "What Role Does Community of Care Play in Influencing Willingness to Participate in a Victim Offender Conference?"
Natalie Pennington, assistant professor, presented "To Hide or Unfriend?: An Examination of Relational Dissolution through Social Networking Sites." Her paper was honored as a Top Three Paper in the Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Division. Pennington also presented "Expanding Social Penetration Theory to Fit Social Networking Sites: Considering the Role of Privacy and Information Seeking Online." Finally, she also presented "Following Candidates on Twitter: Political Efficacy and Engagement in the 2016 Presidential Primaries," co-authored by Soo-Hye Han, assistant professor.
Sarah Riforgiate, assistant professor, presented "'Socializing' Ideas: Exploring the Transformational Impact of Leadership and Conflict Practices." Her work was honored as a Top Five Paper in the Organizational and Professional Communication Division. Riforgiate also presented "'I get paid to make friends': Boundary Management and Framing among Resident Assistants Who Live at Work." This paper was honored on the Top Paper Panel of the Organizational and Professional Communication Division and was co-authored by communication studies undergraduates Caylin Smith and Danielle Winters. Riforgiate also served as a discussant on several panels, including the top panel, Communication Education Division.
Katrina Hanna, graduate student, presented "Scene, Act, and Circumference: A Pentadic Analysis of the George Zimmerman Trial." It was honored as the top paper by the Graduate Student Caucus.
Miranda Klugesherz, graduate student, presented "Coming Out (or Not): Identity Decisions in the Workplace," co-authored by Katrina Hanna and William Lucio, both graduate students.
Emily Ruder, graduate student, presented "Pink Cadillacs and Family Dreams: Mary Kay's Recruitment Rhetoric," co-authored by Kelsey Abele and Jennifer Giannina, both graduate students.
Levi Smith, graduate student, presented "Work/Life During Crisis: Media Messages of Corporate Executives," co-authored by Chris Auten and Sara Liming, both graduate students.
Miranda Arocho, December communication studies graduate, was selected for a poster presentation of "Key & Peele: Capturing the Complexities of America in the 21st Century."
Lucia Scott, communication studies major, presented her paper "Visibility and Normalization: Representations of Queer Women in The L Word."