Communication Newsletter
March 2022
Announcements
March 18th is the commencement program deadline to make sure your name is in the program for graduation.
Summer Study Abroad opportunity to earn 6 credits—COMM 3650 Communication Law and COMM 4500. Travel to Washington D.C. to do experiential learning.
Upcoming Events
Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario will highlight Weber State University’s Women’s History Month celebrations in March and will make a virtual presentation to the WSU campus on March 15th at noon. The event is free but participants must register.
Join The Signpost as we compete for top spot in College Media Madness! This national competition pits us against other student media outlets to raise money for our papers, running from March 13 to April 5, and we need your help to get us to first place! Show your Weber and Ogden pride by donating or purchasing merch and spreading the word around town! The Signpost will be promoting it on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Our handle is @wsusignpost.
The Utah Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is holding a virtual lunch meeting on Wednesday, March 16 at noon called Marketing Yourself. Students who attend can sign up for a Shadow Day on Friday, March 25 where they will be paired with a communication professional. Anyone interested should email Leslie Howerton at lesliehowerton@weber.edu
Save the date—April 13th. Weber chapter is hosting the state chapter’s April PRSA lunch on our campus. Dr. Nicole Defenbaugh is the speaker and will talk about internal communication and equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Student Accomplishments
Weber State is a Gold Medal program, which means Weber is in the top 10% of the region and one of only 2 schools to achieve this award.
Individual student awards from the Fred Scheller Invitational:
- Bex Baggett: 3rd in Open POI, 1st in Open DI, 5th in Open Extemp, and a Finalist in Duo
- Akir Rowe: 1st in Junior DI, 6th in Junior Extemp, and a Finalist in Duo, and MVP Debate Award
- Jazmyne Olson: 2nd in Orv Iverson Award, 3rd in Open IPDA Debate, 4th in IPDA Speaker Points, 2nd Overall IE Speaker, 2nd Junior Prose, 2nd Junior Extemp, 2nd Junior DI, and 4th in Open CA
- Rae Alder: Top Junior in Duo, 4th in Open Duo, 2nd in Junior Poetry, Top Speaker in ADS, 3rd in ADS
- Saxony Ruckman: 3rd in Junior DI, 4th in Open Persuade, and an Octofinalist in Novice IPDA Debate
- Brad Baker: 4th in Open Extemp
- Lilly Nunley: 2nd in Novice Prose, Top Novice in IPDA Debate, 2nd in IPDA Debate
- Sophie Beck: 1st in Junior Pros
- Kyle Housley: Top Junior in Duo, 4th in Open Duo, 4th in Open Pros, 6th in Open DI
- Hali Hutchinson: 4th in Novice Persuade
- Savannah Mason: 5th in Novice Persuade, and Octofinalist in Novice IPDA Debate
Raymond Lucas, a recent Multimedia Journalism graduate, reported he got a job as a full-time staff writer on the national news desk at 247sports.
Hannah Phelps and Jordan Stephens took second place at districts this weekend, earning an invitation to the National Debate Tournament. They won 3 of their 4 debates against district opponents Gonzaga, Western Washington, and Wyoming. Also, congratulations to Hannah Phelps who got accepted to graduate school at Kansas State University.
Faculty Accomplishments
Sheree Josephson has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar. She will work with ML Radio 102.3 FM in Tunis, Tunisia. The station, which has been on air since 2015, gives a voice to the voiceless in North Africa and the Arab world. Programming reflects values of equality, personal dignity, tolerance for others, social change, economic and environmental justice, education, multiculturalism, and freedom of expression. Its goal is to educate, advocate, empower, and inspire by providing a forum where people share their experiences, learn their rights, and further enlighten society. She will spend most of May in country and has already started work, submitting a grant to the U.S. Embassy in Tunis to develop an hour-long program in English to teach language skills and promote U.S. values.
Nicole Defenbaugh presented, "The Story Collectors: Narrative as a Vehicle for Interprofessional Growth" along with three co-presenters at the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) Conference on February 11, 2022.
Alex Lancaster and the Socials Issue presented research on ranked choice voting to the Lt. Governor on February 16. Learn more here.
Aaron Atkins, guest lectured (online) at Ahram Canadian University in Cairo, Egypt on Feb. 5. The title of the lecture was Media Innovation Research: New Practices and Methods.
Nicola Corbin and Anne Bialowas got their book chapter accepted entitled “When fandom stains your team: Evaluating the effectiveness of the Utah Jazz’s organizational responses to racist events” in the 2nd edition of Social Issues in Sport Communication You Make the Call.
Get Involved – Join a Communication Club!
The Signpost
Contact:
Dr. Jean Norman
jeannorman@weber.edu
Studio 76
Contact:
Dr. Aaron Atkins
datkins@weber.edu
KWCR Wildcat Radio
Contact:
Dr. Jean Norman
jeannorman@weber.edu
WSU Debate
Contact:
Coach Lauren Johnson
laurenjohnson10@weber.edu
WSU Speech
Contact:
Coach Mark Galaviz
markgalaviz@weber.edu
Ogden Peak Communications
Contact:
Dr. Leslie Howerton
lesliehowerton@weber.edu
PRSSA
Contact:
Dr. Leslie Howerton
lesliehowerton@weber.edu
Society of Professional Journalists
Contact:
Dr. Jean Norman
jeannorman@weber.edu
Departmental Honors
Contact:
Dr. Hailey Gillen Hoke
haileygillenhoke@weber.edu
Lambda Pi Eta
Contact:
Dr. Robin Haislett
robinhaislett@weber.edu