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ANNUAL REPORT

A LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT HEAD

To CMT faculty, students, administrators, alumni and friends,

Welcome to our annual report! 2025-2026 has been a great year filled with program growth, faculty achievement and student excellence.

As part of obtaining external validation of what we do, we are in the process of earning or renewing three accreditation/certifications: ACEJMC (Journalism/PR) approved 2025), NAST (Theatre 2027), and CEPR (PR certified in 2021, recertification 2027). In recent years, faculty have published nine books, more than 60 peerreviewed journal articles, and presented at BEA, NCA, AEJMC, SETC and more. Our students, across multiple concentrations, have earned more than 750 student awards in national, regional and state competitions since 2020.

In abbreviated news from each concentration:

THEATRE - We continue bolstering our productions via collaborative partnerships such as with the Department of Music (Sweeney Todd) where both the College of Education and College of Arts & Sciences pledged financial support for this major production. We partnered with the ACCESS program for a highly rewarding production of Jack and the Beanstalk. Theatre faculty and students earned multiple accolades from the American College Theatre Festival. Greg Thorn played a major role, via his lighting expertise, with athletics and the introduction of the new LED lighting system in Davis Wade Stadium. Theatre continues its additional offerings for students including The Scene, Lab Rats and Black Friars Drama Society.

PUBLIC RELATIONS – MSU hosted the state Public Relations Association of Mississippi conference in April. PR welcomed two new faculty fall 2025. Dr. Zahedur Arman is a tenure track assistant professor teaching the research course. Heather Gholson is an instructor with a decade of professional experience, now teaching an array of classes including PR Multimedia. PR students earned regional, state and local awards stemming from work in the PR Campaigns class along with the Public Relations & Integrated Student Agency. Our Public Relations Student Society of America chapter earned a Star Chapter designation.

COMMUNICATION & MEDIA STUDIES – MSU’s highest teaching honor, the Grisham Master Teacher, was awarded to Dr. Holli Seitz. Congratulations, Holli, on this monumental achievement! CMST welcomed two new faculty members in fall 2025: Rubaiya Zannat as an instructor teaching in CMT and in BSIS, and Kristen Barnett as an instructor. Kristen is teaching Public Speaking and Introduction to Communication. Kristen and Carrie McCormick are on the board of the Mississippi Communication Association. Between students and faculty presentations, CMT had record participation at the Mississippi Communication Association in spring 2026. Faculty also presented at the Southern States Communication Association and the National Communication Association.

BROADCAST & DIGITAL JOURNALISM and PRINT & DIGITAL JOURNALISM - These two concentrations will merge into a new Multimedia Journalism concentration fall 2026. Marty Lang, MFA, joined us this fall and is already earning awards from BEA for his creative scholarship. Chris Misun successfully completed his doctorate in educational policy and organizational design. The P&DJ and B&DJ concentrations held another successful MS Association of Broadcaster’s event for students in April. We have a new partnership with athletics for sports media courses with a sports minor pending.

I hope you will enjoy reading in greater detail in this report about our success stories. I am proud of our faculty and students for their significant achievements. We greatly appreciate your support.

DR. TERRy LikEs

DEPARTMENT HEAD AND PROFEssOR

REcENT UNiT, FAcULTy, AND sTUDENT AccOMPLisHMENTs & AccOLADEs

• Added M.A. in Communication

• Exciting curricular development including: Media & Artificial Intelligence; Audio/Video Production for Creative Media; Production Design for Creative Media; AI in Creative Media; Crowdsourcing, Crowdfunding and Audience Development, AI in Public Relations, and more.

• Accreditation: ACEJMC 2025

• Accreditation: NAST 2027

• Certification: CEPR, 2021, 2027

• Unit growth from 27 to 36 full-time faculty/staff

• Department and major name change to Communication, Media & Theatre

• 9 books published

• 61 journal articles published

• 500+ conference presentations

• Added two online concentrations: Communication & Media Studies, Public Relations

• Adding Thrive in 5, 2+2, 3+3 programs, 2026

• Communication Studies concentration name change to Communication & Media Studies

• New concentration in Creative Media Production, fall 2026

• New concentration in Multimedia Journalism, fall 2026 (merged from B&DJ and P&DJ)

• Added Associate Department Head (internal), 2025

• Advisory Boards in each concentration

• Over 750 student awards in national, regional, state competitions, plus hundreds from Speech & Debate

• External faculty awards from BEA, NCA, AEJMC, ACTF, SPRF, SETC, PRAM, MAB and more

• Internal awards include:

MSU Grisham Master Teacher Award recipient – MSU’s highest teaching honor

MSU Alumni Early Career Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award

MSU Humanities Teacher of the Year

MSU Excellence in Community Engagement Award recipient

College of Arts and Sciences Research Award

College of Arts and Sciences Teaching Award

College of Arts and Sciences Service Award

College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Mentor Award

• Created CMT Faculty Awards

• MSU Speaking Center under CMT faculty direction

• Partnered in creating of interdisciplinary programs in Political Communication, Entertainment Technology

• Renovated McComas basement to include conference room, faculty offices

• Renovated McComas lounge to faculty offices

• Upgrading McComas interior with new furniture, signage and more

• Added CMT student ambassadors

• Added student BEA and NABJ chapters, revived Lambda Pi Eta

• New partnerships with Athletics for Sports Announcing, Sports Broadcasting courses

• Theatre new partnerships with Music, Robotics, and ACCESS

• Hosted three regional or state conferences (SEJC, PRAM, MCA, ACTF) 2025-27

• Significant alumni success including a Pulitzer Prize winner and a National Sports Writer of the Year.

• New and/or enhanced partnerships with Starkville Community Theatre, Golden Triangle Theatre Starkville Police Department, ACCESS, WMSV, Meteorology, University Television, MSU Athletics, Department of Music/MSU Symphony, Summer Scholars, Lyceum series, Riley Center

dEPARTmENTAL dATA

Enrollment Numbers

Gender

Ethnicity

First-Time Freshmen

Degrees Awarded

OUR mIssION

The Mississippi State University Department of Communication, Media & Theatre prepares students through scholarship, creative practice, and ethical and cultural awareness to be empowered professional artists and communicators.

OUR VIsION

Graduates of the Mississippi State University Department of Communication, Media & Theatre will excel in diverse professional landscapes and will contribute to an ever-evolving global society as critical thinkers, savvy consumers, lifelong learners, storytellers, content creators and audience-focused artists and communicators.

INiTiATivEs

cMT PEER TEAcHING OBsERvATION WORksHOP

CMT Instructor Amy Fountain recently led a meeting for departmental faculty interested in participating in classroom observations. Resources and tips on how to conduct an observation were shared. This semester, eight faculty members participated in a pilot of the new departmental peer observation program with plans to grow the program next fall.

LAMBDA PI ETA HOsTs sTUDENT sOcIAL

CMT students and faculty recently gathered for an evening at Oby’s as Lambda Pi Eta hosted a social event co-sponsored by NABJ, BEA and PRSSA. Around 20 students attended throughout the night, with a strong turnout at peak time, creating an engaging opportunity for connection across organizations.

INTERIOR, EXTERIOR UPGRADE

s

McComas Hall recently underwent a series of improvements. Updates include new wall wraps, added exterior strand lighting along the east walkway and comfortable hallway seating. The upstairs theatre lobby now features conference tables with a presentation-ready TV, creating a collaborative space for class breakout sessions and student organization meetings. Additionally, CMT branding has been installed above five exterior entrances, reinforcing the building’s identity.

c MT RE c RUITMENT BUILD

s MOMENTUM

CMT saw a strong turnout at the Tupelo High School Scholastic Journalism Career Fair, with growing interest from prospective students. Plans are underway for a potential campus visit, giving students the opportunity to tour facilities and connect with faculty and ambassadors.

Additionally, CMT participated in Academic Insight, continuing to engage with prospective CMT students during a busy recruitment season. Academic Insight Days are geared toward incoming freshmen and transfer students who have been admitted to Mississippi State. These half-day events are designed to give students and parents the opportunity to meet departmental representatives and talk with current students within their intended college. Each event includes a college-specific information session and breakout groups. It is a great time for prospective students and parents to ask questions and get answers about their academic and career goals.

UPGRADE PHOTOS

M cc OMA s IMPROv EMENT s

PR ALUMNA WANDA WILLIAM s

v I s IT s PUBLI c RELATION s WRITING c LA ss E s

Wanda Williams, an ’87 public relations alumna and Columbus native, visited Meaghan Gordon’s Public Relations Writing classes in October. Now a deputy freedom of information officer with the National Archives and Records Administration’s Office of General Counsel, Williams was in Starkville for a 40th reunion with her Alpha Kappa Alpha line sisters from 1985 and made time to return to McComas Hall. She shared her path from a broadcasting career to earning a master’s degree in history at Morgan State University, with an emphasis in U.S. Caribbean foreign policy and 19th-century resistance, and her current work with the U.S. government. Students enjoyed hearing her story and learning from her experiences.

Acc LAIMED s ONGWRITER, c

RI sWELL, s PEA ks TO GHOL s ON ’s MEDIA c LA ss

Acclaimed songwriter Monty Criswell visited Heather Gholson’s Introduction to Mass Media class as a guest speaker, sharing insights on the evolution of radio, the power of storytelling, and careers in the music industry. Drawing from a decades-long career writing for artists like George Strait, Scotty McCreery and Eric Church, Criswell highlighted the creative process behind his award-winning hits and how he stays current in a changing industry. A stage-four cancer survivor, he also shared personal experiences that have shaped his work, including writing songs during chemotherapy, offering students a powerful perspective on resilience and passion.

FAcULTy NEWs AND AWARDs

c MT 2026

FAc ULT y AWARD s

2026 Outstanding Lecturer Award:

2026 Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching:

2026 Faculty Award for Excellence in Research:

2026 Faculty Award for Excellence in Service:

Emma Mulvaney

Dr. Zahed Arman

Dr. Uyanga Bazaa

Dr. Philip Poe

BROADcAsT & DiGiTAL jOURNALisM

LANG HONORED WITH BEA

c HAIRMAN’ s AWARD FOR TOP c REATI v E WOR k

Marty Lang, an assistant professor in Broadcasting & Digital Journalism, received the 2025 BEA On-Location Conference Chairman’s Award for Top Creative Work for his feature film “Stay With Me.” The film was first recognized as Best of Show in Film & Video before being selected as the overall top creative work of the conference, held in Denver, Colorado. Conference chairman Michael Bruce presented Lang with both awards, honoring his outstanding achievement in faculty film and video production.

LANG EARNs TWO BEA MEDIA ARTs AWARDs

Marty Lang, an assistant professor in B&DJ, received two honors in the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts Faculty Competitions. His script, “The Dungeon Master,” earned Best of Competition in the Narrative Short Screenplay category, while his film “Stay With Me” received an Award of Excellence in Narrative Video. These recognitions highlight Lang’s continued creative excellence in both filmmaking and screenwriting.

MAGNOLIA FILM FE s TI vAL

RETURN s WITH c MT FAc ULT y

FEATURE

The Magnolia Film Festival, known as “The Mag,” returned for its 29th year at the UEC Starkville Theater, showcasing 32 independent films from Mississippi and around the world. The long-running festival continues to bring filmmakers and audiences together in the Golden Triangle, highlighting a wide range of storytelling beyond mainstream cinema.

As part of this year’s festival, Marty Lang led a workshop on raising money for independent films. Chris Misun serves as festival director and helps lead the event’s programming and organization.

sELF cONDUcTs MEDIA

TRAINING WITH MsU WOMEN’s BAskETBALL TEAM

Aundrea Self, a lecturer in Broadcasting & Digital Journalism, was invited to conduct media training with the Mississippi State University Women’s Basketball Team as they prepared for SEC Media Days and the upcoming season. During a post-practice session, Self worked with players on interacting with the press in both one-on-one and press conference settings. She shared tips for making interviews engaging and informative, followed by practice sessions with team members.

s ELF WIN s LO c AL PRAM AWARD

Audrea Self, a lecturer in Broadcasting & Digital Journalism, received a Bulldog PRism award in the Writing Category, for her work “From MSU to the World.” The piece shared the story of a College of Business alumnus and his gratitude for a second chance at college. His experiences at MSU propelled him to a career that now takes him all around the world.

FOREMAN AND LANG

HONORED A s M s U AUTHOR s

The MSU Library recently honored MSU authors and gave a warm welcome to new MSU faculty.

Josh Foreman (left), an instructor in Print & Digital Journalism, and Marty Lang, an assistant professor in Broadcast & Digital Journalism, were honored as authors, both having published books last year.

Foreman was honored for his book, “Wicked Mississippi,” co-authored by his writing partner Ryan Starrett. “Wicked Mississippi” takes readers on a descent into the darkest depths of Mississippi.

Lang was recognized for his book, “The SelfSustaining Filmmaker: Creating Crowdsourced, Crowdfunded and Community-Supported Independent Film.” Lang’s book provides guidance on how to build an independent, financially sustainable filmmaking career through channels such as crowdsourcing, crowdfunding and community filmmaking concepts.

cOMMUNIcATION & MEDIA sTUDIEs

c ARTER IN v ITED FOR EXc LU s I v E WHITE HOU s E TOUR

Dr. Gil Carter recently experienced a rare, behind-the-scenes visit to the White House and cultivated the opportunity to speak with lawmakers about his work and the importance of political communication.

Carter, a faculty member in MSU’s Department of Communication, Media & Theatre, visited several areas that are typically off-limits to the public. He was granted the unique experience by Elizabeth McAlindon, a former student from his tenure at the University of Alabama, who now serves on the White House staff.

“I had the rare opportunity to tour the West Wing,” Carter said. “I saw the Oval Office, Cabinet Room and Roosevelt Room, among other locations that could not be photographed.”

He was able to document part of the experience in the James Brady Press

Briefing Room, where White House press secretaries deliver televised updates. Carter posed at the podium and in the press seating area.

In addition to his White House tour, Carter visited Capitol Hill, where he discussed his teaching and research in political communication with several members of Congress.

“I enjoy visiting D.C. when Congress is in session to see the body in action. My dissertation and much of my continuing research agenda center on the Senate. Senators are frequently friendly in brief and spontaneous interactions in the office buildings. Their most frequent question to me is, ‘What do you teach?’ They perk up when I say, among other subjects, ‘political communication,’” Carter said.

“Each time I go to D.C., I am reminded of the importance of our democratic system of government and the sacrifices of so many everyday Americans to maintain it. This is what I stress to our MSU students––political communication matters because it is essential to maintaining our democracy. This trip was a wonderful opportunity,” Carter said.

While on Capitol Hill, Carter met with several U.S. legislators, including Rep Shomari Figures from Alabama, whose parents served in the Alabama Legislature alongside Carter’s grandfather.

Carter, a native of Killen, Alabama, said the trip not only provided professional engagement but also offered a meaningful personal connection.

“Talking with representatives about our families’ history in Alabama politics was a memorable moment,” he said. “It was truly a unique and inspiring visit,” he said.

MccORMick AWARDED TEAcHiNG GRANT

Carrie McCormick, an instructor in Communication & Media Studies, recently earned the “Insight Excellence” badge for CO 4063: Family Communication. The Insight Excellence badge represents the highest level of achievement in the course review and feedback program and recognizes exceptional online instructional design and evidence-based teaching practices.

McCormick was also named a recipient of the 2026 Inclusive Excellence Teaching Grant through Mississippi State University’s College of Arts & Sciences. Her project, “Escape to Engage,” introduces a synchronous online escape room into a winter-session course to promote communication, leadership and collaborative problem-solving through interactive, team-based learning experiences.

FOUNTAiN FOcUsEs ON INsTRUcTION

Amy Fountain participated in several programs and efforts aimed at strong teaching across the university. She became a Certified Peer Observer through the Center for Innovation in Teaching Excellence, further strengthening her ability to support and evaluate effective instructional practices. She continues to serve on the College of Arts & Sciences TEAMS, an initiative to develop and disseminate resources designed to support teaching across the college. Additionally, she played a leadership role on the AdvantaGE Committee, where she contributed to efforts aimed at improving the General Education curriculum at Mississippi State University. Fountain also participated in Classroom Observation Days organized by the Center for Innovation in Teaching Excellence, opening her classroom to colleagues to highlight and share effective pedagogical strategies.

sEITZ LEADs PANEL AT

NATIONAL

AGRIcULTURAL scIENcE

Dr. Holli Seitz, an associate professor in Communication & Media Studies, facilitated a science communication panel at the annual meeting of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. The discussion featured MSU experts Dr. Wes Schilling, Dr. Tom Allen and Dr. O. P. McCubbins. The conference brought together national leaders in agricultural science, technology and communication.

ZANNAT EARNs AcUE EFFEcTIvE TEAcHING cERTIFIcATE

Rubaiya Zannat, an instructor in Communication & Media Studies, was awarded a certificate in the Effective Teaching Practice Framework as a Faculty Fellow in the Association of College and University Educators. The recognition follows her successful completion of a course module where she demonstrated proficiency in applying research-based strategies to build learner-centered course structures, align outcomes and assessments and strengthen student engagement.

TEAcHING, LEADERsHIP AcHiEvEMENTs

Dr. Holli Seitz, associate professor in Communication & Media Studies, had a notable year marked by leadership in teaching and science communication. She recently was named one of MSU’s Grisham Master Teachers, the university’s most prestigious teaching honor recognizing faculty who demonstrate exceptional commitment to student learning.

As part of this recognition, Seitz delivered the first lecture in the revived Grisham Lecture Series Nov. 4 in the John Grisham Room of Mitchell Memorial Library, marking the series’ return after a five-year hiatus.

In partnership with the Office of Research and Economic Development, Seitz leads a science communication mini-course designed to help researchers, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students communicate their work more effectively. Participants who complete the program will receive a certificate in spring 2026.

Beyond campus, Seitz facilitated a science communication panel at the annual meeting of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, guiding discussion among MSU experts and national leaders in agricultural science and communication.

Within the department, she continues supporting faculty development by facilitating discussions through the Communication Pedagogy Roundtable Committee, helping faculty refine teaching portfolios and demonstrate instructional impact.

Through her work in teaching, mentorship and science communication, Seitz continues contributing to Mississippi State University’s mission of academic excellence and public engagement.

giL cARTER ‘OUR PEOPLE’ sPOTLIghT

By Sarah Nicholas, CMT alumna and A&S writer and editor

No matter what, Dr. Gil Carter was always going to find a career in education. “When people like politics, there’s the old saying that they have been ‘bitten by the bug.’ I was bitten at a young age,” laughed Carter, an assistant professor in Mississippi State University’s Department of Communication, Media and Theatre.

Carter’s early fascination grew at the intersection of two lifelong influences: education and politics. A native of Killen, Alabama, he comes from a family of educators, including both parents, his siblings and a grandmother who was a professor of secondary education.

“I always wanted to be a professor,” he said. “In middle school, I even had a text signature that said, ‘Gil Carter, Future Ph.D.’ I grew up knowing you could study what you loved and make a career out of it.”

At the same time, politics was never far from reach. Carter’s late grandfather

served nine terms in the Alabama State Legislature, and some of Carter’s earliest memories involve microphones, campaign events and public speaking.

“One of my first speeches was roasting my grandfather at a benefit dinner when I was seven,” he said. “There’s even a picture of me as a baby, grabbing the microphone on the State House floor while he held me. That photo is on my desk today.”

Those experiences carried into college and beyond. Carter worked on political campaigns, eventually serving as district director for a successful Alabama State Senate reelection campaign.

“I realized I didn’t have to choose between education and politics,” he said. “I could combine them.” He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama and both his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Alabama, focusing on political communication, rhetoric and persuasion. He taught throughout graduate school, earning UA’s Outstanding Teaching by a Doctoral Student award.

Before arriving at MSU in August 2024, Carter served as an assistant instructional professor and director of debate at the University of Florida.

“When I saw the position at Mississippi State, people kept sending it to me saying, ‘This is your CV in a job description,’” he said. “I’m honored to be here. I feel at home.”

Carter teaches elements of persuasion, political communication and words that changed the world, helping students understand how communication shapes democracy. His passion is rooted in a pivotal moment as a high school student when he attended Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., and was invited to

meet the president.

“Meeting President Obama and walking the halls of the U.S. Senate changed everything for me,” he said. “That’s when I realized I needed to study the Senate.”

Now, Carter frequently returns to the nation’s capital, immersing himself in the environments he studies.

“When I was invited by a staff member I know to the White House to tour the West Wing in July 2025, 10 years to the week since I first visited there, I was overwhelmed seeing the Oval Office,” Carter said. “I’ve seen life-size replicas in museums, but seeing the real thing made me think, ‘Wow, it actually exists!’ It’s not just a place you see on TV.

“I often talk with my students about how understanding place is key to understanding rhetoric,” he continued. “When you stand in those rooms, you better understand the communication happening within them.”

That perspective informs both his teaching and research.

“My work is one way I participate in democracy,” Carter said. “I help students craft messages, think critically and engage in political discourse.”

He said familiarity can sometimes lead Americans to disengage.

“We can become so accustomed to democracy that we tune out political messages,” Carter said. “But democracy is government by and of the people, so ‘we the people’ have a responsibility to engage. We are obliged to participate in democracy.”

THEATRE

REcENT THEATRE AccOMPLisHMENTs & AccOLADEs

• First time MSU showcased a production at the ACTF Region IV Festival in Montgomery, Alabama

• Tonya Hays had one of her plays, “Daisy and the Bandit” accepted for publication. The play is a melodrama written for students she worked with in Poland. The Ukrainian students and Polish students had fun with this crazy, old timey interactive melodrama set in the Wild West.

• Theatre concentration students presented at the MCA conference

• Faculty presented at 4 conferences this year, a total of 11 presentations (MTA Teachers meeting, MTA, SETC and ACTF)

• MSU students and faculty received multiple ACTF awards

• Jesse Wade winning a playwriting award

• Faculty served in leadership roles in state and regional organizations

• Second Haunted Theatre event fall 2025

• Hosted Drama Fest in December 2025

• Continued partnership with Lyceum with record-breaking attendance for the children’s show

• School matinee audiences for three of the four shows this season

• Two interdisciplinary partnerships with computer science and engineering on “Fahrenheit 451” and “Theatrical Robots”

• Funding received from ORED for undergraduate research used for “Fahrenheit 451,” with students presenting at research symposium

• Lighting upgrades progressing

• Staff actively working on NAST documents for accreditation

• Partnership with Music Department for “Sweeney Todd”

• Partnership with ACCESS for “Jack and the Beanstalk “

• Faculty continue supporting Summer Scholars and working with community theatres in Starkville and Columbus

HAys REcEIvEs

FELLOWsHIP IN PLAyWRITING THORN FEATURED ON A&s vIsION Tv

Tonya Hays, an assistant professor of Theatre, received a highly competitive Mississippi Arts Commission individual Artist Fellowship in playwriting. The $5,000 award recognizes artistic excellence and supports the development of new works.

Greg Thorn, an assistant professor of Theatre, was featured on A&S Vision TV to discuss Theatre MSU’s upcoming season.

WATCH THE EPISODE OF A&S VISION TV HERE

WAdE EARNs mIssIssIPPI ThEATRE AssOcIATION

PLAYWRITINg AWARd

Assistant Clinical Professor of Theatre Jesse Wade received the Adult Playwriting Award from the Mississippi Theatre Association for his original play “Touch.” The work explores themes of technology, humanity and connection through the story of a scientist who gives emotions to an android she has created. Announced at MTA’s 2025 convention at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, the honor highlights the continued creative excellence of MSU faculty in the performing arts. Wade also earned prior recognitions, including a 2024 Meritorious Achievement in Scenic Design award from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for his work on “A Piece of My Heart.”

ThEATRE msU shOWcAsEs

ANd ThE bEANsTALK’ AT FEsTIVAL

Theatre MSU and the MSU ACCESS Program collaborated to produce “Jack! and the Beanstalk,” an original retelling written by Caroline Donnelly and Hays and directed by Jacob Uithoven and Donnelly. Theatre faculty including Tonya Hays, Melanie Harris, Jesse Wade and Greg Thorn collaborated on the production, while Jordan Spencer and Riley Walters led the ACCESS team.

The production marked Theatre MSU’s first showcase at the American College Theatre Festival in Montgomery, Alabama. This unified theatre production brought together theatre students, faculty and ACCESS participants, touring local elementary schools before a campus performance and its invited festival showcase. The performance was well received, highlighting the success of this unique collaboration and sparking interest from other institutions.

mississiPPi ThEATRE AssOciATiON hONORs msU LEgAciEs WiTh NAmEd AWARds

By Sarah Nicholas, CMT alumna and A&S writer and editor

The Mississippi Theatre Association renamed two of its annual DramaFest awards in honor of longtime Mississippi State faculty members Wayne “Dur” Durst and Betty “Jo” Durst, recognizing their decades of service and lasting impact on theater education in Mississippi.

Announced during January’s Mississippi Theatre Association Conference, the organization’s executive board approved the Betty “Jo” Durst Directing Award and Wayne “Dur” Durst Award for Technical Achievement.

For more than three decades, the Dursts were central figures in Theatre MSU, the production arm of MSU’s Department of Communication, Media and Theatre. Joining the university in 1978, Wayne Durst served 37 years as theater area coordinator and technical director, overseeing scenery, lighting and production design for campus performances. His expertise also contributed to the design of

Wayne “Dur” and Betty “Jo” Durst sit in McComas Hall theater seats. (OPA photo)

four performance spaces, including the theater in McComas Hall. He was honored with a permanent portrait installation in the building.

Jo Durst served 34 years as a faculty member specializing in acting and directing, mentoring generations of students and helping produce four productions annually. Known for her work both on and off stage, she previously earned multiple awards for costume design during her professional career before arriving at MSU. She concluded her service to the university with a retirement reception honoring her decades of commitment to theater education.

“Jo and Dur were the beating hearts of Theatre MSU for over three decades,” said Melanie Harris, instructor II and costume designer for the department’s concentration. “They were an unbeatable team who educated, inspired and supported hundreds of MSU students from every major in the classroom, onstage and in life. Their biggest lessons, however, came from watching the two of them demonstrate for all of us how to find the joy in making art together.”

In 2012, the Dursts received MTA’s Cowboy Maloney Award in recognition of their statewide contributions. Wayne Durst also was inducted into the Summer Scholars On-Stage Hall of Fame in 2009 for his achievements in stagecraft.

Their MSU legacy remains visible through the MSU Libraries-housed Wayne and Jo Durst Script Collection, a location for scripts from past Theatre MSU productions, many bearing their handwritten notes and production markings. The collection serves as both a historical archive and a teaching resource for current students.

PRINT & DIGITAL jOURNALIsM

FOREMAN, HEWITT HONORED As ‘jOURNALIsM LEADERs’

Josh Foreman, an instructor in P&DJ, was named one of the 2026 Faculty Champions by the University of Vermont Center for Community News. The honor recognizes him as a “journalism leader” for his work expanding university-led reporting programs and contributing to a national movement of student-powered community journalism. Elizabeth Hewitt, a lecturer in P&DJ, coordinates a cohort of champions from universities across the South.

HEWITT PUBLIsHEs IN cOLUMBIA jOURNAL, EARNs cERTIFIcATION

Elizabeth Hewitt, a lecturer in P&DJ, recently published a dispatch in the Columbia Journalism Review highlighting how audiences relied on independent meteorologist Matt Laubhan during January’s ice storm. The piece explores his shift from traditional media to launching Mississippi Live Weather and reflects a broader trend of journalists building independent platforms to better serve their communities.

Hewitt was also certified as a trainer with the Solutions Journalism Network after completing its train-the-trainer program in fall 2025. A longtime solutions journalist, she brings this approach into the classroom, equipping students with tools to produce rigorous, community-focused reporting that emphasizes impactful responses to realworld challenges.

ROUssIN FEATURED IN NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF ART, PUBLIsHED

IN cREATIvE QUARTERLy

Wendy Roussin, an associate professor in Print & Digital Journalism, was included in “Got Wax?: A Juried National Exhibition of Artworks Created with Cold & Hot Wax Processes.” Her piece, “Untitled (FL)-c,” an 8x10 encaustic photograph, was exhibited at the D’Art Center from Feb. 14-March 14. The exhibition highlighted artworks created using cold and hot wax processes, showcasing the medium’s ability to add luminosity, texture and depth; continuing a tradition that dates back to ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt while remaining relevant in contemporary art.

VIEW THE EXHIBIT HERE

Roussin was also included in Creative Quarterly Issue 83, 2026 as a runner up in the professional category: Fine Art, Portfolio with the image untitled (MA)e. Creative Quarterly is an international journal focusing on promoting the best work in graphic design, illustration, photography and fine art. Competitions are open to all artists, designers and photographers at all levels—professionals, students, amateurs—in all countries. Winners and runner-ups are featured online. Runners-ups are listed in the printed Annual (Annual 2026).

VIEW THE CREATIVE QUARTERLY ISSUE HERE

Both of these images untitled (FL)c and untitled (MA)e are part of a larger encaustic photographic artwork project titled 10x10. 10x10 is supported in part by a 2025 Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) FY26 Individual Artist MiniGrant. The Individual Artist Mini-Grant supports established and emerging professional artists based in Mississippi by providing funds to assist with 1) artistic professional development, 2) promotional materials, or 3) the purchase of expendable art supplies.

Roussin’s work, “Untitled (FL)-c”

PUBLIc RELATIONs

cMT FAcULTy WiN MULTiPLE

sTATE PRAM AWARDs

Mississippi State University faculty were recognized at the PRAM State Conference for their strategic, creative and impactful work on behalf of the College of Arts & Sciences.

PRAM State Award Winners:

Long-Term Strategic Programs, Reputation, Issues & Brand Management

Entry: 2025 Academic Year College Student Recruitment–Orientation Branding

Recipients: Kelli Anthony, Karyn Brown, Hannah Coleman

Short-Term Strategic Programs, Special Events

Entry: College of Arts & Sciences Cookie Crawl

Recipients: Sam Kealhofer, Karyn Brown, Kelli Anthony

Tactical Materials, Advertising & Publications

Entry: Vision Magazine 2025

Recipients: Sarah Nicholas, Karyn Brown, Sam Kealhofer, Kelli Anthony, Heather Rowe

PUBLIc RELATIONs

Dr. Uyanga Bazaa, an assistant professor in Public Relations, was named a 2025 Kopenhaver Fellow, and she attended the Lillian Kopenhaver Women Faculty Moving Forward workshop in San Francisco in August.

Karyn Brown, A&S assistant dean for communication and media, along with Allison Matthews, news editor and CMT alumna, for the MSU Office of Public Affairs, presented to the Starkville/MSU Public Relations Association of Mississippi about earning Accreditation in Public Relations. Brown and Matthews both earned APR in the last five years.

Zahedur R. Arman, an assistant professor in Public Relations, recently served as a judge for the Graduate Research Symposium at Mississippi State University. He evaluated five graduate research projects, including two funded by the National Science Foundation. Arman described the experience as inspiring, noting the innovation and dedication of MSU’s emerging scholars.

BROWN EARNs LEADERsHIP

ROLE

AND OUTsTANDING EDUcATOR REcOGNITION

Karyn Brown, assistant dean for communication and media in the College of Arts & Sciences, is serving a prestigious second term on the Board of Directors for the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences, a national organization representing more than 340 colleges and universities. Elected by the full membership, Brown’s role allows her to collaborate with leaders across the country and contribute to national conversations shaping arts and sciences education. She is also recognized as a leader within CCAS, having created and co-directed its Communicator Community, a network that connects communication professionals across member institutions to share ideas and strengthen messaging.

Brown has also been named the Outstanding Educator by the Public Relations Society of America (Alabama chapter), recognizing her decades of impact in public relations education, mentorship and leadership. A faculty member in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre for more than 30 years and now assistant dean, she has played a key role in preparing students for careers grounded in integrity and strategic thinking. In 2024, Brown earned her Accreditation in Public Relations credential, a distinction held by fewer than 2% of practitioners worldwide, further reflecting her commitment to excellence in teaching, service and the profession.

gORdON EARNs LOcAL PRAm AWARd

Meaghan Gordon, an instructor in Public Relations, received an Award of Excellence from the Starkville PRAM Bulldog PRism Awards for her article, “The Power of One,” published in Foundations magazine for the MSU Foundation.

KARYN bROWN LEAds APR PANEL AT PRAm sTATE cONFERENcE

Karyn Brown, APR, assistant dean of communication and media for the College of Arts & Sciences, served as a featured speaker at the PRAM State Conference, leading a breakout session on the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) process. In “Reflections on Our APR Experience,” Brown shared insights from her own accreditation journey, offering practical guidance and encouragement to professionals considering the APR credential.

PREsENTATIONs & PUBLicATiONs

PUBLicATiONs

Faisal, H. M., Zannat, R., & Arman, Z. R. (2025). Social Media Users’ Hesitancy Towards Children’s COVID-19 Vaccination: Implications for Physical Wellbeing. In M. Laeeq Khan (Ed.), Oxford Intersections: Social Media in Society and Culture. Oxford University Press. https://doi.or g/10.1093/9780198945253.003.0080

Arman, Zahedur; M. Md Mahbbat Ali; Uddin, Jamal; Manik, Islam Didarul; Hyder, Islam, Taiiquil. (2025). Manufacturing Legitimacy: Media Ownership and the Framing of the July 2024 Uprising in Bangladesh. Journalism and Media.

Al-Zaman, Md. Sayeed; Arman, Zahedur; Faisal, Hasan Mahmud; Zannat, Rubaiya (2025, July). “Digital protest and transnational mediation: exploring key mediators and narratives in the #StepDownHasina hashtivism in social media.” Journal of International Technology & Politics.

Sayeed Al-Zaman, S., Arman, Z. R., Faisal, H. M., & Zannat, Rubaiya (2025, March 26-30). Hashtivism against Authoritarianism: Analyzing Key Mediators, Geospatial Trends, and Narratives in the #StepDownHasina Hashtag in Social Media. Accepted in the Political Communication division of Eastern Communication Association’s 116th Convention, Buffalo, New York (Top paper award).

Arman, Z. R., Al-Zaman, S., Faisal, H. M., Zannat, R., & Ahammed, M., (2025 July). Acceptance of ChatGPT in Higher Education: An Extended Technology Acceptance Model (4209749). 75th Annual International Communication Association Conference, Denver, Colorado.

Arman, Z. R., Islam, M. K., & Nabi, M., (2025, March 7-8). Propaganda Through Misinformation: Analyzing Communal Misinformation Targeting Minorities in Bangladesh. Accepted in the AEJMC 2025 Midwinter conference, Norman, Oklahoma.

Bhat, P., Bhuiyan, M., Arman, Z. R., Klein, O., (2025, June 12-16). Activism in a Captured Media Environment: Exploring Paradigmatic News Coverage of the Anti-Discrimination Student Protests in Bangladesh (4223086). 75th Annual International Communication Association Conference, Denver, Colorado.

Bazaa, Uyanga & Flint, Caroline. “Defining Relationships from a Public Perspective” has been accepted for presentation at the 96th Annual Convention of the Southern States Communication Association to be held April 9-12, 2026, in Birmingham, AL

Bazaa, Uyanga Teaching Students How to Use Social Media Effectively: Challenges & Opportunities. Association of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication. San Francisco, CA. August 2025. Panelist.

Carter, G. (2025). Who was Robin Bush? A Narrative Analysis of How a Presidential Family Experienced Her Death. Journal of the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri. 47-67.

Carter, G.,* and Chambers, C. (2025). Risks of unconditional belief in students’ stories. Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication. 55(2), 79-80. *Lead author https://community. aejmc.org/smallprogramsinterestgroup/publications/journal

Carter, G., and Chambers, C. (2025). Risks of unconditional belief in students’ stories. Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication. 55(2), 79-80. https://community.aejmc.org/ smallprogramsinterestgroup/publications/journal

Choi, H, & Chen, W. C. (2025). A latent profile analysis: Late-night repertoires and political participation in the high-choice late-night environment. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 1-18. Advance online publication.

Fisher, M. (2025). “State of Public Relations Master’s Degree Education in the United States: 2025 Curricular Standards” Journal of Public Relations Education, October, 2025, In Press.

Shen, H., Fisher, M. and Plowman, K. (2025) “Educating for complexity 2.0: Curricular standards for a PR master’s degree,” in Kinsky, E.S. and Wallace, A. (2025). Graduate education in public relations.

Seitz, H. H. (2025). Using communication science to inform responsible crisis communication. In K. E. Moloney, G. J. Billingsley, B. G. Jeong, P. Sanabria-Pulido, T. E. Thornton, & E. Zeemering (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook on Crisis, Polycrisis, and Public Administration (pp. 333-336). Routledge.

Steen, J. S., Seitz, H. H., Robertson, M. N., & Buys, D. R. (2025). Explanations for failure to detect effects of a prescription medication disposal intervention for rural adults [Article commentary]. Journal of Health Communication, 30(sup1), 68–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2024.244 6998

Settle, Q., & Seitz, H. (2025). Using experiential learning to help undergraduates understand the science of science communication. NACTA Journal, 69(1). https://doi.org/10.56103/nactaj. v69i1.242

Seitz, H. H. (2025). The focus group introduction: Learning about research methods while learning about one another. Utah Journal of Communication, 3(1), 100-103. https://doi. org/10.5281/zenodo.15312891

Downey, L. H., Seitz, H. H., & Byrd, S. H. (2025). Effects of a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education campaign on campaign awareness, message recall, and behavior. Health Education & Behavior, 52(6), 621-632. https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981251334149

Waller, M. M., Robertson, M. N., Seitz, H. H., Nadorff, M. R., & Buys, D. R. (2025) Rural mental health challenges: Addressing community-specific needs of rural Mississippians. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 13(3), 5-23. https://doi.org/10.55533/2325-5226.1518 (peerreviewed).

Sherman-Morris, K., Seitz, H. H., Warkentin, M., & Strawderman, L. (2026). Motivations and costs associated with intention to take protective action across five weather hazards. Weather, Climate, and Society, 18(1), 149-161. https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-25-0072.1

Zannat, Rubaiya; Hale, Brent J.; (2025). Socially-Mediated Crisis Communication and Audience Engagement in the Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Use of Facebook by UN Humanitarian Organizations. Kentucky Journal of Communication. Vol. 42, No. 4, 2025, pp. 4-31.

Zannat, R. & Faisal, H. M. (2025). From Guidelines to Headlines: A comparative analysis of the press releases of the Centre for Disease Control and the news reports of The Washington Post on COVID-19. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 17(1), 37–50.

PREsENTATIONs

Arman, Zahedur. “Where the candidates stand: A social network analysis of the Democratic Party’s candidacy announcement speeches.” Midwest Political Science Association conference. Chicago. April 2026.

Arman, Zahedur. “Beyond Borders: An Analysis of Protest Paradigm in National, Diaspora, and Exile Media Coverage of Bangladesh’s 2024 Uprising,” has been accepted for presentation at the 96th Annual Convention of the Southern States Communication Association. Birmingham, AL. April 2026.

Carter, G.*, Nicholson, J., Rogerson, J., & Saunders, J. Victors, Villains, Martyrs, and Trailblazers: Mississippi Political Rhetoric during the Hundred Years of MCA. Mississippi Communication Association. Clinton, Mississippi. February 2026. *Panel leader

Carter, Gil. Inconsistent Demagoguery: The Rhetoric of Senator Richard Russell. Extended Abstract Submission. Florida Communication Association. Winter Park, Florida, October 2025.

Carter, Gil “It’s Not Just a Song: It’s a Way to Teach Rhetoric of Public Memory.” Alabama Communication Association Conference. Huntsville, Alabama, July 2025.

Carter, Gil., Lazenby, B., Lee, E., McFadden, N., Price, S., Quick, M. Elevating Care: Successes and Challenges of Communicating Everyone’s Right to Healthcare. National Communication Association Annual Convention (2025). Aurora, CO. Health Communication Division.

Carter, Gil How Do Power and Persuasion Differ? Learn from an Interview. Great Ideas for Teaching Students (GIFTS) Session. Carolinas Communication Association Annual Conference. Raleigh, North Carolina, October 2025.

Carter, Gil Chambers, C., Franklin, C., Harris, J., Pike, M., & Welch, N. Striking the Balance: Believing Students in an Artificial World. Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, Alabama. April 2026. *Panel leader.

Mestayer, C. L., McCormick, C., Carter, G. & Rogers, J. L. The Impact of Words: Exploring Hate Speech, Opinions, Fighting Words, and Slander. Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, Alabama. April 2026.

Carter, G.*, Lazenby, B., Lee, E., McFadden, N., Price, S., & Quick, M. Elevating Care: Successes and Challenges of Communicating Everyone’s Right to Healthcare. National Communication Association Annual Convention (2025). Aurora, Colorado. Health Communication Division. *Panel leader.

Chambers, C. (2026). G.I.F.T.S. Presentation (Guided Discussions). MCA Presentation. Choi, Heesook. (2025). Political satire from left to right and media literacy. Political Communication Division. Annual AEJMC Conference in San Francisco, CA.

Choi, Heesook. (2025). Partisanship, political satire and emotions: Applying social identity theory to the study of political satire and affect toward presidential candidates. Political Communication Division. Annual AEJMC Conference in San Francisco, CA.

Fisher, M. (2025). “Advancing the profession: Graduate Education in Public Relations.” Panel presented at the Public Relations Society of America Educators Academy virtual summit. Fisher, M. (2025). “Essential Change: Adding diverse role models to public relations history.” Panel presented at the annual conference of the Association for the Education of Journalism and Mass Communication, San Francisco, CA.

Foreman, J., Hudson, B., Katz, M. & Poe, P.* Poet, Preacher, Professor: Challenges and Opportunities for Professional Journalists in the Classroom. Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, Alabama. April 2026. *Panel leader

Fountain, A. and Knight, A. (2026). G.I.F.T.S. Presentation (Synchronous Sessions in Asynchronous Classes). MCA Presentation.

Knight, A. W. (2026, February 25). What we build: Your piece matters [Guest speaker presentation]. New Maroon Camp, Mississippi State University.

Knight, A. W. (2026, February 25). Let me be your guide.[Breakout session]. New Maroon Camp, Mississippi State University.

Lang, Marty. (2025). Creative Competition Panel: Best of Show: Film & Video Competition, Stay With Me; BEA On-Location Faculty Creative Competition.

Barnes, L., Christen, S., Hanson-Smith, E., McCormick, C.R., & Taylor, L. (2025, April). Instructional Communication-A Foundational Anchor in the Communication Field. In C. R. McCormick (presenter) Linking Theories to Skills. Panel Conducted at the meeting of the Southern States Communication Association, Norfolk, VA.

Mestayer, C. L., McCormick, C., Carter, G., & Rogers, J. L. The Impact of Words: Exploring Hate Speech, Opinions, Fighting Words, and Slander. Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, Alabama. April 2026.

McCormick, C.R. (2026, April) Demonstrate your Flirt. GIFTS session presented at the meeting of the Southern States Communication Birmingham, AL.

Mestayer, C.L, Christen, S.A., Hanson-Smith, E., McCormick, C.R., & Rogers, J.L. (2026, April) Introducing AI in Communication Courses. In C. R. McCormick (presenter) AI Test Tutor and Instructor Content Creation. Panel conducted at the meeting of the Southern States Communication Association, Birmingham, AL.

Carter, G., Nicholson, J., Rogerson, J., & Saunders, J. Victors, Villains, Martyrs, and Trailblazers: Mississippi Political Rhetoric during the Hundred Years of MCA. Mississippi Communication Association. Clinton, Mississippi. February 2026.

Rudrow, Keven. (2026). “We Gotta Stay Active”: Palestinian Hip-hop, Resistance, and Teenage Rapper MC Abdul’s Anti-Settler Colonial Discourse, 76th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, June 2026, Cape Town, South Africa.

Rudrow, Keven. (2026). “Reconsidering “Closet” Rhetorics in Authoritarian Times.” The Rhetoric Society of America’s biannual conference.

Seitz, H. H. & Harris-Speight, J. (2025, April 29). Integrating adult immunization education into the Junior Master Wellness Volunteer Program in Mississippi. EXCITE Preconference of the National Health Outreach & Engagement Conference 2025, Omaha, NE, United States.

Faisal, H. M., Zannat, R., & Makbul, N. E. (July 2025). Applying Dialogic Communication Theory to CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach on Facebook: A Digital Health Perspective. Presented at the 15th Annual Conference of the Alabama Communication Association (ACA), Huntsville, Alabama.

Makbul, N. E., Zannat, R., & Faisal, H. M. (June 2025). Colonial Legacies and Queer Health: The Intersectional Struggle in South Asian Healthcare Systems. Presented at the Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Health Communication Division, Denver, Colorado.

PUBLicATiONs

RUbAIYA ZANNAT

Zannat, Rubaiya; Hale, Brent J. (2025). Socially-Mediated Crisis Communication and Audience Engagement in the Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Use of Facebook by UN Humanitarian Organizations. Kentucky Journal of Communication, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 4–31.

Zannat, R. & Faisal, H. M. (2025). From Guidelines to Headlines: A comparative analysis of the press releases of the Center for Disease Control and the news reports of The Washington Post on COVID-19. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 17(1), 37–50.

mELOdY FIshER

Fisher, M. (2025). State of Public Relations Master’s Degree Education in the United States: 2025 Curricular Standards. Journal of Public Relations Education, October 2025, In Press. Shen, H., Fisher, M., & Plowman, K. (2025).

Educating for complexity 2.0: Curricular standards for a PR master’s degree.

In E. S. Kinsky & A. Wallace (Eds.), Graduate Education in Public Relations.

dR. ZAhEdUR ARmAN

Arman, Z. R., Islam, M. K., & Nabi, M. (2025, March 7-8). Propaganda Through Misinformation: Analyzing Communal Misinformation Targeting Minorities in Bangladesh. AEJMC 2025 Midwinter Conference, Norman, Oklahoma.

Bhat, P., Bhuiyan, M., Arman, Z. R., Klein, O. (2025, June 12-16). Activism in a Captured Media Environment: Exploring Paradigmatic News Coverage of the Anti-Discrimination Student Protests in Bangladesh. 75th Annual International Communication Association Conference, Denver, Colorado.

dR. gIL cARTER & chERYL chAmbERs

Carter, G., and Chambers, C. (2025). Risks of unconditional belief in students’ stories. Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication. 55(2), 79-80.

dR. hEEsOOK chOI

Choi, H., & Chen, W. C. (2025). A latent profile analysis: Late-night repertoires and political participation in the high-choice late-night environment. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 1–18. Advance online publication.

dR. UYANgA bAZAA

Bazaa, Uyanga., & Flint, Caroline. Defining Relationships from a Public Perspective. Accepted for presentation at the 96th Annual Convention of the Southern States Communication Association, April 9–12, 2026, Birmingham, AL.

Bazaa, Uyanga. Teaching Students How to Use Social Media Effectively: Challenges & Opportunities. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), San Francisco, CA, August 2025. (Panelist).

RUbAIYA ZANNAT & dR. ZAhEdUR ARmAN

Faisal, H. M., Zannat, R., & Arman, Z. R. (2025). Social Media Users’ Hesitancy Towards Children’s COVID-19 Vaccination: Implications for Physical Wellbeing. In Oxford Intersections: Social Media in Society and Culture. Oxford University Press.

Al-Zaman, Md. Sayeed; Arman, Zahedur; Faisal, Hasan Mahmud; Zannat, Rubaiya (2025, July). Digital protest and transnational mediation: exploring key mediators and narratives in the #StepDownHasina hashtivism in social media. Journal of International Technology & Politics.

Sayeed Al-Zaman, S., Arman, Z. R., Faisal, H. M., & Zannat, Rubaiya (2025, March 26–30). Hashtivism against Authoritarianism: Analyzing Key Mediators, Geospatial Trends, and Narratives in the #StepDownHasina Hashtag in Social Media. Eastern Communication Association’s 116th Convention (Top Paper Award). Arman, Z. R., Al-Zaman, S., Faisal, H. M., Zannat, R., & Ahammed, M. (2025, July).

Arman, Z. R., Al-Zaman, S., Faisal, H. M., Zannat, R., & Ahammed, M. (2025, July). Acceptance of ChatGPT in Higher Education: An Extended Technology Acceptance Model (4209749). 75th Annual International Communication Association Conference.

dR. giL cARTER

Carter, G. (2025). Who was Robin Bush? A Narrative Analysis of How a Presidential Family Experienced Her Death. Journal of the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri. 55, 47-67.

Carter, G.,* and Chambers, C. (2025). Risks of unconditional belief in students’ stories. Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication. 55(2), 79-80. *Lead author

dR. hOLLi sEiTZ

Settle, Q., & Seitz, H. (2025). Using experiential learning to help undergraduates understand the science of science communication. NACTA Journal, 69(1).

Seitz, H. H. (2025). The focus group introduction: Learning about research methods while learning about one another. Utah Journal of Communication, 3(1), 100–103.

Downey, L. H., Seitz, H. H., & Byrd, S. H. (2025). Effects of a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program –Education campaign on campaign awareness, message recall, and behavior. Health Education & Behavior, 52(6), 621–632.

Waller, M. M., Robertson, M. N., Seitz, H. H., Nadorff, M. R., & Buys, D. R. (2025). Rural mental health challenges: Addressing community-specific needs of rural Mississippians. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 13(3), 5–23 (peer-reviewed).

PREsENTATIONs

dR. ZAhEdUR ARmAN

dR. hEEsOOK chOI

Choi, Heesook. (2025). Political satire from left to right and media literacy.

Political Communication Division.

Annual AEJMC Conference in San Francisco, CA.

dR. giL cARTER

Carter, Gil. Inconsistent Demagoguery: The Rhetoric of Senator Richard Russell. Extended Abstract Submission. Florida Communication Association. Winter Park, Florida, October 2025.

Carter, Gil. “It’s Not Just a Song: It’s a Way to Teach Rhetoric of Public Memory.” Alabama Communication Association Conference. Huntsville, Alabama, July 2025.

Carter, Gil. How Do Power and Persuasion Differ? Learn from an Interview. Great Ideas for Teaching Students (GIFTS) Session. Carolinas Communication Association Annual Conference. Raleigh, North Carolina, October 2025.

*Carter, Gil. Chambers, C., Franklin, C., Harris, J., Pike, M., & Welch, N. Striking the Balance: Believing Students in an Artificial World. Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, Alabama. April 2026. *Panel leader.

Hoppin, S., Wang, T., Ahern, S., Parish, N. B., Parsons, C., & Carter, G. Mapping the Major: Elevating the Communication Degree to Academic and Professional Opportunities. National Communication Association Annual Convention (2025). Aurora, Colorado. Lambda Pi Eta. Carter, G.*, Lazenby, B., Lee, E., McFadden, N., Price, S., & Quick, M. Elevating Care: Successes and Challenges of Communicating Everyone’s Right to Healthcare. National Communication Association Annual Convention (2025). Aurora, Colorado. Health Communication Division. *Panel leader.

dR. giL cARTER & chERYL

Carter, Gil. Chambers, C., Franklin, C., Harris, J., Pike, M., & Welch, N. Striking the Balance: Believing Students in an Artificial World. Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, Alabama. April 2026.

*Chambers, C. (2025). G.I.F.T.S. Presentation (Guided Discussions). MCA Presentation.

dR. gIL cARTER & cARRIE mcc

dR. giL cARTER & dR. jOhN NIchOLsON

dR. mELOdY FIshER

Fisher, M. (2025). “Advancing the profession: Graduate Education in Public Relations.” Panel presented at the Public Relations Society of America Educators Academy virtual summit.

Fisher, M. (2025). “Essential Change: Adding diverse role models to public relations history.” Panel presented at the annual conference of the Association for the Education of Journalism and Mass Communication, San Francisco, CA.

mARTY LANg, mFA

dR. hEEsOOK chOI

Lang, Marty. (2025). Creative Competition Panel: Best of Show: Film & Video Competition, Stay With Me; BEA On-Location Faculty Creative Competition.

dR. hOLLI sEITZ

cARRiE mccORmicK

AmY KNIghT

Knight, A. W. (2026, February

McCormick, C.R. (2026, April) Demonstrate your Flirt. GIFTS session presented at the meeting of the Southern States Communication Birmingham, AL.

25). What we build: Your piece matters [Guest speaker presentation]. New Maroon Camp, Mississippi State University.

Knight, A. W. (2026, February 25). Let me be your guide.[Breakout session]. New Maroon Camp, Mississippi State University.

RUbAIYA ZANNAT

AmY FOUNTAiN & AmY KNighT

Fountain, A. and Knight, A. (2026). G.I.F.T.S. Presentation (Synchronous Sessions in Asynchronous Classes). MCA Presentation.

dR. PhiLiP POE & jOsh FOREmAN

Dr. Philip Poe and Josh Foreman

*Panel leader

THEATRE MsU

ThEATRE msU 2025-26 sEAsON

“FAHRENHEIT 451”

“NIGHT

OF THE LIvING DEAD”

“jUNGLE

BOOk”

“sWEENEy TODD”

THEATRE MsU PREsENTs

‘FAHRENHEiT 451’

By Sarah Nicholas

Mississippi State University’s Theatre MSU continued its 20252026 season with adaptations of “Fahrenheit 451” and “Sweeney Todd.”

Spring shows began with the production of Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451.” Set in a future where books are outlawed and critical thinking is suppressed, the story followed fireman Guy Montag as he begins to question the society he has sworn to protect. “Fahrenheit 451” was selected by MSU students, and its performance was a collaborative partnership with Department of Computer Science and Engineering students designing and executing projections for the production.

Performances took place on McComas Hall theater’s main stage.

In collaboration with the MSU Department of Music, Theatre MSU presented “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” the Tony Award-winning musical about love, murder and revenge. Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 tale follows the dark, comedic story of a barber seeking revenge against those who wronged him.

“The spring season offered audiences two very different theatrical experiences. From the urgency of ‘Fahrenheit 451’ to the dark humor and musical complexity of ‘Sweeney Todd,’ these productions highlighted the range and ambition of Theatre MSU and showcased the depth of talent and dedication of our students from performance to design and technical execution,” said Tonya Hays, Theatre MSU director and assistant professor in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre. “These collaborations allow students to experience the kind of interdisciplinary work they will encounter in the professional world. They tackle complex material that is both artistically challenging and deeply relevant to the world we live in.”

HARRIs HOsTs

FAcULTy DEBATE

Melanie Harris, an instructor in theatre, invited John Dyck and Jon Burmeister from philosophy to speak in her Introduction to Theatre class on this semester. The guest speakers led a debate on the nature of art, offering students an interdisciplinary perspective on the topic.

THEATRE MsU AND 91.1 THE jUNcTION

LAUNcH ‘RADIO

THEATRE’ cOLLABORATION

Theatre MSU debuted its holidaythemed children’s radio play, “Snowing in Mississippi,” Dec. 6, marking the final installment in a new storytelling collaboration with Mississippi State’s campus radio station, 91.1 FM The Junction.

As part of MSU’s Theatre for Young Audiences class, students developed community service projects focused on engaging young audiences. Senior communication major Rachel-Kate Thaggard wrote and directed a series of children’s radio plays in partnership with station manager Becca Thorn. The collaboration, originally inspired by Tonya Hays, produced three 15-minute plays airing from October through December, offering families a new way to experience theatre through radio.

sTUDENT NEWs & AWARDs

PRssA WINs sTAR cHAPTER AWARD

MSU’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter earned national recognition for its excellence in leadership, service and professional development, and one of its own received a top individual honor.

The chapter received the PRSA/PRSSA Foundation’s 2025 Star Chapter Award, a distinction given to select groups exceeding national benchmarks. To qualify, chapters must complete at least eight of 11 specified contributions that strengthen it and the national network.

The MSU chapter is advised by Associate Professor Terri Hernandez and Assistant Professor Uyanga Bazaa, both in the Department of Communication, Media & Theatre.

ALLEN AWARDED NATIONAL GOLD kEy cARTER EARNs HEARsT jOURNALIsM REcOGNITION

Spring 2025 graduate Greta Allen of Olive Branch received the PRSSA National Gold Key Award, the highest individual recognition given to members. The honor celebrates exceptional academic achievement and leadership within a chapter. Allen works as a communication specialist for the MSU Foundation promoting the Foundation’s and the Traveling Bulldogs’ social media accounts.

Aubrey Carter, now a graduate student in CMT, earned a Top 10 national placement in the television feature category of the prestigious Hearst Journalism Awards. Often referred to as the “NCAA tournament of college journalism,” the competition marks MSU’s first appearance following accreditation by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Carter’s recognition highlights both her individual excellence and the program’s growing ability to compete with top journalism schools.

MyERs EARNs HEARsT jOURNALIsM REcOGNITION

cMT GRADUATE sTUDENT NAMED A&s REsEARcH AMBAssADOR

Kate Myers earned national recognition in the Hearst Journalism Awards, placing in the Top 15 of the audio competition. Her achievement contributed to Mississippi State securing a Top 10 (mid competition) program ranking in the broadcast category. Earning ACEJMC accreditation in 2025 allowed CMT students to compete in Hearst for the first time.

Mississippi State graduate student

Teirrah Tidwell has been named an Arts & Sciences Research Ambassador, a first for the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre.

sTUdENTs bREAK msU cOmmUNicATiON AWARds REcORd AT mAb

Students representing the MSU Department of Communication, Media and Theatre, along with MSU’s radio station WMSV-FM 91.1 The Junction, earned more than two dozen student and professional honors at the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Annual Awards pushing the department past its previous record and to a new high of 102 awards during the academic year.

The honors span news, sports, weather and digital media categories and showcase continued success across multiple platforms and competitions.

“Seeing our students and recent graduates bring home more than 20 awards at this event is incredibly rewarding,” said Marcus Hunter. It speaks to their work ethic, growth and commitment to storytelling. For me, that’s what it’s all about, helping develop the next generation of journalists who understand the impact of what we do and take pride in doing it the right way,” said Hunter, associate professor of practice in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre, who earned third place in TV Feature Story in the professional category.

“Winning an award while still actively working in the industry means a lot to me because it reinforces that what I’m teaching in the classroom is current,

relevant and real,” added Hunter, who is an evening news anchor at WCBI–TV in Columbus.

“My students aren’t just learning theory; they’re learning what’s working right now in newsrooms. Being able to bring that experience back to them every day helps bridge the gap between the classroom and the professional world, which is the ultimate goal,” Hunter said.

In the Radio and TV Student Broadcaster of the Year categories, MSU had one winner and four finalists, highlighting student success in both on-air and digital platforms. In the Social Media professional category, WMSV 91.1 The Junction earned second place.

“I am very proud of the hard work that the students of 91.1 The Junction have put in over the past year,” said Becca Thorn, WMSV–FM General Manager.

“Watching our students grow into confident, talented broadcasters has been incredibly rewarding. Their success highlights their individual efforts, as well as the collaborative culture that they have helped build, and I’m so grateful to be part of celebrating their many successes. The Social Media award is specifically a team effort led by Gracelyn Johnson, our student social media manager.”

CMT STUDENT WINNERS

Gracelyn Johnson, sophomore from Amory, public relations, second place in Social Media

Brooklin Gall, senior from Hattiesburg, broadcast and digital journalism, second place in Social Media. Gall also was named a Radio Student Broadcaster of the Year finalist

Taylor Howard, fall 2025 graduate Jenks, Oklahoma, in broadcast and digital journalism, TV Student Broadcaster of the Year finalist

Jackson Gregg, senior from Alabaster, Alabama, broadcast and digital journalism, second place, Audio Sportscast or Sports Program

Grace Harvey, senior from Bossier City, Louisiana, broadcast and digital journalism, first place, Visual General Excellence; second place, Visual News Story; third place, Visual Newscast

Dylan Flippo, spring 2025 graduate from Coldwater in print and digital journalism, second place, Audio Sports Story

Jaelyn Keown, fall 2025 graduate from Columbus in broadcast and digital journalism, third place, Visual Newscast

Abby Miller, sophomore from Fort Myers, Florida, print and digital journalism, Audio Sports Story, first place; second place, Audio Use of Sound

Natalie Robertson, spring 2025 graduate from Hamilton, Alabama, in broadcast and digital journalism, third place,Visual Sportscast or Sports Program

Mercy Rain, spring 2025 graduate from Magee in broadcast and digital journalism, third place, Visual Sportscast or Sports Program

Treshon Hadley, fall 2025 graduate from Nettleton in broadcast and digital journalism, first place, Audio Sportscast or Sports Program

Thomas Hunt, spring 2025 graduate from Olive Branch in broadcast and digital journalism, third place, Visual Sportscast or Sports Program

Kate Myers, junior from Ruston, Louisiana, broadcast and digital journalism, first place, Audio Feature Story

Tafada Wright, senior from Starkville, broadcast and digital journalism, first place, Audio Sportscast or Sports Program, and Brandon Gandy, senior, broadcast and digital journalism, second place, Audio Sportscast or Sports Program

Caroline Flint, senior from Sturgis, public relations, first place, Visual Documentary, and second place, Visual General Excellence

Trinitee Johnson, senior from Town Creek, Alabama, broadcast and digital journalism, first place, Audio Sportscast or Sports Program

Grace Williams, senior from Westwego, Louisiana, broadcast meteorology, third place, Visual Weathercast

cMT sTUDENTs

REcOGNiZED

As PiNNAcLE AWARD FiNALisTs

The College Media Association announced several MSU CMT students as finalists for the national CMA Pinnacle Awards. These honors recognize outstanding achievements in college journalism and media coverage across several categories.

-Ivy Ball, senior P&DJ student from Muscle Shoals, Alabama

-Anthony Jenkins Jr., communication master’s student from Columbus

-Tierrah Tidwell: communication master’s student from Jackson

-Kelsey Danley, senior CMST student from Olive Branch

-Taylor Howard, senior B&DJ student from Madison

LAMBDA PI ETA cHAPTER REvIvED, 34 sTUDENTs INDUcTED

Mississippi State’s Theta Alpha chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the honor society of the National Communication Association, was revived this year thanks to the leadership of Dr. Gil Carter, an assistant professor of Communication & Media Studies. The chapter held its induction ceremony in the fall, welcoming 34 new members who met the organization’s high academic standards. To qualify for LPE, students must be in the top 35% of their class and hold at least a 3.25 GPA in Communication, Media & Theatre courses. With support from student officers Caroline Flint, Parker Acosta and Claire Gerber, the chapter representatives said they look forward to hosting events throughout the year.

sTUDy cHALLENGE AT sPRF cONFERENcE

Four public relations students earned first place in the Public Relations Case Study Challenge at the Southern Public Relations Federation Annual Conference in Bossier City, Louisiana. Students Parker Acosta, Caroline Flint, Alice Ann Haab and Maggie Heath represented Mississippi State in the onsite competition, which tested their strategic thinking, creativity and collaboration.

While attending the conference, the students also participated in professional development activities designed to connect them with the public relations industry, meeting with communication professionals from SWEPCO and touring the Romph Pou Agency’s Shreveport office. In addition to the Case Study Challenge win, several Mississippi State students received Awards of Excellence in the SPRF Lantern Awards program, which recognizes exceptional public relations work submitted by both students and professionals throughout the Southeast.

LAMBDA PI ETA & BEA HOsT cAREER DEvELOPMENT WORksHOP

Lambda Pi Eta and BEA MSU hosted the “How to Get the Job: Communication Careers” workshop Nov. 11, drawing approximately 25 students. The event featured tips for concentration-specific job searches, résumé and cover letter guidance, and practice interview questions. Terry Likes, John Forde, Gil Carter and Heather Gholson contributed their expertise, with support from LPE and BEA officers, in setting up the event. The workshop offered students valuable preparation for upcoming internship and job opportunities.

cMT sTUDENTs EARN LOcAL PRAM AWARDs

Multiple Public Relations & Integrated Student Media Agency student campaigns received recognition at the Starkville/MSU Public Relations Association of Mississippi PRism Awards, highlighting the program’s strong client-based work. Award-winning campaigns included projects for the MSU Center for Cyber Education, MSU Arts & Sciences, MSU Department of Chemistry, Visit Eupora, 100 Women Who Care Starkville, MSU Athlete Engineering and Fund the Nations.

cMT sTUDENTs EARN NATIONAL HONORs AT AcP MEDIA FEsT

Print and Broadcast students earned national recognition, including a first-place win, at the Associated Collegiate Press Media Fest in Washington, D.C. Competing against top programs across the country, MSU students received multiple honors in Individual, Best of Show and Pinnacle Award categories, showcasing excellence in storytelling, reporting and media production. Kate Myers received “Story of the Year - Breaking News,” one of the highest awards received by an MSU student. The conference, which brings together student journalists and professionals for workshops and networking, highlights the department’s continued success on a national stage.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum addressed new members of the Gamma of Mississippi Chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society during the 2026 induction ceremony. Selected for their accomplishments in the arts and sciences, the inductees joined the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society as outstanding achievers in the top 10% of their graduating class.

sTUdENTs ANd FAcULTY EARN NATiONAL hONORs AT bROAdcAsT EdUcATiON

AssOciATiON

FEsTiVAL

Mississippi State University faculty and students earned multiple national honors at the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts, one of the premier competitions for student and faculty media work, highlighting excellence in film, scriptwriting, audio and broadcast production.

Marty Lang, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre, earned two top faculty honors, including Best of Competition in the Faculty Scriptwriting Competition for “The Dungeon Master” and an Award of Excellence in the Faculty Film and Video Competition for “Stay With Me.”

“Winning two awards at BEA, and having my student win awards as well, is such an incredible feeling,” Lang said. Any time you’re recognized for achievement in your creative work, it’s wonderful, but to also see your student honored for their work makes it even more special.”

“These national honors from BEA reflect the exceptional creativity, storytelling and technical skill of our faculty and students,” said Terry Likes, head of MSU’s Department of Communication, Media and Theatre. “Their work continues to meet and exceed industry standards, showcasing the strength of our program on a national stage.

Founded in 1955, the Broadcast Education Association is an international academic media organization for educators, students and industry professionals, promoting excellence in electronic media through education, research and creative achievement.

Ashton Stanley, senior geosciences major from Biloxi, Air Personality Category, Award of Excellence

Sage Graham, 2025 MSU English graduate living now in Memphis, Short Narrative Film Category, “Blink,” Award of Excellence

‘RIsE

ANd RINg’ bRINgs ENERgY TO msU mORNINg RAdIO

Mississippi State’s student-run radio station, WMSV 91.1 The Junction, is waking up listeners with “Rise and Ring,” a live morning show hosted by Gracelyn Johnson, a sophomore communication major, and Wesley Webb. Airing twice a week, the two-hour program blends pop culture, local news and lighthearted conversation, creating an engaging, personality-driven experience for audiences across the Golden Triangle. Developed from a student-led concept, the show highlights the creativity, collaboration and real-world broadcasting experience available to

bssN PARTNERs WITh bULLdOg

sPORTs PROPERTIEs

The Bulldog Student Sports Network is expanding its reach through a new partnership with Learfield’s Bulldog Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Mississippi State Athletics. Beginning with the 2026 SEC regular season, BSSN students will produce and call all Mississippi State Softball home broadcasts and select nearby road games. Through this collaboration, students will gain hands-on experience in Division I live production, commentary and digital media while contributing directly to official MSU Athletics coverage.

MSU students.

msU sTUdENT jOURNALisTs

EARN 28 AWARds AT sOUThEAsT jOURNALism cONFERENcE

Mississippi State University student journalists earned 28 awards at the 2026 Southeast Journalism Conference earlier this semester, securing high-ranking placements in more than two dozen categories and demonstrating excellence across student media platforms.

MSU students placed in 22 of the 29 Best of the South categories, earning honors in television, radio, newspaper, magazine and research competitions. In the overall competition, MSU placed second for Best TV Station and third for Best Audio Program, Best Newspaper and Best Radio Station.

Students also earned recognition in onsite competitions requiring participants to produce content under tight deadlines, with entries judged by media professionals. Freshman Carter Scaggs won first place in the “Design – Infographic” competition, while junior Kate Myers earned third place in the competitive “Journalist of the Year” category.

“The fact that MSU won 28 SEJC awards speaks volumes about our high-achieving students and their initiative, drive and determination to tell excellent stories across multiple media platforms,” said Terry Likes, head of MSU’s Department of Communication, Media and Theatre. “This marks nearly 500 student journalism and media awards across national, regional and state competitions in the last six-plus years. By any count, that is a monumental achievement.”

“I’m really proud to see us placing highly in so many categories, and I think it really shows how The Reflector and student media overall at MSU strive for excellence in reporting,” said Ivy Rose Ball, editor-in-chief of The Reflector.

Myers, who earned recognition in five categories, including third place in “Journalist of the Year,” credited her experience in student media for shaping her career path.

“My work at The Reflector gave me the direction and momentum I needed to become the journalist I am today,” Myers said. “The professors in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre have been vital in supporting my journey; they are among my biggest encouragers.”

Scaggs, a data science major who joined The Reflector as a reporter and data visualization specialist in fall 2025, said his coursework helped him present complex information in accessible ways.

“Data visualizations are also great for shortterm storytelling,” Scaggs said. “In my personal experience, whenever I read an article or a study paper I tend to skip straight to the graph to see the author’s backings for his or her claims.”

The conference, held Feb. 5-7 at Georgia Highlands College in Cartersville, Georgia, drew students from approximately 25 universities. Participants competed in onsite contests judged overnight by media professionals and attended sessions with industry leaders.

Founded in 1986, the Southeast Journalism Conference promotes excellence in journalism education across the region. Mississippi State hosted SEJC in 2025 and coordinated the Best of the South contest in 2024. Next year’s conference will be hosted by Samford University.

Awards earned by Mississippi State students include:

Best of the South Competition

• MSU: 2nd place, Best TV Station

• MSU: 3rd place, Best Audio Program

• MSU: 3rd place, Best Newspaper

• MSU: 3rd place, Best Radio Station

• MSU: 5th place, Best Website (reflector-online.com)

• Kate Myers and Ivy Rose Ball: 2nd place, Best Public Service Journalism

• Eli Mabry, Brielle Dennis Grant and Sophie Hoard: 2nd place, Best Research Paper

• Elena Harman: 2nd place, Best Opinion Editorial Writer

• Kate Myers: 2nd place, Special Events Reporter

• Kate Myers: 2nd place, Best Newspaper Designer

• Haylee Morman: 2nd place, Best Radio News Reporter

• Kate Myers: 3rd place, Journalist of the Year

• Haylee Morman: 3rd place, Best Radio Journalist

• Leah Wisener: 3rd place, Best Magazine Designer

• Kaitlyn Church: 3rd place, Best Magazine Writer

• Natalie Staggers: 3rd place, Best Feature Writer

• Noah McCord: 3rd place, Best Sports Writer

• Rowan Feasel: 4th place, Best Arts and Entertainment Writer

• Ivy Rose Ball: 4th place, Best Photographer

• Haylee Morman: 4th place, Best Radio Feature Reporter

• Tafada Wright: 4th place, Best TV Journalist

• Grace Harvey: 5th place, Best TV Feature Reporter

Onsite Competition

• Carter Scaggs: 1st place, Design Infographic

• Erin Erter: 2nd place, Arts and Entertainment Multimedia

• Kate Myers: 2nd place, News Writing/Data Journalism

• Abby Miller: 3rd place, Sports Writing

• Noah McCord: Honorable Mention, Current Events Quiz

• Ra’Maya Brown: Honorable Mention, TV News Anchoring

MsU REFLEcTOR EARNs sTATEWIDE HONOR

The Reflector has been named the top collegiate publication in the state by the Mississippi Press Association Foundation. The award, presented at the O.C. McDavid Journalism Summit, recognizes The Reflector’s outstanding reporting, editorial work and digital engagement. Marking its fifth General Excellence win in six years, the publication continues to set the standard for student journalism while preparing future media professionals through hands-on experience and impactful storytelling.

The Reflector has been led by Editor-in-Chief Ivy Rose Ball, a senior communication major, for the past two years. Ball, News Editor Kate Myers and Managing Editor Lucy Hallmark Anderson have pushed hard news coverage, focusing on student government, the state legislature and changing education laws.

“We have a lot of editors that are motivated to take initiative and hold themselves to a higher standard,” Anderson, a senior biochemistry major, said. “Because of that, I feel like the news coming out of the Reflector this year has been steady and reliable for the public.”

cMT GRADUATE sTUDENTs PREsENT sPEciAL PROjEcTs

Communication, Media & Theatre master’s students showcased their work for fall and spring during their special project presentations. Fall presenters included Jaden Brown, Jada Ewing, Mia Goodloe, Taylor Pritchett, Tonaria

“Twinkie” Smith, Lici Beveridge, Kathryn Rodenmeyer and Jacy Waltman.

cMT

sTUDENTs NOMINATED FOR PREsTIGIOUs

NATAs AWARDs

ERIN ERTER PLAcEd 3Rd

Mississippi State University students earned two nominations in the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Southeast Student Production Awards, a prestigious collegiate competition affiliated with the Emmy Awards. Grace Harvey was nominated and won in the Hard News Report category, while Brooklin Gall and David Randall received recognition in the Music Video category.

sTATE PRAM AWARDs

Mississippi State University students earned top recognition at the Public Relations Association of Mississippi State Awards, showcasing the strength and creativity of their work across multiple categories.

From strategic campaigns to multimedia storytelling, students were honored with the organization’s highest student award, Awards of Excellence and multiple Certificates of Merit highlighting their talents, collaboration, and real-world impact in the field of public relations.

PRAM State Award Winners:

Caroline Flint

PRism Award & Best of Show, Audio & Video Sturgis Stories: Echoes of a Southern Town

Katie Bee, Emma Easterling, Chloe Martin Award of Excellence, Campaigns Fund The Nations

MSU Public Relations & Integrated Student Media Agency

Mary G. Black, Margaret Lyon, Kathryn Miller

Award of Excellence, Campaigns

MSU Center for Cyber Education

MSU Public Relations & Integrated Student Media Agency

Parker Acosta, Caroline Flint, Alice Ann Haab, Maggie Heath

Award of Excellence, PR Plans & Proposals

Manna House Ministries

Caroline Flint, Take 30 News Team

Award of Excellence, Social Media Management

Take 30 News

Caroline Flint

Certificate of Merit, Audio & Video Delta Roots, Doe’s Legacy

Belle G. Wilkinson, Belle Fulkerson, Kat Murphy, Ainsley Weems

Certificate of Merit, Campaigns

MSU College of Arts and Sciences

MSU Public Relations & Integrated Student Media Agency

Parker Acosta, Abby Zupa, Maggie Heath

Certificate of Merit, Campaigns

Mississippi Communication Association

MSU Public Relations & Integrated Student Media Agency

Ava Ferguson, Ainsley Weems, Kaitlyn Yeatman

Student Certificate of Merit, Campaigns

MSU Department of Chemistry

MSU Public Relations & Integrated Student Media Agency

Parker Acosta, Ava Ferguson, Presley White, Kaitlyn Yeatman

Certificate of Merit, Campaigns

MSU Athlete Engineering

MSU Public Relations & Integrated Student Media Agency

Kathryn Miller, Sophie Hoard, Bren Bolden Certificate of Merit, Campaigns Visit Eupora

MSU Public Relations & Integrated Student Media Agency

Leah Prescott Gibbs, Peyton Barber, Brianna Bradford, Ella Keller, Olivia Howell

Certificate of Merit, PR Plans & Proposals

Sports Performance Center

Mississippi State University Public Relations in Organizations

Caroline Flint

Certificate of Merit, Social Media Management

Visit Starkville

CKF Communications / Visit Starkville

MyERs WINs “sTORy OF THE yEAR” AT MEDIAFEsT IN WAsHINGTON, D.c.

Kate Myers won one of the top awards in college media at MediaFest last fall: Story of the Year in Breaking News Reporting. Myers won the award for a story following how changing federal laws had thrown the future of a student organization into uncertainty.

MediaFest is the largest college media conference in the United States, bringing together around 1500 students and professionals from around the country. Myers’s Story of the Year award was given during the Associated Collegiate Press Individual Awards segment of the conference.

The Reflector has placed first in the Best of Show category at MediaFest in the past, but this is the first time a Reflector reporter has won first place in the Individual Awards. Mississippi State began competing at MediaFest four years ago.

Myers, a Broadcast & Digital Journalism junior, took over leadership of the Reflector in spring 2026. She is from Ruston, Louisiana, and began reading the Reflector online in high school.

ThE REFLEcTOR UsEs AI TO FUNd TRAdITIONAL jOURNALIsm

The Reflector spent the last year overhauling its advertising products, and found itself ready to benefit when an AI partner came calling.

When Google Gemini expressed the desire to advertise to Mississippi State students in spring 2026, the Reflector offered a broad range of advertising products. Gemini ended up purchasing print, digital and physical advertising from the paper, earning the Reflector more than $17,000 in revenue.

Reflector leaders didn’t know a large AI advertising campaign was coming when they initiated the advertising overhaul — but their hard work paid off. The advertising overhaul was led by Reflector editor-in-chief Ivy Rose Ball, a Print & Digital Journalism senior, and Josh Foreman, the Reflector faculty adviser. In fall 2025, the Reflector refurbished seven large aluminum outdoor stands, which each have two 26” x 50” advertising spaces. In spring 2026, the Reflector added 15 new indoor stands to buildings around campus, which each have one similarly large advertising space.

HIsTORIc FRONT PAGEs TELL REFLEcTOR

sTORIEs FROM THE PAPER’s 142 yEARs

The Reflector newsroom is adding a dozen new historic front pages to its walls. The front pages, printed on oversized canvas, show key moments from the university’s history.

Some of the stories told on the front pages:

- A first-person narrative of a Mississippi State student fighting in the trenches in France during WWI

- The student reaction to the 9/11 terror attacks, in a special issue published on 9/12

- The tragic death of Dane Knight, told by Pulitzer Prize winner Anna Wolfe

- A look at how students found their spouses in 1913 (“Five Candidates for Matrimony” advertisement)

- How the Reflector came to be, explained in the paper’s first issue from 1884

The front pages exist in the Mitchell Memorial Library’s Special Collections, but have not been digitized. Few have seen the pages in the recent past. Reflector adviser Josh Foreman worked with University Archivist Jessica Perkins Smith to locate and scan key front pages. The pages will join a collection of historic front pages that were added a few years ago, making the newsroom, located in the Henry F. Meyer Student Media Center, a museum of the Reflector through the years.

2026 sENiOR cELEbRATiON ANd AWARds cEREmONY

The department held its annual End-of-Year Awards Ceremony in the John Grisham Room in the MSU Library recognizing student achievement, celebrating student scholarship winners and saluting seniors.

bROAdcAsT & digiTAL jOURNALism

sTUdENTs OF ThE YEAR

PRiNT & digiTAL jOURNALism

sTUdENT OF ThE YEAR

ThEATRE sTUdENT OF ThE YEAR

cOmmUNicATiON & mEdiA

sTUdiEs sTUdENTs OF ThE YEAR

PUbLic RELATiONs

sTUdENTs OF ThE YEAR

gRAdUATE sTUdENT AWARdEE

2025-26 cOmmUNicATiON

schOLARshiP REciPiENTs

AggiE WEEms

schOLARshiP

Zoe Arnold

Ivy Rose Ball

Connor Davis

Brooklin Gall

Spencer Glass

Hollis Hunter

Benjamin Tallent

dOmiNic j. cUNETTO, sR. ENdOWEd ThEATRE schOLARshiP

Maggie Zheng

EARL LOVE gUYTON

mEmORiAL schOLARshiP

Madeline Blackburn

Brielle Dennis-Grant

Caroline Flint

Autum Lishman

Michael Odie

FOUNdERs

schOLARshiPsAmUEL dUdLEY AWARd

Parker Acosta

Charles Hayes

hELEN ANd jOE PhiLLiPs schOLARshiP FUNd

Maggie Heath

hANK FLIcK

mEmORIAL FUNd

Caroline Flint

jAcK cRisTiL ENdOWEd schOLARshiP

Kendyl Eades

Brooklin Gall

Jackson Gregg

Hollis Hunter

Margaret Jollit

Makenzie Knight

Aaron Lampley

Katherine Myers

LORA j. dEFORE

mEmORiAL ENdOWEd schOLARshiP

Conner Davis

Alice Ann Haab

PAULA mAbRY ANNUAL schOLARshiP

Albany Mercer

Sierra Robinson-Clark

sTEVEN ANd ANNA miNOR gRiZZLE ANNUAL schOLARshiP

Maggie Heath

Hannah Grace Kirtland

Michael Odie

TURNER cATLEdgE

mEmORiAL jOURNALism FUNd

Parker Acosta

Zoe Arnold

Molly Burch

Luke Camps

Melanie Davis

Ava Ferguson

Brooklin Gall

Nina Gault

Alice Ann Haab

Charles Hayes

Ayden Hymel

Amie Jackson

Kimberly MacDonald

Kathryn Miller

Katherine Murphy

Ava Poe

Natalie Ryals

Emory Skocelas

Kierstyn Vuyovich

Ava Weathersby

Abigail Zupa

sPOTLIGHTs

ALUMNi sPOTLIGHTs

Lady Cox was hesitant to attend MSU since Starkville is her hometown. However, the welcoming spirit of the MSU community quickly outweighed the fact that campus was right in her own backyard.

“After visiting other campuses, I realized Mississippi State was so much more welcoming than other places,” said Cox. “It really was home.”

A 1998 graduate in communication studies, Cox was heavily involved on campus and worked several jobs that taught her the value of hard work.

“I was deeply engaged in campus life, participating in Chi Omega, Student Association (serving in both Senate and Cabinet), and the Orientation Leader program, each of which allowed me to build lasting relationships while developing leadership, communication, and service-focused skills,” Cox recalled. “I also worked continuously throughout my college years, holding a wide range of positions—from serving sandwiches at Oby’s and making custom shirts at The Lodge, to collecting debts and working in several marketing roles. These experiences shaped my work ethic, adaptability, and appreciation for learning in both practical and professional environments.”

As a communication student, Cox appreciated the small class sizes and one-on-one advising that fostered meaningful relationships with her professors. She credits the communication faculty with making a lasting impact.

“Dr. Mark Gring was influential not only for his academic rigor, but for the time and genuine attention he gave to each of his students,” noted Cox. “As my advisor, he understood my particular challenges and met them with both honesty and encouragement. After an especially difficult semester, he pointed to a sign behind his desk that read, ‘A’ students research, ‘B’ students teach, ‘C’ students rule the world,’ and assured me that I would be just fine—a moment of reassurance I have never forgotten.”

The leadership and communication skills she developed at MSU carried directly into her professional career. Following graduation, Cox began her career with International Paper in Memphis working in paper sales. She remained in sales until returning to MSU to join the housing department in a communications role. Cox eventually launched the Office of Parent Services at MSU, a first of its kind at the university.

“After working for the MSU Dean of Students Office to establish parent services, I later moved to Auburn University to establish its Office of Parent & Family Programs, where I have spent the past 16 years in progressively senior roles overseeing a range of functional areas,” said Cox. “I earned a master’s degree in student affairs from Auburn University and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Georgia.”

Cox currently serves as associate vice president for Student Affairs at Auburn University overseeing Auburn Cares, Student Conduct, Student Counseling and Psychological Services, Parent and Family Programs and Greek Life.

OLIVIA mILEY

Olivia Miley graduated from Mississippi State University in just three years with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a concentration in public relations. Guided by Dr. John Forde, she strategically lined up her courses to finish quickly while still excelling academically.

During her time at MSU, Miley worked throughout college managing a landscaping company, serving as Foundation Ambassador president, and later working as a student at the MSU Foundation. Balancing jobs, classes, and Greek life wasn’t easy, but she stayed focused on her goals throughout her college career, something she has pulled into her career as a business owner and wedding planner.

After graduation, Miley worked in corporate administration while planning her own wedding. Years earlier, during a senior capstone course with Instructor Meaghan Gordon, she had purchased the domain oliviamiley.com. She didn’t know exactly the plan for the website but she said, “One day I’m going to use it and I’m going to use it for something big.” That foresight paid off when she decided to launch her own business, Olivia Miley Events. Within a year, she was showcasing her work on the site and growing what has now become a successful wedding planning company serving couples across the region.

At the heart of Miley’s work is her mission of being a marriage-focused wedding planner. “I love a great party, and all of those aspects of a wedding reception are so much fun,” she explained. “But that’s not why we’re here. We come to celebrate the start of a family, the start of a marriage. My favorite part is helping my couples and their families stay focused on that purpose—through the planning and on the wedding day itself, which moves so quickly.”

READ MILEY’S FULL SPOTLIGHT

WENdY sTOWE ZUPA

Wendy Zupa, a Brandon, native, graduated from Mississippi State University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a concentration in broadcasting. Zupa worked as a news anchor and reporter across the state of Mississippi and in Nashville until a job in another area of communication presented itself.

After eight years in the broadcasting industry, Zupa took a new opportunity with the American Cancer Society as a communications manager where her passion for working with the cancer community grew. This passion and her family’s own experiences and connections with cancer led Zupa to another career move working for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals where she has worked for over 20 years.

During her time at MSU, Zupa became very involved on and off campus. She served as the social

chair for her sorority, worked at the TV center and was an ambassador for the College of Arts & Sciences. The summer before her senior year, Zupa accepted an internship at WCBI in Columbus which she continued throughout her final semesters at MSU.

Zupa says her journalism and speech classes were what helped her the most in her current and past careers.

“I am very grateful for professors who took the time outside of the classroom who coached me on voice and dictation,” Zupa said.

The most important lesson Zupa said she learned in the Communication Department at MSU was taking advantage of all of the opportunities placed in front of her to help her feel prepared, whether that was being an ambassador, working in the TV center or working on the football field holding a cone during gamedays.

Today, Zupa is a senior oncology account specialist in which she meets with doctors, nurses, pharmacists or anyone connected to caring for a cancer patient. On a daily basis, Zupa speaks with these cancer professionals about the therapies, treatments and support materials offered by Pfizer to help patients with lung cancer. Zupa said she is grateful for the lessons that have shaped her journey and brought her to this point in her career.

READ ZUPA’S FULL SPOTLIGHT

Kailey Redding, a 2016 communication graduate with a concentration in journalism, found her passion for communication after an unexpected change in major. Initially pursuing a career in art, Redding earned an associate’s degree in graphic design technology and another associate’s degree in fine art from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Redding grew up on the coast of Mississippi in Biloxi. It was there she attended Harrison Central High School and met her drivers’ education instructor who inspired her to consider Mississippi State University for her post-high school plans.

“It was a coach on campus at Harrison Central, but he was a football coach, and I had him for driver’s ed. He always wore maroon, and he always talked about Mississippi State!” Redding said.

After earning her associate’s degree from MGCCC, Redding transferred to MSU. It was at MSU that Redding discovered her love for communication after a conversation with her roommate. Redding recalled noticing the homework her roommate was working on and was intrigued. She asked her more about the major and realized it was a good fit for her.

After graduating from MSU, Redding began working for Habitat for Humanity through AmeriCorps. She

KAILEY REddINg

completed one year of service and one year of communication work for Habitat for Humanity through the AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America program.

Following her time at AmeriCorps, Redding worked for D.R. Horton, a home construction company. She loved her time there, but something was missing. Redding missed the people-oriented aspect of her previous job.

Recalling her decision to make a career change, Redding remembered thinking, “You know what? Maybe I can spread my wings and kind of get back to my roots.”

Redding started a new position with Morale, Welfare, and Recreation, working near the gulf coast where she grew up.

Redding currently works as the marketing director for the 81st Force Support Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base.

READ REDDING’S FULL SPOTLIGHT

KELLIE WALTON

Kellie Walton, a Franklin, Tennessee, native, graduated from Mississippi State with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a concentration in public relations in 2016. After graduating from MSU, Walton worked for different PR firms for about six years, realizing hospitality and tourism was quickly becoming her favorite industry with which to work. After writing for her local tourism department and wanting something different, Walton quit her job to become a freelance writer. Over the years she has written for National Geographic, Veranda, Cosmopolitan, OpenTable and more.

Walton says over the past four years she has been pitching stories and has chosen to write about the South, leading her to launch her own magazine, Modern South, in December 2024. The magazine features food, travel, lifestyle, historical pieces and a fresh take on Southern culture.

Throughout her time as a student at MSU, Walton says the class that has helped her most with her career was Interviewing in Communication and her capstone class, Public Relations in Organizations.

“Having hands-on experience working with a client and putting together a PR plan and a social media plan helped me learn what part of PR I was good at and what parts I wasn’t,” Walton said. “In my interviewing class we learned how to interview for a job, and we also put together a resume and cover letter. It was such a fun class, and I feel like I learned so much because it offered real life skills I could apply immediately.”

READ WALTON’S FULL SPOTLIGHT

sTUdENT sPOTLIghTs

ERiN ERTER

Erin Erter is a sophomore communication major with a concentration in Print & Digital Journalism from Flowood. Erter currently works as the opinion managing editor for the Reflector and also acts as an editor for The Streetcar, a student literary journal. Erter says writing about the arts is her favorite area of journalism. She hopes to one day work as an editor or writer for a music magazine interviewing artists.

Erter says she declared communication with a concentration in Print & Digital Journalism as her major because, “I’ve always wanted to make the media more accessible to others, whether it be those who may not understand certain things happening in their community or those completely unaware of things going on. Communication and journalism gives those people the opportunity to take real issues that affect them in their own hands, and allows everyone an opportunity to speak up and take action.”

Erter was once told by a professor to “embrace the awkwardness” during interviews. Erter says this is the best piece of advice she has ever received from a professor. Erter says anytime she is nervous to speak to someone, being aware of that nervousness and even expressing it to the other person helps humanize the experience and makes important conversations possible.

KARLEY WOOds

Karley Woods, a Florence native, is a senior communication major with a concentration in Print & Digital Journalism. She interns in the College of Arts & Sciences as the social media coordinator and spent this past summer interning with Gulf Shore Life Media in Bonita Springs, Florida, working with their head of digital marketing and event coordination. Her favorite communications-related class so far is Journalism Ethics with Dr. Philip Poe. Originally a marketing major, Woods switched to communication when she realized she wanted a more intimate program that aligned with her love of writing and photography, and she was instantly drawn to the Print & Digital Journalism concentration after seeing photo and TV classes incorporated into the curriculum.

Maggie Heath is a junior communication major with a concentration in public relations from Brandon. She began at MSU as a kinesiology student, but, after prayer, reflection and guidance from professors and mentors, realized communication was the path that allowed her to pursue her passion for advocating for others. Heath is involved on campus as an MSU Luckyday Scholar, advising committee member, ACCESS college coach, head of operations for the Junction Retreat and more. She said she loves walking by the gingko trees near engineering row in the fall. Her advice to incoming students is “to not put limitations on themselves and to get to know their professors,” noting the impact faculty have had on her life. She especially values advice from instructor Amy Knight, who encouraged her to focus on her passions and steward her gifts into a career— wisdom Heath strives to live out daily.

jOhN WEsLEY cOchRAN

John CochranWelsey earned a degree in communication with a concentration in broadcast & digital journalism in December 2025. Upon starting college, Cochran knew he wanted to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. He chose communication because he felt it would give him the best skill set and knowledge to reach his goals.

Cochran’s best piece of advice for incoming CMT students is to “get involved as soon as possible, and make close relationships with your professors. Make close connections with your classmates. Working on projects and assignments but having well rounded people in your corner to critique your work and give feedback was critical.”

Throughout his time at MSU, Cochran has taken his own advice, becoming involved in MSU’s Bulldog Student Sports Network and serving as an ambassador for the College of Arts & Sciences and the graduate school.

Cochran has gained experience in the broadcasting world through interning with the production team for the Bourne Braves of Cape Cod Baseball League. The CCBL is a collegiate baseball summer league where all of the future prospects train in the summer to gain exposure and experience. During this internship, Cochran says he gained invaluable experience and grew his network with all of the future broadcasters in the industry.

Cochran also interned with WJTV Channel 12 in Jackson, learning what the day-today of reporters, producers and directors look like. Cochran said he would go into the field with sports reporters to see what a day in the life was like and how they go about finding stories, shooting footage and writing scripts before they go live for their broadcasts.

RIVER gRAcE NERI

River Grace Neri,

a Macclenny, Florida, native, is a junior communication major with a concentration in public relations. Originally searching for smaller outof-state schools that offered a strong sense of community and a new experience, Neri says she immediately felt at home when she visited Mississippi State University. Her passion for helping others led her to pursue communication, with public relations standing out because of its focus on building relationships, networking and connecting with people. Neri says one of her favorite classes within the department has been Public Relations Case Problems with Dr. John Forde, whose advice to “always go for it” has stayed with her throughout college. She encourages communication students to get involved, put themselves out there and begin building professional connections early. After graduation, Neri plans to pursue a career in event planning and design.

Joshua Cagle, a senior communication major concentrating in communication & media studies from Huntsville, Alabama, came to MSU to study mechanical engineering, but he quickly realized he did not want to sit at a desk for the rest of his life. Drawn to the idea of making a meaningful impact on others, Cagle found communication to be the perfect path, crediting classes such as Small Group Communication and Communication and Leadership with helping him develop skills to positively influence those around him. Outside the classroom, Cagle serves as secretary of The Inklings, a student-led book club, and works as the preschool ministry intern at First Baptist Church in Starkville, where he enjoys teaching children and connecting with families in the community. He encourages students to embrace growth, take advantage of opportunities and not be afraid to put themselves out there, especially when building professional connections and pursuing careers that genuinely interest them.

jOshUA cAgLE

FAcULTY sPOTLIghTs

Amy Knight, an instructor in Communication & Media Studies, is originally from Southside, Alabama. She started her career at MSU after receiving her Bachelor of Science in speech communication from William Carey University and her Master of Science in speech communication from the University of Southern Mississippi. Knight has been with CMT for 17 years, teaching a wide array of classes such as Interpersonal Communication, Small Group Communication, Communication and Leadership, in person and online, and Introduction to Communication online.

During her time as a graduate student at Southern Miss, Knight was a graduate assistant with the Luckyday scholars program. After finishing her master’s, she was hired as the assistant director of the Luckyday scholars program, and she also taught Public Speaking as an adjunct lecturer.

Knight’s favorite parts of her work at USM were teaching and connecting with her students. She knew she had found her calling and began looking for a faculty position where she could teach full time.

“My husband, Adam, started as an assistant professor in the kinesiology department in January 2009. I loved the teaching aspect of my job at Southern Miss so much that when we moved to Starkville I knew that I wanted to find a full-time faculty position. I sent my resume to John Forde, but there were no open faculty positions, so I took a part-time position in the College of Education managing a grant. Two weeks before classes started in August 2009, John Forde called me about an open faculty position. I delivered a teaching presentation the next day and got the job. I truly see this work as a calling and am so thankful I get to teach, support and encourage the wonderful students here at MSU.”

In a full circle moment, Knight was selected in 2022 as the first Faculty Fellow for the Luckyday Scholars program at MSU.

“It is a joy to serve as a Faculty Fellow for the Luckyday program where I teach and support the scholars as they grow as servant leaders. It is a full circle moment to serve in this capacity after having started my career with the Luckyday program at USM.”

Fun fact about Knight: Her husband’s sisters were two of her Luckyday scholars at Southern and set them up!

Cheryl Chambers, an instructor in Communication & Media Studies, earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from Mississippi State and her master’s in communication studies from the University of Alabama. Now in her 18th year teaching in CMT, Chambers is passionate about the department’s diversity and the versatility of the major. She emphasizes that communication is a skill applicable to any field, reminding students that it can be used no matter what they choose to study. Chambers mostly teaches Introduction to Communication, but she also teaches Fundamentals of Public Speaking and TV Criticism.

Melanie Harris, an instructor in Theatre, earned her bachelor’s in special education and master’s in secondary education-theatre from MSU. She teaches Introduction to Theatre, The Art of Not Being Naked, Theatre Practicum, Costume Design Studio and Makeup Design Studio. Her career path has taken her from working as a brewmaster’s assistant to behindthe-scenes roles at Disney and in community theatre along the Gulf Coast. Harris eventually returned to MSU, where she has spent over two decades working with Theatre MSU, primarily as a costumer, and values her role supporting and mentoring students throughout their time in the program.

Heather Gholson, originally from Burkburnett, Texas, received a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing at Texas A&M University and her Master of Science in strategic communication at Arkansas State University.

After graduating from Texas A&M, Gholson worked in marketing roles focused on sales and advertising before spending six years as a communications director in the nonprofit sector. She also owned a business in Texas where she helped startups build their branding and messaging from the ground up.

Gholson has experienced both large teams with significant budgets and working independently, which has shaped how she approaches communication and teaching her students.

“I’ve learned that public relations is most impactful when it has a seat at the table. When I understand both the goals of an organization and the needs of its audiences, that’s where strategy and creativity meet. I enjoy bringing my years of professional experiences to my students. Public relations is such an exciting career field,” said Gholson.

Gholson started teaching at MSU in 2024 as a part-time lecturer and became a fulltime instructor in fall 2025. She has taught Introduction to Mass Media, Public Relations Multimedia, Public Relations Case Problems, and Public Relations Writing during her time within the department.

What is your favorite part of being an Instructor?

My favorite part is that moment at the end of the semester when everything comes together for students. Seeing their confidence grow, watching them take ownership of their work, and then hearing how they can use the skills for internships and careers makes it so exciting to me.

A favorite memory from the department?

One of my favorite memories was sitting in my first faculty meeting in August. Dr. Likes was trying to bring the room to order, but everyone was so excited to see one another after the summer break that it took a while to quiet down. In that moment, I realized how much the faculty genuinely enjoys working together. Seeing that sense of connection and community made me even more excited to begin building relationships and becoming part of the department.

2025-26 dEPARTmENT OF

cOmmUNicATiON, mEdiA & ThEATRE FAcULTY ANd sTAFF

BROADcAsTiNG & DiGiTAL jOURNALisM

Terry Likes, Ph.D., Department Head & Professor

Kevin Williams, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Marcus Hunter, BA, Associate Professor of Practice

Chris Misun, MA, Instructor II

Victoria Bailey, MA, Instructor I

cOMMUNicATiON & MEDiA sTUDiEs

Melanie Loehwing, Ph.D., Associate Professor

John Nicholson, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Pete Smith, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Holli Seitz, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Gil Carter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Cheryl Chambers, MA, Instructor II

Amy Fountain, MA, Instructor II

Amy Knight, MS, Instructor II

Carrie McCormick, MA, JD, Instructor I

Kristen Cockrell-Barnett, Ed.S., NBCT, Instructor I

Rubaiya Zannat, MA, MSS, Instructor I

PRiNT & DiGiTAL jOURNALisM

Philip Poe, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Wendy Roussin, MFA, Associate Professor

Heesook Choi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Josh Foreman, MFA, Instructor II

PUBLic RELATiONs

John E. Forde, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus

Melody Fisher, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Terri Hernandez, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Zahed Arman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Uyanga Bazaa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Kelli Anthony, MA, Instructor II

Karyn Brown, MA, Instructor II

Meaghan Gordon, MA, Instructor II

Anna Blount, MS, Instructor I

Heather Gholson, MS, Instructor I

THEATRE

Tonya Hays, MFA, Assistant Professor

Greg Thorn, MFA, Assistant Teaching Professor

Jesse Wade, MFA, Clinical Assistant Professor

Melanie Harris, MS, Instructor II

sTAFF

Casey King, Academic Coordinator

Myra Keasler, Business Coordinator

Jasmine Bedford, Administrative Assistant I

Click to watch each edition of Communication Connection, a monthly show where Dr. Likes interviews a faculty member, student or alumnus about their work!

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