Candelaria, Bianca

Bianca S. Candelaria is a first-generation doctoral student from Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
Before attending WVU, she earned an undergraduate degree in Criminology and
Criminal Justice, complemented by a Speech Studies and Psychology minor at The
University of Tampa. She graduated with a master’s degree in Communication Studies
from West Virginia University (WVU) in Spring 2024. As a doctoral student, her research
interests are centered at the intersection of interpersonal and health communication,
focusing on examining patient-provider relationships in therapeutic settings and topics
surrounding the self-disclosure of sexual trauma, sexual consent communication, and
fostering resilience for survivors of sexual trauma within families, romantic relationships,
and victim advocacy work. Bianca is currently teaching COMM 104: Fundamentals of
Public Communication.