Communication Studies Newsletter—May 2005
WVU Women Spotlighted at the Eastern Communication Association Convention
At the recent 2005 Eastern Communication Association Convention in Pittsburgh, there was an invited spotlight session on West Virginia University. The title of the session was, “Communicating Greater Expectations: West Virginia University Women Scholars Working Together.” The intention of the session was to match each of the current tenure-track women faculty members with a former student to talk about their research relationship. Participants at this session addressed issues and questions involving mentoring and the process of collaborating on research in maintaining a long-term professional (and personal) relationship.
The following participated in the spotlight session (current WVU professor listed with her former student): Melanie Booth-Butterfield and Melissa Wanzer, Maria Brann and Kelly Regan Taber, Rebecca Chory-Assad and Michelle Paulsel, Joan Gorham and Diane Millette, and Virginia Peck Richmond and Kristin Valencic (who was unable to attend).
“WVU is blessed to have outstanding women professors in the Department of Communication Studies. These individuals not only are prolific scholars themselves, but have served as mentors and role models for many of our students,” stated Dr. Matthew Martin, Chair of the Department. “From Dr. Richmond, whose affiliation with WVU started in the early 1970s, to Dr. Brann, who joined the faculty two years ago, we have competent and caring women professors.”
“It was interesting hearing Dr. Millette and Dr. Wanzer talk about the mentor-mentoree relationship and how the relationship has developed and continued from the time when they were students at WVU,” said Jacob Cayanus, a 2005 Ed.D. graduate. Added Michelle Paulsel, a session participant and also a 2005 Ed.D. graduate, “People often think of Jim McCroskey when they think of WVU, but a lot of great women researchers have either taught or earned degrees at WVU.”
The overall feeling of those in attendance can be summarized by a statement by Jocelyn Forcucci, a current MA student. “It was very inspiring.”
Another highlight of the convention involved West Virginia University undergraduates presenting their own research. Dr. Chory-Assad arranged a presentation of her COMM 405: Advanced Mass Communication students’ research projects. The title of the presentation was, “Entertainment Media as Communicators of Expectations: Results of Undergraduate Student Research.” Below is a list of the papers that were presented, as well as a picture of the presenters at the conference.
Title: Effects of Exposure to The Bachelorette on Beliefs about Romantic Relationships
Authors: Michelle King, Christin Husson, Tiffany Ratliff, and Kate Sillars
Title: Views of Interpersonal Relationships and Sex in the Media: Results of Interviews with Dating Couples
Authors: Candace Davis, Elizabeth Ayers, Patricia Smedinghoff, Joanie Campbell, and Jaymie Myers
Title: The Relationship between Exposure to Reality Television and Beliefs about Alcohol-Related Sexual Encounters
Authors: Sern Andersen, Jodi Kobrin, Joseph Lembo, and Nick Petrulla
Title: A Content Analysis of Sex and Humor in TV Sitcoms
Authors: Kara Alderson, Jean Francois, Jr., Jason Hunter, and Ryan Noll
Dr. Melanie Booth-Butterfield: Not your Ordinary ?Fellow?
Dr. Melanie Booth-Butterfield, Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University, recently was recognized by the Eastern Communication Association (ECA) with two awards. At the convention in Pittsburgh, ECA bestowed Dr. Booth-Butterfield with the recognition of ECA Research Fellow and ECA Teaching Fellow. Individuals are given either award in recognition of significant contributions over one’s career (either in research or teaching). In the history of the award, Dr. Booth-Butterfield is only the third person to receive both awards in the same year.
Dr. Booth-Butterfield is one of the Top 100 scholars in Communication Studies based on research publications. She also has been recognized as one of the most prolific scholars during the 1996-2001 time period. Dr. Booth-Butterfield has published extensively in both Communication Quarterly and Communication Research Reports, two of the journals associated with ECA. She has also served as Editor for both of those journals. ?Based on her research record and her dedication to the association, both as a former Editor and as a former President, as well as her continued research activity and participation in the association, I cannot think of a person more deserving for being recognized as an ECA Research Fellow,? stated Dr. Matthew Martin.
In a letter of nomination for Dr. Booth-Butterfield for the teaching award, one individual wrote: She is a dynamic instructor who is always student-oriented. Dr. Booth-Butterfield does not believe that teaching is limited to the classroom. She routinely works with both undergraduate and graduate students on research projects. Dr. Booth Butterfield is overwhelmingly qualified and deserving as being recognized by ECA as a Teaching Fellow.
“These recognitions of Dr. Melanie Booth-Butterfield are welcome, but overdue,” stated Dr. Scott Myers. “Her colleagues in the Department and in the discipline have recognized for years her research productivity and teaching excellence. West Virginia University is fortunate to have Dr. Booth-Butterfield as a member of our academic community. The opportunity to work with Melanie was one of the reasons I came to WVU.”
Congratulations Dr. Melanie-Booth Butterfield on these acknowledgments of your excellence.
“A wise man should consider that health is the greatest human blessing, and learn by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.” -Hippocrates
This April our Department and West Virginia University were fortunate to host Dr. Dale Brashers as a guest speaker. Dr. Brashers is currently an Associate Professor and the Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Speech Communication at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Brashers is one of the top health communication scholars in the field of communication studies. His areas of specialty include uncertainty management and social support.
As part of the Helen Coast Hayes Lecture Series that is sponsored by the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Brashers gave a public lecture on his research involving social support. The title of his presentation was “Communication and Peer Social Support for People Living with HIV.” In his lecture, he talked about the value of people with HIV receiving social support from others with HIV. He also stressed the importance of reducing uncertainty by having peers and professionals provide information to individuals who discover they have HIV.
Before his lecture, Dr. Brashers met with the graduate students for a discussion of his research. These students prepared for this discussion by reading several of Dr. Brashers’ recent research articles. Dr. Brashers elaborated on the intricacies of his research, some of which is funded by the National Institutes of Health. “Dr. Brashers was helpful in giving us advice about IRB issues. He also told us to be ambitious in our research. He was great,” stated Katie Dunleavy, a current doctoral student.
“Health communication is one of the growing areas of interest in communication studies,” said Dr. Matthew Martin. “Dr. Brashers’ visit allowed our students to hear a different perspective on social support research. We were honored to have Dr. Brashers, a leading health communication researcher, visit WVU.”
Lambda Pi Eta Initiation
The Xi Nu chapter of Lambda Pi Eta National Communication Honor Society held its second initiation ceremony on Sunday, April 17, at Elevation 127, on the eighth floor of the historic Hotel Morgan. Seventeen new members were initiated during the spring semester, bringing the total number of members in the society to 37. New initiates include: Sarah Baker, Holly Brown, Joan Campbell, Juan D?Brot IV, Jayne DiEmidio, Jaclyn Elsey, Lindsay Fitzgerald, Rachel King, Eric Lipp, Brooke Litton, Marissa Mason, Stefanie Puffenbarger, Tiffany Ratliff, Ryan Scott, Tim Sturgis, James Vaccaro, and Beth Vickio.
After dining on finger foods, Dr. Maria Brann, the faculty advisor for Lambda Pi Eta, welcomed the students, family, and friends to the reception. The club’s outgoing officers (Elizabeth Ayers, president; Ashley Carder, vice president; Jaymie Myers, secretary; Michelle King, treasurer) then spoke about the mission of Lambda Pi Eta before new members were initiated. Dr. Brann then recognized the outgoing officers for their hard work during the past year as they helped the group become an officially recognized club by West Virginia University. A public announcement was also made introducing the club’s new officers: Lindsay Marshall, president; Brooke Litton, vice president; Beth Vickio, secretary; and Ryan Scott, treasurer.
“I am really excited about the growth of the organization,” Brann said. “It was nice to recognize the top students in communication at a reception shared by family and friends. Everyone has worked really hard to get into the organization and once in it, they have worked hard to make the organization a positive representation of Communication Studies.”
The honor society members are not only academically active, but they also stay involved by performing various community and campus service projects. Lambda Pi Eta’s first community service project was on March 6, 2005. Several members along with the club’s advisor prepared and served dinner at the Bartlett House.
Lambda Pi Eta also provided professional advice to pre-communication and communication studies majors through mentoring workshops. The workshops were designed to answer any questions students had about communication classes, professors, and graduation requirements. There was also discussion about the career options available for communication majors. Graduating seniors discussed their post-graduation plans.
President Ayers said, “Members of Lambda Pi Eta shared their advice on helpful facts they thought that all pre-communication and communication majors should know. For example, students need to know the importance of Communication 491 (internship). Members recommended that students begin their search now for internships. By the end of the workshops, students felt prepared to make their class schedules and were eager to begin their search for their internship.”
In order to be eligible for membership into Lambda Pi Eta National Communication Honor Society, Communication Studies students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA, a 3.25 communication GPA, and be in the upper 35% of their graduating class.
