Communication Studies

As the Semester Ends and Commencement Nears, Two Seniors Gear Up for Exciting Futures

James Rettig — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:31:22 +0000

On college campuses nationwide, the month of May is dedicated to seniors celebrating the end of their academic careers, saying goodbye to textbooks and homework assignments, and shaking the hands of their future bosses. Michelle Futerfas and U-Jin Lee are among those celebrating–but for very different reasons. Both Futerfas and Lee competed against many exceptionally talented and bright students nationwide to land two coveted spots in top graduate programs in their respective fields.

Futerfas, a top Communication Studies major with an interdisciplinary concentration in Health Communication and minors in Professional Writing and Marketing, will pursue a PhD in Health Communication at the University of Maryland beginning in August 2013. Being directly accepted into a Ph.D. program is exceedingly rare, and Futerfas is one of only a few students from the department in the past twenty years to do so. In addition to her doctoral coursework, Futerfas will be responsible for teaching two undergraduate introductory courses to incoming students in communication studies.

“It’s surreal,” Futerfas beams. “I’m in shock. Thrilled and excited, but in shock.”

The process was daunting, the application tedious, and the statement of purpose intense. Once submitted, she then had a lengthy phone interview with the department chair.

“I was nervous, but confident,” Futerfas admits. “I knew this was my dream and had to prove it in the interview.”

Her hard work paid off. She was contacted almost immediately with a fully funded offer for admittance to the doctoral program.

“I was speechless,” she laughed. “My jaw dropped. I was with my friends and just couldn’t believe it!”

Futerfas’ interest in health communication first began when she took a Theories of Persuasion course, led by Professor Gary Woodward. Her work there inspired her to take Health Communication Campaigns, a class led by Professor Katherine Margolis, which expanded her knowledge of the field and pushed her to think outside the box. Margolis was impressed with her work and offered her an internship at HealthEd, a healthcare marketing agency focusing on Direct To Patient marketing and education, which Futerfas eagerly accepted. There, she worked on a variety of projects for major pharmaceutical companies and focused her time on a project for patients diagnosed with the Hepatitis C virus. It was this work that most prompted her decision to pursue her PhD.

When asked about her time at TCNJ, Futerfas replied eagerly, “The experiences and opportunities I had at The College of New Jersey shaped my career path. I look forward to one day becoming a professor and inspiring students as I was here at TCNJ.”

U-Jin Lee, an honors student and a Communication Studies major with a concentration in Radio/TV/Film and a minor in Journalism, received a similarly exciting email—one which admitted her to Columbia University for a Master of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism. Acceptance to graduate programs for the Radio/TV/Film students is equally rare, and Lee worked tirelessly throughout college to ensure her spot.

Lee’s mother emigrated to the United States from South Korea when Lee was five, leaving her husband behind, to ensure that her children could take advantage of the creativity encouraged by the United States system of education. Lee immediately began to pursue music, playing the piano and flute, and advancing to violin when she was nine. In middle school, Lee was accepted, through rigorous audition, to the Pre-College Division of the Juilliard School and continued her musical studies there for eight years.

Lee always wanted to major in music. As a musician, she craved being able to communicate through sound and performance and understood the impact that various forms of communication could have on those listening. When arriving at TCNJ, she joined the Orchestra, but was encouraged to begin to explore the communication side of performance as well. Surprisingly, she found that communication was where she belonged, and decided to pursue the Radio/TV/Film track.

Through internships and coursework, Lee honed in on her true passion. She spent the summer of 2011 in South Korea working for Educational Broadcasting System, the only educational television and radio network covering South Korean territory, and the only South Korean radio and television network without a separate regional service. She was responsible for planning a large scale documentary film festival, as well as other smaller scale productions. She knew she loved the television side to the industry, but production planning was not for her. In the summer of2012, Lee interned at Fox Channel 9 News in Secaucus, NJ. There, when assisting anchors and shadowing reporters, she decided her ultimate goal was to become a foreign correspondent.

“I speak English, Spanish, and Korean,” she laughed. “I hope that helps!”

Lee is seen as a role model in her track, working closely with faculty and encouraging and supporting her peers.

“I think it’s all about having a passion,” Lee mused, when asked about her career. “Find something you love, ask questions, be inquisitive, learn all you can, work hard. That’s certainly something I learned during my time here at TCNJ.”

Students Shine with Spring Papers at National and State Levels

James Rettig — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:27:33 +0000

TCNJ communication studies students presented multiple professional papers at state and national levels in March and April, extending scholarly paper records set by previous students.

On March 29 two communication studies students were the only undergraduates in the nation selected to present refereed papers at the biannual DC Health Communication Conference held at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Junior Jordan Kohn presented a paper co-authored with Christiana Nielsen and Dasia Stewart on “Cross-National Coverage of Child Labor: A Community Structure Approach.” Junior Sally Milnes presented a paper co-authored with Christine Rehm,Olivia Hannis, and Jonathan Day on “Nationwide US Coverage of Medicated Children: A Community Structure Approach.” Two years previously (2011), TCNJ students Katie Ward and Erin Prendergast, were also the only undergraduates in the United States invited to present papers at the DC Health Communication Conference.

On April 20, six teams of TCNJ students presented refereed papers at the annual statewide conference of the New Jersey Communication Association (NJCA) meeting at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Among the papers focusing on nationwide US samples of major metropolitan newspapers were: Kelsey Zink and Maggie Rogers’ “Nationwide Newspaper Coverage of Detainee Rights: A Community Structure Approach” (co-authored by Eric Moran and Matthew Salvatore); Ashley Reed, Kaitlyn Allen, Kylie Moore, and Clayton Fabrizio’s “Nationwide Newspaper Coverage of Planned Parenthood”; Tyler Fugazzie, Lisa McKeegan, and Elizabeth Hutner’s “Nationwide Newspaper Coverage of the Vaccination-Autism Link; A Community Structure Approach”. Alli Wentling presented a paper co-authored with Olivia Hannis, Stephen Tarnowski, and Ben Iturralde: “Cross-National Newspaper Coverage of the European Sovereign Crisis: A Community Structure Approach”. Jordan Kohn also reprised her paper on cross-national coverage of child labor.

Kelly Alexandre, Cynthia Sha, Kelsey Baire, and Jessica Johnson won the “best undergraduate paper for 2013″ at the NJCA meeting, for co-authoring “Cross-National Coverage of Human Trafficking: A Community Structure Approach.” By examining sample of leading newspapers in different nations, Alexandre, Sha, Baire, and Johnson found that coverage favoring government responsibility in resolving human trafficking was more pronounced in countries with higher proportions of foreign investment and with higher levels of female empowerment.

Over the almost twenty years of its existence, the NJCA has given several “best student paper” awards to TCNJ, and the latest award affirms the continued excellence of communication studies students. Communication studies students from TCNJ hold the national record for largest number of papers winning “best student paper in the nation” awards presented by the national honor society (Lambda Pi Eta) of the National Communication Association. Said Prof. Lorna Johnson, chair of the Department of Communication Studies, “The continuing superb performances in professional paper writing and presentation by our students are a source of pride for our entire department. These dedicated students set a powerful example of excellence for all students at TCNJ.”

Career Night – April 23rd @ 7PM in Kendall 134

Tyler Fugazzie — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:39:06 +0000

Come join LPH for their annual Career Night, featuring four accomplished alumni: Paul Alfieri, Heather Comstock, Sean O’Grady, and Caitlyn Preciado. Whether you’re a curious freshman or a job-searching senior, this panel will provide you with valuable information about a variety of different fields.

The Alumni:

Paul Alfieri is VP of marketing for Turn
Heather Comstock is Director of Resource Development for The Family Resource Network
Sean O’Grady is a television producer and reporter. He was the main commentator and executive producer for the 2012 London Paralympic Games.
Caitlyn Preciado is music coordinator and board operator for Sirius XM Radio

Waking the Green Tiger – April 18th @ Library Auditorium

Tyler Fugazzie — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:08:09 +0000

Waking the Green Tiger, a documentary exploring the campaign to stop a huge dam project on the Upper Yangtze river, will be shown in the Library Auditorium on April 18th at 7:30 pm. After the film, the film’s director Gary Marcuse will host a discussion about the making of the film and the grassroots environmental movement in China.

Radio Broadcasting Workshop with Pat Lavery

Tyler Fugazzie — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:42:19 +0000

On Wednesday, April 10th @ 8:30pm in Kendall 136, TCNJ alumnus Pat Lavery will share his experiences in radio broadcasting. He is currently a news anchor for WGHT 1500AM and will bring equipment from his newsroom for demonstrations. If you’re interested in radio broadcasting, then this workshop is for you!

Next Steps @ 3pm on March 24th – Kendall Black Box

Tyler Fugazzie — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:50:56 +0000

Find out what classes you should take next semester, get information about internships, and ask faculty and students any question you want regarding classes, clubs, and recommendations.

Next Steps

Dr. Pollock Releases New Book

Tyler Fugazzie — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:14:56 +0000

After working for over 20 years with TCNJ students on multiple projects examining the impact of society on media, communication studies professor John Pollock assembled a collection of work by leading scholars to explore new directions in the subfield, a book titled Media and Social Inequality: Innovations in Community Structure Research (Routledge, 2013). Contrary to traditional efforts examining the impact of media on society, the “community structure” subfield instead endeavors to measure the reverse: the impact of society on media, an effort to link city or national demographic variations with differences in reporting on critical social and political issues…

From TCNJ News

Professor Johnson earns Leeway’s Transformation Award

Tyler Fugazzie — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:16:58 +0000

Professor Johnson honored with the prestigious Leeway’s Transformation Award – January 24, 2013

”…current chair of the Department of Communication Studies, has been awarded a 2012 Leeway Transformation Award. The goal of Leeway’s Transformation Award is to recognize artists who have created exceptional art that has had a transformational impact on a larger group, audience, or community. The Leeway Foundation supports artists and cultural producers working in communities at the intersection of art, culture, and social change. The award, given to only eight artists in the Delaware Valley area comes with an unrestricted prize of $15,000…”

Dr. Ryan’s “From the ‘Burg to the Barrio” featured in the Trenton Times.

Tyler Fugazzie — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:14:06 +0000

Dr. Susan Ryan is featured in the Trenton Times for her documentary, “From the ‘Burg to the Barrio.” - February 18, 2013

A new documentary on the Chambersburg area of Trenton, produced and directed by Communication Studies Associate Professor Susan Ryan, is featured in an article in the Trenton Times. The 45-minute film, “From the ‘Burg to the Barrio,” was shot over the course of seven years and chronicles the changing immigrant population of this neighborhood which was once predominantly Italian but is now home to a diverse population of Latino immigrants…