News & Events 2015

December 2015 - Communication Newsletter

40 students graduate this semester with associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s in Communication

December 2015 — Congratulations to this semester’s graduates in Communication.

Associate of Science in Communication: Zachary Lyon, Ryan Mccormick, Lanea Rea
Digital Media: Hayden Van Meeteren, Jeff Cutler, Anthony Pham, Nicholas Bailey, Dane Clark, Karlie Mckinnon, Steven Perry, David Rodriguez, Camille Tanner
Interpersonal & Family Communication: Andrea Carlstrom, Cassandra Arvidson, Janna Green, Amelia Lewis
Multimedia Journalism: Scott Stevens
Organizational Communication: Cooper Clements, Brody Tait, Nicole Walker, Breann Johnson
Public Relations & Advertising: Joyce Garcia, Jeremy Harvey, Kaitlyn Schneiter, Kacie Straw, Abbigale Williams, Grant Burton, Kylie Coats, Michael Farace, MaCauley Flint, Lavinia Hafoka Malekamu, Spencer Nielson, Michelle Strickland
Master of Professional Communication: Anne Cazier, Clinton Curtis, Matthew Gerrish, Sandra Patton, Whitney Sanchez, Collin Searle, Jordan Stuart

Weber State Debate ranked in Top 10 of CEDA for first time in WSU history

December 2015 —For the first time, Weber State Debate is ranked in the top 10 nationally of the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA), the largest intercollegiate policy debate association in the United States. In November, Weber State Debate won the California State University-Northridge tournament. Wildcats scored three speaker awards in the 34-competitor field. Hannah Shoell finished fifth, Mark Veeder fourth and Steven Sanchez third with Sanchez’s partner, Quincy Levin from Fresno State University second. All three varsity teams advanced to elimination rounds as the top four seeds of the Elite Eight. All three teams won their debates and advanced to the Final Four. Weber RV finished fourth, Weber HS finished third, and Weber/Fresno LS defeated a talented California State University-Fullerton team in the finals to win the tournament.

Civic Advocacy major to graduate with Departmental Honors

December 2015 —Nicole Walker, a Communication major graduating in the Civic Advocacy emphasis, is graduating with Departmental Honors. To earn this distinction, she maintained a 3.5 GPA overall or higher and a 3.7 GPA or higher in the Communication major.

Communication students speak to local city councils

December 2015 —Students from the Department of Communication public speaking courses are going into local communities to address timely and relevant topics. Students working through the Weber Speaks program are addressing city council members in Ogden, Clearfield and Layton on the topics of building inclusive communities and creating a program for developmentally disabled children. Top students from the Fall Semester public speaking courses were selected to make the city council presentations. They include Dallyn Zaugg, Jessica Williams, Connor Simmons, Jesse Saltzgiver, Wisper Spence, Carver Nicholas, Tyler Wilson, Oliver Schick and Colten Ferrin. The purpose of the Weber Speaks program is to help students find a voice in the democratic process. These students will be honored at the Speech Showcase on Dec. 10.

PR & Advertising students publish November newsletter

December 2015 —Public Relations & Advertising students who are members of Ogden Peak Communications, a student-run PR firm, and PRSSA have published November’s newsletter. It can be accessed at http://issuu.com/weberstateuniversityprssa/docs/november_newsletter_infographics.

PR&A advertising student to speak at entrepreneurship series

December 2015 —Greg Timothy, a Public Relations and Advertising student, will be a featured speaker in the Young Subaru Entrepreneurship Lecture Series. Greg Timothy, owner of the Waffle Wagon, will speak on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. The lecture will be held in the Child Startup Center in the Business Building in Room 203. Food will be provided.

Speech Showcase to highlight best speakers from COMM 1020 classes

December 2015 —The Department of Communication’s Fall Speech Showcase will be held on Thursday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Lecture Hall (EH 229) in the Elizabeth Hall building. The five top speakers from the COMM 1020 Public Speaking Fall Semester classes will present their speeches.

Recruiter to provide advice about journalism internships

December 2015 —Emery Smith, recruiter for Deseret Digital Media, will speak about journalism internships Thursday, Dec. 3, at 1:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union room 404A. She will provide advice on how to land an internship and is willing to look at student resumes. The talk is sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists and The Signpost

The Signpost recruiting staff for Spring Semester

December 2015 —The Signpost is recruiting staffers for Spring Semester. Positions for reporters, photographers and graphic artists are available. Contact Editor-in-Chief Abby Payne at abigailpayne@mail.weber.edu or come to The Signpost office on the fourth floor of the Shepherd Union Building to fill out an application. Staffers receive upper-division COMM credit and scholarships.

The Signpost’s graduation issue to be published on Dec. 9

December 2015 —The Signpost's fall graduation issue, the final edition of the semester, will come out on Wednesday, Dec. 9. This commemorative edition will include names of fall graduates. After winter break, The Signpost will begin spring publication on Jan. 11.

Interested in chapters for black and Hispanic journalists?

December 2015 —Those who are interested in helping to start chapters of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists should contact Jean Norman at jeannorman@weber.edu.

Job postings available on Communication website

December 2015 —Weber State University Communication students and graduates can log into the Communication Department’s website at weber.edu/communication to look for job postings now or in the future. The listings are under the "Jobs" link. Employers contact the department looking for Communication students and graduates for full-time and part-time jobs.

Students are asked to fill out course evaluations for all Communication classes

December 2015 — Students can win a $20 gift card from the Weber State University Bookstore by filling out course evaluations for Communication classes. Course evaluations will be available through Thursday, Dec. 17. Students will be entered into the drawing for each Communication class they evaluate. Five $20 cards will be given away. Winners will be notified via campus email. Faculty members work hard to make your classes an educational and enjoyable experience for you. Course evaluations provide students a way to tell us what they like about their Communication classes and what we can improve. We often make changes based on what students tell us. In addition, these course evaluations are used to make tenure, promotion and hiring decisions. They are read by the department chair and the college dean. Your comments are anonymous. However, we get a list of students who complete evaluations to do the drawing.

College of Arts & Humanities offering one-credit lecture class

December 2015 — A one-credit lecture series is offered in Spring 2016 for all students in the College of Arts & Humanities. Modeled after the Nye Lecture Series in the College of Business, COMM 4810 will bring current undergraduate majors into contact with successful alumni from all of departments in Arts & Humanities. Alums will talk about how they used their undergraduate education to navigate careers, often moving from one professional area to another. Students will be able to network with alums and engage in specific career planning. Invited guests include individuals now working in public education, local politics, marketing, performing arts, real estate, communication, film, publishing, and other areas. The lecture series will meet only once a week, Tuesdays from 12-12:50 p.m., and is a Credit/No-Credit offering.

Winner of prize for science communication to speak on Dec. 11

December 2015 — Richard Alley, 2014 recipient of the National Academy of Sciences' Arthur L. Day Prize for science communication, will speak in Ogden on Friday, Dec. 11. He will speak on “Abrupt climate change: Surprises in the greenhouse?” at 12:30 p.m. in the Wildcat Theater in the Shepherd Union Building. He will speak about “The good news about energy, the environment, and our future” at 5:30 p.m. in the Browning Theater in the Union Station at 2501 Wall Ave. A distinguished glaciologist and climate scientist, Dr. Alley's research has focused on the retrieval and study of ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica. An outstanding communicator, Alley is described in the New York Times as a cross between Carl Sagan and Woody Allen. He has particular gifts for making the science of climate change accessible to everyone, and for taking the politics out of the issue. Dr. Alley has been featured in numerous television documentaries, including Earth: The Operators' Manual, shown on PBS in 2011.

Broadcast News class to create content for online platform

December 2015 — Communication students are encouraged to enroll in COMM 3780 Broadcast News Writing & Production in Spring Semester. This course will focus on the skills needed for broadcast news. Both the writing and the production parts of broadcast news will be taught. Students work together to create a weekly broadcast covering Weber State news and sports. This class will be taught by an award-winning producer who has spent more than decade in the TV news industry. Any student who is planning on a career in journalism should enroll. The class will be offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30 in Elizabeth Hall Room 410.

New debate class Analysis of Argument offered in spring

December 2015 — A new debate class, COMM 1270 Analysis of Argument, will be offered for the first time in Spring Semester. It will be taught at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Ryan Cheek, associate director of debate.

Communication Department to participate in Ogden Marathon

December 2015 — The Department of Communication will have participation from many faculty, staff, students and alumni this year in the 5K, half marathon and the full marathon on May 21, 2016. If you'd like to join and participate in one of these distances click the below link and register for the distance you prefer: https://www.getoutandlive.org/p/about/ogden-marathon/277. Once you've registered please reply to brentwarnock1@weber.edu and indicate which event you will be participating in. We will be compiling a list and taking a photo with all those who are participating and who have a connection to the Weber State Department of Communication.

PR & Advertising graduate re-elected Ogden mayor

December 2015 — Mike Caldwell, a graduate in Public Relations & Advertising, was re-elected to his second term as Ogden mayor in November.

Communication graduate publishes ‘Peas are gross’

December 2015 — Outstanding Communication graduate Carlee Hamblin Hansen has published a book titled “Peas are gross and other important insights about life.”

Two members added to Advisory Board in Communication

December 2015 — Two new members have been added to ABC, the Advisory Board for Communication. Breann Johnson, who will graduate this December in Organizational Communication, will join Luis Lopez, who was just elected to the Ogden City Council. Johnson works in human resources for the Larry H. Miller dealerships while Lopez is the community education director for Weber State University. They will join 10 other prestigious members with ties to the Communication Department who provide advice on curricular offerings, help raise scholarships, among other important tasks.

Come congratulate Kathy Edwards on her retirement

December 2015 — After 27 years at Weber State, Communication professor Kathy Edwards is retiring this month. Come wish her well as she embarks on a new set of adventures. Find out how therapy dogs, New Zealand and yoga factor in to her post-Weber State plans. A retirement reception will be held in Dr. Edwards’ honor, on Dec. 8, from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Sky Room (Room 404). Fruit and desserts will be served. All are welcome.

Sarah Steimel named director of Master of Professional Communication program

December 2015 — Dr. Sarah Steimel, assistant professor of Communication, has been named director of the Master of Professional Communication program. Dr. Steimel has taught at Weber State University for five years. She is an organizational communication scholar who teaches a number of both undergraduate and graduate courses. She will succeed Dr. Kathy Edwards who retires in December.

Brent Warnock speaks at Teaching and Learning Forum

December 2015 — Brent Warnock, instructor of Communication, spoke at the Teaching and Learning Forum Pathway Learning Series on Nov. 17. His topic was “Dialogue in teaching: Four ways to apply Paulo Freire's dialogic principles in the Classroom.”

November 2015 - Communication Newsletter

WSU debate team finishes fourth at Las Vegas Classic

November 2015 — After three days and 11 debates, Weber State University’s Misty Tippets and Kinsee Gaither reached the semifinals and finished fourth of 60 varsity teams at the Las Vegas Classic in October. Tippets was named the 19th speaker and Gaither was named the 20th speaker out of 120 competitors. Steven Sanchez and Catherine Shackelford also reached elimination debates in varsity, finishing 18th. The Wildcats’ impressive competitive accomplishments were supported by a legion of 'Cats also in attendance.

Nine students, faculty member to attend national PRSSA conference

November 2015 — Nine members of the Weber State chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America will attend the PRSSA national conference in Atlanta Nov. 5-10. The students are Amberleigh Farrell, Sarah Jackson, Kylie Coats Saunders, Thais Stewart, Kelsey Kingdon, Kristi Mak, Nathan Bennion, Joshua Stephens and Pascal Friedman. Their adviser Dr. Nicola Corbin will join them.

Weber State Debate hosts more than 300 at historic Ogden tournament

November 2015 — About 300 debaters attended the Weber Swing, two debate tournaments in six days—the third annual Mukai Invitational and the 19th annual Val A. Browning Round Robin. The tournaments were held Sept. 30 through Oct. 5. The University of Iowa won both titles, the first time in history that accomplishment went to one school. It was also the first time the tournament title was earned by an all African-American team. The Browning Foundation named Toya Green of Cal State Fullerton the Val Director of the Year. She is the first African-American woman to receive the award. Gabe Murillo of Iowa won the Mukai Assistant Director of the Year. He is the first Latino to receive it.

Studio 76 to compete in its third international film competition

November 2015 — The Studio 76 team will devote a weekend of their semester to produce a short film ( 5-7 minutes) for an international film competition. The team will be assigned a genre, character, etc., on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. From there they will write, shoot and edit a short film in two days. You can watch some of their past entries here:
Nerds In Love - Award Winning Musical by Studio 76

Hungry, Hungry Hobos - Four Points Film Project by Studio 76

Mirage - 48 Hour Film Project 2015 Salt Lake City

Signpost editor in chief moderates Ogden mayoral panel

November 2015 — Signpost Editor in Chief Abigail Payne moderated the Ogden City municipal candidate panel on Oct. 19 at the Lindquist Alumni Center. Payne lobbed questions at the four candidates who attended: Richard Hyer, Luis Lopez, Mike Caldwell and Sebastian Benitez for just over an hour.

Signpost Spanish editor to discuss diversity in newsrooms

November 2015 — Signpost Spanish editor Ingrid Maldonado will lead a diversity in media panel on Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Room 305. Maldonado attended the National Association of Hispanic Journalists national convention in September.

PR & Advertising student to speak at entrepreneurship series

November 2015 — Greg Timothy, a Public Relations and Advertising student, will be a featured speaker in the Young Subaru Entrepreneurship Lecture Series. Greg Timothy, owner of the Waffle Wagon, will speak on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. The lecture will be held in the Child Startup Center in the Business Building in Room 203. Food will be provided.

Speech Showcase to highlight best speakers from COMM 1020 classes

November 2015 — The Department of Communication’s Fall Speech Showcase will be held on Thursday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Lecture Hall (EH 229) in the Elizabeth Hall building. The five top speakers from the COMM 1020 Public Speaking Fall Semester classes will present their speeches.

KWCR transitions to all-digital format

November 2015 — KWCR Wildcat Radio has made the transition to an all-digital format in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The new format allows anyone to listen to KWCR from anywhere in the world. To listen online, visit the KWCR Facebook page or download the Weber State University Buzz app. In addition to cutting the cord with the over-the-air signal, the campus radio station has a new logo and a new slogan of KWCR Wildcat Radio. The new format features a new variety of shows, podcasts and coverage of WSU’s major sports. KWCR is currently hiring announcers. Stop by the radio station in the Union Building to apply.

KWCR to host Open Mic Night, conduct canned food drive

November 2015 — KWCR Wildcat Radio will host an Open Mic Night at the Grounds for Coffee at 30th and Harrison Boulevard on Friday at 8 p.m. KWCR students are also collecting food for the Weber Cares Food Pantry until Nov. 25. This is part of KWCR’s Hope for the Holidays at KWCR Canned Food Drive.

Broadcast News class to create content for online platform

November 2015 — Communication students are encouraged to enroll in COMM 3780 Broadcast News Writing & Production in Spring Semester. This course will focus on the skills needed for broadcast news. Both the writing and the production parts of broadcast news will be taught. Students work together to create a weekly broadcast covering Weber State news and sports. This class will be taught by an award-winning producer who has spent more than decade in the TV news industry. Any student who is planning on a career in journalism should enroll. The class will be offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30 in Elizabeth Hall Room 410.

New debate class Analysis of Argument offered in spring

November 2015 — A new debate class, COMM 1270 Analysis of Argument, will be offered for the first time in Spring Semester. It will be taught at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Ryan Cheek, associate director of debate.

Students encouraged to attend Career Fair on Wednesday

November 2015 — Communication majors can find employment opportunities at the STEM + Professional Career Fair on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Ballrooms. For more information, email ksdoutre@weber.edu.

Communication Department to participate in Ogden Marathon

November 2015 — The Department of Communication will have participation from many faculty, staff, students and alumni this year in the 5K, half marathon and the full marathon on May 21, 2016. If you'd like to join and participate in one of these distances click the below link and register for the distance you prefer: https://www.getoutandlive.org/p/about/ogden-marathon/277. Once you've registered please reply to brentwarnock1@weber.edu and indicate which event you will be participating in. We will be compiling a list and taking a photo with all those who are participating and who have a connection to the Weber State Department of Communication.

Seven faculty to present papers at the conference of the National Communication Association

November 2015 — Seven members of the Department of Communication will present papers at the annual conference of the National Communication Association in Las Vegas on Nov. 19-22. Dr. Susan Hafen will present a paper with Dr. Leah Murray called "Deliberating social economic differences in the American Democracy Project. Dr. Hailey Gillen Hoke will present “Equity theory in workplace relationships: An examination of relationship type, sex-composition of the relationship, and peer sex." Dr. Jean Norman will present “Social capital of last resort: How people with low socio-economic status rely on god when social resources are scarce." Dr. Colleen Packer will present “Embracing opportunities to maximize student learning: the scholarship of teaching and learning in disciplinary communication.” Dr. Sarah Steimel will present "Pinterest as cultural artifact collage: critiquing gender communication in cultural texts online" in GIFTS (Great Ideas for Teaching Speech) division and "Community engaged research: embracing opportunities for participatory student learning." Robin Haislett will help perform a miniature ethnographic examination of Las Vegas titled "Experimental tourism: mapping and performing Las Vegas." Dr. Alex Lancaster will present multiple papers: “An exploratory investigation of a college campus cancer intervention,” “Flying blind to safety: mortality salience, efficacy, and message recall of airline safety demonstration videos,” “Something to look forward to: understanding the appeal of ritualistic television coviewing events,” “The effect of sharing source on behavioral intentions of viewing an online video,” and “Death is coming, but I’m too scared to think about it”: Defining and distinguishing the roles of death and fear as motivators to cognitive, affective, and behavioral change.”

October 2015 - Communication Newsletter

WSU Debate team places fifth in national tournament while JV team wins championship

October 2015 — Kinsee Gaither and Misty Tippets were 7-1 in prelims and finished as the fifth-place team in a field of 82 at a tournament at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in September. They racked up wins against teams from Arizona State University, Baylor University, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, University of Kansas, University of Texas Austin and the University of North Texas, establishing themselves as one of the top debate partnerships in the country at the first tournament of the year. Samy Leyba and David Bessey took home the Junior Varsity division championship at the UMKC tournament, racking up wins against teams from the University of Oklahoma, Lindenwood University, the University of Central Oklahoma, Kansas City Kansas Community College, University of Texas-Dallas, University of Kansas and Emporia State University. Additionally, Leyba and Bessey finished 10th and ninth among Junior Varsity top speakers.

Signpost students to share information learned at national conferences

October 2015 — The Signpost Editor-in-Chief Abigail Payne, Spanish editor Ingrid Maldonado and KWCR co-music director Michaela Funtanilla attended combined annual conference of the Society of Professional Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and Radio, Television, Digital News Directors Association in Orlando, Florida, Sept. 17-20. They attended sessions with professionals and came back with information to share with students at Weber State University. On Sept. 24 Payne presented information she learned from the American Copy Editors Society. Funtanilla is scheduled to present tips on resumes and job searches on Oct. 8 at 1:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Room 305. Maldonado is scheduled to present about diversity and bilingual journalism on Nov. 11 at 1:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union. All majors are welcome to attend.

Students, alums assisting Digital Media instructor in making Comic Con film

October 2015 — Digital Media Instructor Drew Tyler and his filmmaking team at Super Heumann productions began production on their feature-length film "The Comic Con." Many members of the team are proud Wildcat alums and current students. Tyler is one of the producers. The cinematographer is WSU graduate Kelly Cross. The audio engineer is senior Digital Media student Josh LeVitre. The lead production assistant is recent graduate Daniel Martinez. Several other production assistants include Digital Media students ranging from freshman to seniors: Danny Rubio (dedicated Camera A assist), Emily Eldredge, Christyna Cummings, Jeremy Sessions, Zach Lyons, Keela Disterhaft, Gleb Lapham and Aleesha Owens. Parts of the film were shot over four days at the Salt Palace during Salt Lake Comic Con. To follow behind the scenes and get updates, follow Twitter @comicconmovie15.

Civic Advocacy student interning in Sen. Lee’s Washington, D.C., office

October 2015 — Madelaine Tesori, a Civic Advocacy major, is working in Sen. Mike Lee’s Washington, D.C., office this semester. She has been able to see and listen to the Pope address Congress from the West Lawn of the Capitol. She has also seen former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and current presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz speak on the stage at the West Lawn. She also met MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.

PR&A major named as member of student Homecoming royalty

October 2015 — Amina Khan, a senior studying Public Relations & Advertising, was named as a member of the Weber State University student Homecoming royalty. Khan’s photo is sponsored in a WSU ad that is plastered on the back of a UTA bus. She has helped plan multiple WSU Student Association events and is currently the organization’s social media marketing director. As a participant in the Alternative Spring Break program, Khan traveled to Las Vegas to tackle community service projects there. Celebrating her Pakistani heritage, Khan performed a traditional dance and manned a henna booth at a recent campus party.

Digital Media student lands full-time job at KFAN in sports programming and production

October 2015 — Nick Bailey, a Digital Media student, has been offered a full-time job at KFAN in sports programming and production. He was offered this job after successful completion of an internship there. All Communication majors are required to complete an internship. To learn more about the internship program, visit http://www.weber.edu/Communication/internship.html. Internship director Dr. Susan Hafen can answer questions at shafen@weber.edu.

Steimel named director of Master of Professional Communication program

October 2015 — Dr. Sarah Steimel has been selected as the director of the Master of Professional Communication program effective Jan. 1. She will replace Dr. Kathryn Edwards who will retire at the end of the year. Dr. Steimel teaches classes in the MPC program such as MPC 6010 Intro to Grad Studies/Communication Theory, MPC 6700 Research Methods, MPC 6500 Special Topics Gender Communication in the Workplace and MPC 6550 Advanced Organizational Communication.

Admission deadline for Master of Professional Communication program is Nov. 1

October 2015 — The deadline to register for Spring 2016 admission to the Master of Professional Communication is Nov. 1. Contact Dr. Kathryn Edwards (801-626-6571) or Shari Love (801-626-7499) for more information or visit our website at weber.edu/mpc.

Investigative reporter for Salt Lake Tribune to speak on Oct. 22

October 2015 — Salt Lake Tribune investigative reporter Nate Carlisle will talk at The Signpost professional development Oct. 22 at 1:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Room 305. He will talk about his experience as an investigative reporter and encourage students to attend a conference on computer-assisted reporting in March in Denver. All majors are welcome to attend.

PRSSA Alumni Night Mixer to be held Oct. 20 in Union Building

October 2015 — Weber State University’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter will hold its first Alumni Night Mixer on Oct. 20 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Building. Alumni will share their experiences and career journeys with current members.

Join the PRowl! Join the Public Relations Student Society of America

October 2015 — WSU's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America is accepting membership applications through Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. Join an award-winning chapter that is a part of a national organization that prepares you for your career through networking opportunities and real-world experiences. Tuition waivers are also available, with funding.

WSU to host 2017 National Debate Coaches Association national tournament

October 2015 — Weber State Debate has been chosen to host the 2017 National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) national championship tournament. This tournament will bring 400 of the nation’s most elite high school debaters and coaches from across the country to Ogden for nearly a full week. National champions will be crowned at the culmination of the tournament. Weber State University is a popular choice to host major national tournaments, most recently hosting this tournament in 2014. For more information, see http://www.debatecoaches.org/board-and-officers/. This is not the only national tournament on the schedule. WSU Debate won the bid to host the 2016 Cross Examination Debate Association National Conference in June 2016.

Winners of drawings from Wildcat Block Party announced

October 2015 — The prize winners for the Communication booths at the Wildcat Block Party have been announced. In all 83 participants were eligible for the prize drawing, visiting all four booths (Communication Department/Ogden Peak Communications, KWCR, The Signpost, and Studio 76) sponsored by the department. The winners are: Cynthia Villagomez, vest and skateboard; Alyssa Staley, Go-Pro camera; Tanya Stensland, iPad; and Delaram Hajhassan, mini iPad.

Former student body president speaks to Comm students during Homecoming week

October 2015 — Melinda Roylance McGrath, who was WSU’s student body president from 1992-93 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication, visited several Communication classes while she was in town for Homecoming. Roylance McGrath, who lives in Texas, is the human resources director at a large, global (7,000 employees, 22 countries, $2 billion in sales) semiconductor/engineering company. She is part of the executive team that sets strategy. Before switching to HR, she had a successful 15-year career in sales and marketing at technology companies. She says, “My time at Weber gave me an awesome foundation for a successful future.” Shortly after graduating WSU, she earned a master’s degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Utah.

Recent graduate working in human resources office at Snowbasin

October 2015 — Kya Hadley, a 2015 graduate in Communication in Public Relations & Advertising, is working in the human resources office at Snowbasin Resort as a payroll and recruiting coordinator.

Gillen Hoke is co-author on two articles accepted by international journals

October 2015 — Dr. Hailey Gillen Hoke is a co-author on two articles that will be published soon in international journals. She co-authored “Throwing stones at the glass partition: Responses to coworkers’ cross-sex workplace friendships" that will be published in the European Journal of Management and "Differences in information seeking among organizational peers: Perceptions of appropriateness, importance, and frequency" that will be published in the International Journal of Business Communication.

Lancaster has article accepted for publication in Southern Communication Journal

October 2015 — Dr. Alex Lancaster, a new faculty member in Communication, has received word that his article will be published in a forthcoming edition of Southern Communication Journal. His article is titled “Managing information about a romantic partner’s relationship history: An application of the theory of motivated information management. “ Lancaster is the lead author on the article with four others.

Seven faculty to present papers at the conference of the National Communication Association

October 2015 — Seven members of the Department of Communication will present papers at the annual conference of the National Communication Association in Las Vegas on Nov. 19-22. Dr. Susan Hafen will present a paper with Dr. Leah Murray called "Deliberating social economic differences in the American Democracy Project. Dr. Hailey Gillen Hoke will present “Equity theory in workplace relationships: An examination of relationship type, sex-composition of the relationship, and peer sex." Dr. Jean Norman will present “Social capital of last resort: How people with low socio-economic status rely on god when social resources are scarce." Dr. Colleen Packer will present “Embracing opportunities to maximize student learning: the scholarship of teaching and learning in disciplinary communication.” Dr. Sarah Steimel will present "Pinterest as cultural artifact collage: critiquing gender communication in cultural texts online" in GIFTS (Great Ideas for Teaching Speech) division and "Community engaged research: embracing opportunities for participatory student learning." Robin Haislett will help perform a miniature ethnographic examination of Las Vegas titled "Experimental tourism: mapping and performing Las Vegas." Dr. Alex Lancaster will present multiple papers: “An exploratory investigation of a college campus cancer intervention,” “Flying blind to safety: mortality salience, efficacy, and message recall of airline safety demonstration videos,” “Something to look forward to: understanding the appeal of ritualistic television coviewing events,” “The effect of sharing source on behavioral intentions of viewing an online video,” and “Death is coming, but I’m too scared to think about it”: Defining and distinguishing the roles of death and fear as motivators to cognitive, affective, and behavioral change.”

Dawson to present paper at Goldsmiths University in London

October 2015 — Dr. Veronica Dawson, a visiting assistant professor, will present a paper that outlines a typology of the impact of organizational communities through social media conversations at a symposium in London. The meeting where the paper will be presented is called “Social media, activism, and organizations” and will be held Nov. 6 at Goldsmiths University. The meeting will draw an international group of scholars and is organized by Dr. Dhiraj Murthy, a well-known sociologist and social networking scholar.

Norman to present two panels at College Media Association conference

October 2015 — Dr. Jean Norman will present on two panels at the College Media Association conference Oct. 29-Nov. 1. She will be on a panel about options for graduate school and a research panel where she will present work on mobile devices and student journalists.

September 2015 — Communication Newsletter

Four Communication majors earn Academic All-Conference honors

SSeptember 2015 — Four Communication majors earned Academic All-Conference honors in the Big Sky. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have met and/or exceeded three requirements: 1) Participation in at least half of the team’s competitions, 2) achievement of a 3.2 cumulative grade point average at the conclusion of the most recently completed term, and 3) completion of at least one academic term at his/her school. Sophomore Alexandria Albi earned the honor in women’s golf. Senior Stetson Smith earned it in men’s outdoor track and field. Juniors Krystin Kubo and Jazmine Thompson earned the honor in women’s softball. The entire article can be read at https://www.weberstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8600&ATCLID=210176545.

Communication internships turn into good professional full-time jobs

September 2015 — It’s not unusual for Communication majors who do a good job at their internship to be offered a full-time job. Four recent examples of this include Public Relations & Advertising major Chelbie Hunger, Digital Media major Daniel Martinez, Interpersonal & Family Communication major Amdrea Carlstrom, and Interpersonal and Family Communication major Janna Green Robinson. In March Hunger is now working as a PR coordinator at Summit. Martinez got a producing job at KSL from his internship. Carlstrom is the community curator at Holodeck. Robinson is working in customer service with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. All Communication majors are required to complete an internship. To learn more about the internship program, visit http://www.weber.edu/Communication/internship.html. Internship director Dr. Susan Hafen can answer questions at shafen@weber.edu.

Master of Professional Communication degree ranked No. 5

September 2015 — The Master of Professional Communication degree was ranked No. 5 in the Best Online or Hybrid Master’s in Communication and Public Relations Students Before Profits Award for 2015-2016. The Students Before Profits Award was created to promote nonprofit colleges and universities that offer online or hybrid programs of study leading to a master’s degree in communications, public relations or related fields and have ranked these programs according to their affordability. For a full list of the rankings, see http://www.nonprofitcollegesonline.com/rankings/best-online-masters-in-communication-and-public-relations/. According to the news release announcing the ranking, “Communications degrees are versatile and can lead to employment in a wide variety of careers: journalism, advertising, public relations, internal relations, politics, and law—virtually every profession values communicators who can shape messages with technology and keep up with media as it changes. Effective written and verbal communication skills are increasingly found as the most in-demand skills in the widest range of careers available. In Forbes, 2014, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates identified communication skills as ‘invaluable business assets.’ Thus, these degree programs will prove to be useful for both individuals who desire to advance in their current careers, and individuals who are looking to make a career change. A master’s degree in communication will provide an excellent return on investment. The Nation Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported an average difference in pay between bachelor’s and master’s degree holders in communications as $213 per week. That is over $11,000 more per year on average for those holding a master’s degree in communications vs. a bachelor’s which means some of the degrees listed will pay for themselves in as little as a year’s time and will dramatically increase students’ earnings across their lifetime.”

WSU to host 2017 National Debate Coaches Association national tournament

September 2015 — Weber State Debate has been chosen to host the 2017 National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) national championship tournament. This tournament will bring 400 of the nation’s most elite high school debaters and coaches from across the country to Ogden for nearly a full week. National champions will be crowned at the culmination of the tournament. Weber State University is a popular choice to host major national tournaments, most recently hosting this tournament in 2014. For more information, see http://www.debatecoaches.org/board-and-officers/. This is not the only national tournament on the schedule. WSU Debate won the bid to host the 2016 Cross Examination Debate Association National Conference in June 2016.

It was a busy summer for Weber State Debate

September 2015 — The busy summer included hosting a residential three-week summer camp for high school students and completing the nine-day, 90-hour college preseason workshop with an outstanding lineup of debaters recruited from California to Kansas. In addition, six students attended the Arizona Debate Institute from July 27 to Aug. 9 with one of those six students (Misty Tippets) receiving news that she was given a full scholarship to be a teaching fellow. WSU Debate also advertised, marketed and completed the selection process for the 19th annual Val A Browning Round Robin and the Open Invitational, a weeklong celebration of college debate to be held (again) this October in Ogden with all of the very best debate teams in the country.

Former editorial page editor’s family makes donation to journalism program

September 2015 — The Communication Department has received a philanthropic bequest from the estate of longtime journalist, community advocate, WSU friend and alumna Flora Ogan. Starting her impressive 40-year career at the Standard-Examiner as a correspondent in 1955, Ogan was eventually promoted to full-time reporter, city editor, associate editor and editorial page editor. She retired in 1996. Ogan attended Weber State when it was a junior college but never graduated. Like many other students who began their college years at Weber but, for one reason or another, never finished, Ogan retained a deep respect for the school that gave her a start. Throughout her life, Ogan was committed to Weber State’s growth and development.

Graduate named as communications director for gubernatorial campaign

September 2015 — Sasha Seegmiller Clark, who graduated several years ago in Public Relations & Advertising, has been hired as the director of communications for Jonathan Johnson’s 2016 governor’s campaign. Johnson is the former CEO of Overstock.com and current chairman. Seegmiller was also accepted into a summer program at Harvard University. Seegmiller excelled as an Honors student and researcher, presenting her work at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research.

Two new faculty members hired effective Fall Semester

September 2015 — Two new faculty members have joined the Department of Communication. They are Dr. Alexander L. Lancaster and Dr. Veronica R. Dawson. Lancaster completed his Ph.D. from West Virginia University in 2015). He is an assistant professor and the Basic Course director for Comm. 1020 Public Speaking and Comm. 2110 Interpersonal & Small Group Communication. His research focuses on persuasive attempts by civic authorities and the use of computer-mediated technology to communicate these persuasive messages to the public. He is also interested in the use of media as an informative and persuasive tool in a variety of contexts, including public safety and health. His most recent work is his dissertation, in which he examined the use of the persuasive “ask-tell-make” continuum by law enforcement and compliance with and perceptions of police by college students. Dawson completed her Ph.D. at the University of Utah in 2015. She is a visiting assistant professor who will teach general education courses. Her research interests are in the communicative constitution of the organization, organizational identity and identification, and strategic communication and social media. She is originally from Bulgaria and in previous lives has worked in public relations for Margie Korshak in Chicago, and in statistical analysis software for SPSS and IBM. In addition to her work at WSU Dawson is actively involved in research and consulting projects with local organizations.

Packer promoted to full professor

September 2015 — Dr. Colleen Packer received notification from the Provost over the summer that she has been promoted to a Full Professor. Packer has taught Communication for about 30 years. She is currently serving as the director of the WSU Teaching and Learning Forum.

Josephson, MPC graduate publish article in Visual Communication Quarterly

September 2015 — Dr. Sheree Josephson and Jessica Schreifels Miller have published an article titled “Just state the facts on Twitter: eye tracking shows that readers may ignore questions posted by news organizations on Twitter but not on Facebook" in Visual Communication Quarterly, Volume 22 Issue 2. Miller is a reporter for the Salt Lake Tribune who graduated recently with the Master of Professional Communication degree. During her undergraduate years she was the editor in chief of The Signpost.

Norman elected to term on Weber State Faculty Senate

September 2015 — Dr. Jean Norman, assistant professor of Communication and faculty adviser to The Signpost, has been elected to serve on the Faculty Senate at Weber State University.

Two Communication faculty relay teams complete Ogden Marathon

September 2015 — Two relay teams from the Communication Department completed the Ogden Marathon on May 16. Each participant ran between 3.1 miles and 7.1 miles. The official finish time for the Comm 1 Team was 4:57:14. For Comm 2 Team it was 5:18:51. Communication faculty who participated included Drew Tyler, Stacey Tyler, Mark Merkley, Robin Haislett, Dr. Colleen Packer and Brent Warnock.

Josephson presents research with MPC graduate at Visual Communication Conference

September 2015 — Dr. Sheree Josephson was a co-presenter of a paper titled “How reader comments on news websites influence user behavior” with Jennifer Toomer-Cook, a 2015 graduate of the Master of Professional Communication program at the 29th annual Visual Communication Conference in Cannon Beach, Oregon, in June. The data for this study was gathered using eye tracking.

Cheek elected officer in American Forensics Association

September 2015 — Ryan Cheek, the assistant director of forensics at Weber State, has been elected as the representative for the West in the American Forensics Association.

May 2015

60 students graduate this year with a bachelor’s in Communication

May 2015 — Congratulations to this year’s baccalaureate graduates in Communication.

Civic Advocacy: Veronica Rae Savage

Digital Media: Nathan George Clark, Lisa Bossman, Rachel V. Hernandez

Electronic Media: Nicholas Bailey, Joan C. Dunn, Harmony Dean Fehr, Kydee Ann Jensen, Daniel T. Martinez, Zach E. Otero, David M. Rodriguez

Interpersonal & Small Group Communication: Andrew B. Chambers, Maddison Victoria Larkin, Stephanie Lloyd, Preslee Gaites Patton, Katie Ann Rigby, Julia Cherysse Saxton, Theodore Richard Steinhorst III, Hector Leonardo Fernandez, Chelsea Nicole Wheeler

Journalism: Brian Giles, Tyson A. Jex

Multimedia Journalism: Marcus Alan Jensen

Organizational Communication: Skyler Becraft, Mackenzie K. Bushman, Kelly Jean Garner, Courtney Elizabeth Hackett, Brooke Lynn Silva, Natalie Robison Slater, Lexie Lynn Turner, Mara Joanne Wandrey

Public Relations & Advertising: Parker T. Alexander, Brian S. Bankhead, Jonathan Basler, Grant Burton, Marc E. Bybee, Kylinn Lindy Rene Edwards, Cole S. Freestone, Kya Hadley, Shaquille Kevon Heath, Glenda M. Hoffman, Chelbie A. Hunger, Patricia Joe Kang, London Daisha Kearns, Courtney Garner Keeffer, Rebeca S. Leger, Christa Jean Lindley, Teryn Michele Lyman, Shanell West Marinuzzi, Shaun Douglas Mcclain, Aimee F. Mckinlay, Laycee Annetta Moss, Daniel G. Mueller, Matthew Todd Norman, Katie F. Orndorff, Jordan M. Postel, Korinne Rasmussen, Melissa A. Reese, Eric S. Saylor

Associate of Science in Communication: Haley Pasquariello

Seventeen students graduate with Master of Professional Communication degree

May 2015 — Congratulations to members of the 2015 class of the Master of Professional Communication. The graduates are Marcus Call, Tyler Card, Jody Flower, Bruce Frandsen, Monique Lundstedt, Erik Olsen, Sharon Annette Petersen, Stephanie Rikard, Bryce Schow, Jennifer Smith, Brooks Stevenson, Kylee Bufton Street, Benjamin Taylor, Riley Thornock, Jennifer Toomer-Cook, Richard Wadley and Kurtis Wilkinson.

Public Relations & Advertising graduate to speak at Commencement

May 2015 — Shaquille Heath, a Communication major with a Public Relations & Advertising emphasis, has been selected as the student speaker at the overall commencement ceremony.

Outstanding graduates in Communication announced

May 2015 — Congratulations to the following outstanding Communication graduates.

Academic Achievement: Stephanie Lloyd
Civic Advocacy: India Nielsen
Digital Media: Caleb Cross
Interpersonal & Family Communication: Morgan Bruderer
Multimedia Journalism: Marcus Jensen
Organizational Communication: Natalie Slater
Public Relations & Advertising: Shaquille Heath

Department of Communication hosts Speech Showcase winners to full house

May 2015 — The Department of Communication hosted the Speech Showcase on April 16 to a full house in Elizabeth Hall’s auditorium. This event recognized the best speeches from each Communication 1020 Public Speaking class in Spring Semester and provided an opportunity for the Top 5 finalists to present their speeches to faculty, administration, students and the overall university community. The finalists included Olivia Shaw, Joshua Willden, Chad Colby, Caleb Heder and Jillian Quilter. Honorable mention awards went to Aubrey Snelson, Matthew Wilkinson and Delaney Woodfield. The semifinalists were Patricia Danklef, Kenneth Gordon, Mosiah Gonzalez, Christopher Montoya, Jericho Pineda, Mike Rose, Tyson Jex, Jason Squire, Rhett Steadman, Richard Mickelsen and Brennan West. To watch the speeches of the five finalists, see https://wsustudio76.com/speech-showcase-2015-2/.

Nine students speak in front of Ogden City Council

May 2015 — The debut of Weber Speaks was a “real hit,” according to Bill Cook, the executive director of the Ogden City Council. Nine Communication students gave speeches in front of the City Council. They include Jocelyn Adams, Ana Caceras-Moldonado, Cara Darr, Brandon Goodrich, Dawn Goss, Brandon Hyer, Brady Libby, Alexa Peterson and Hayley Waldbillig.

Thirteen students awarded Communication scholarships

May 2015 — Thirteen students received scholarships at the annual awards ceremony for the Department of Communication. Scholarship recipients included Janna Green, Joshua LeVitre, Kylie Coates, Misty Tippets, Jordan Hendricks, Bianca Morales, Steven Sanchez, Samuel Leyba, Abigail Payne, Emilee Atkinson, Michael Grennell, Alexis Rague and Ingrid Moldanado.

Signpost has five winners, seven finalists in regional SPJ competition

May 2015 — The Signpost had five winners and seven finalists in the Society of Professional Journalists regional Mark of Excellence Awards April 24-26 in Denver. The staff won for the best newspaper-affiliated website, and the following staff members won top honors in these categories: Michael Anderson Kruse, breaking news for "Now It's Legal," a story on the legalization of gay marriage in Utah; Lichelle Jenkins, feature photography for her photo of the Santa run in Ogden; Autumn Mariano, Kaitlyn Johnson and Skyler Pyle for photo illustration for the cover of the Homecoming issue; and former opinion editor Alex Gerrish for editorial writing for his Viewpoints. The finalists were also honored at the annual convention in Denver. They were Matt Kunes in general news for his coverage of the death of nursing professor Cynthia Candland; Kelsy Thompson for her column writing; Michael Grennell for his sports column; Charles Bowker for his breaking sports story on a soccer overtime loss; Stephanie Konchar for her photo of a rally celebrating the gay marriage court decision; and Autumn Mariano, Kaitlyn Johnson and Skyler Pyle for the fall graduation issue cover. In addition, The Signpost was a finalist for best all-around non-daily student newspaper. The Signpost competed against newspaper at other large universities in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.

Student leaders selected for Studio 76, KWCR 88.1 FM

May 2015 — Top leaders have been selected for Studio 76 and for KWCR 88.1 FM. Both students will begin their new posts in Summer Semester. Shane Thompson has been named the executive producer of Studio 76. Andrew Leon has been named general manager of KWCR 88.1 FM.

Five Communication students named Crystal Crest finalists

May 2015 — Five Communication students were finalists in the 33^rd annual Crystal Crest contest.

MaCauley Flint, Public Relations & Advertising, Female Athletic Achievement
Shaquille Heath, Public Relations & Advertising, Scholar of the Year
Tyler Hall, Public Relations & Advertising, Talent of the Year
Cash Knight, MPC, Man of the Year
Julia Saxton, Interpersonal & Family Communication, Volunteer Service

Two teams qualify for National Debate Tournament for first time since 2004-2005 season

May 2015 — For the first time since the 2004-05 season, Weber State qualified two teams to the 69th annual National Debate Tournament's field of 78. The competition was hosted at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. After three days of intensely competitive debate, sophomores Misty Tippets and Jordan Hendricks improved on last year's performance and sophomore Chris Hall and junior Mark Veeder got their first look at the NDT and brought home a win. The competitive season has now come to a close for 2014-15. Weber State Debate will spend the summer hosting the Weber State Debate Institute.

Public Relations & Advertising graduate accepts position at Toyota Motor Sales headquarters

May 2015 — Glenda Hoffman who is graduating in Public Relations & Advertising has accepted a position with Toyota Motor Sales headquartered in Torrance, California. She will enter the Marketing and Sales Training Program this summer.

Communication 4500 Special Projects premier at Movie Grille

May 2015 - The Communication 4500 Special Projects: Digital Filmmaking and Documentary Production premiered on Thursday at the Movie Grille. The 26 students worked all semester to create nearly 200 minutes of film. Five teams worked tirelessly since January to write, shoot, edit and polish four films and one documentary. The average length was 40 minutes. Each film had a unique genre from sci-fi to coming-of-age films. Teams were composed of five to six Digital Media students. Films can be viewed on Movies.weber.edu starting in mid-May. The film titles are Neur-O, The Fifth Penny, Press Send, Vacancy, and Fatherhood: Preparing for the Unexpected.

PR student holds school record on strikeouts on women’s softball team

May 2015 — Public Relations & Advertising student MaCauley Flint was featured in a Standard-Examiner article. Flint, a pitcher on Weber State’s women’s softball team, holds the WSU record for strikeouts. The article was written by recent WSU journalism graduate Brandon Garside. It can be accessed at https://www.standard.net/Sports/2015/04/22/McCauley-Flint-feature.html.

WSU locks up three of five finalist positions in state PR student competition

May 2015 — Three Public Relations & Advertising students—Shaquille Heath, Cynthia Villagomez and Shaun Wilson—have been named finalists in the Utah PR Student of the Year competition. Along with two finalists from other state universities, they will compete in the final round for the top title on March 27. WSU has won the title four years in a row.

Communication 4400 students help with organ donation campaign

May 2015 — Public Relations & Advertising students in the Spring 2015 section of Comm. 4400 Public Relations Media & Campaigns helped with the Intermountain Donor Services “Yes Utah!” campaign. They extensively used social media to post an organ donation myth each day during April to recognize national “Donate Life Month.” After tweeting the myth, the class provided a link where followers could learn more about organ donation. Students also dressed up as a heart around the WSU campus to help get the word out.

Josephson to present research with MPC graduate at Visual Communication Conference

May 2015 — Dr. Sheree Josephson will be a co-presenter of a paper titled “How Reader Comments on News Websites Influence User Behavior” with Jennifer Toomer-Cook, a 2015 graduate of the Master of Professional Communication program at the 29th annual Visual Communication Conference in Cannon Beach, Oregon, in June. The data for this study was gathered using eye tracking.

The Signpost sweeps Utah Press Association competition

April 2015—The Signpost won nine first-place awards and placed in 18 categories in this year’s Utah Press Association competition. Because of its strong showing The Signpost took home the General Excellence award for the newspaper that compiled the most points in the various categories. Here are the individual winners:

First place for General News Reporting Single Story: Raychel Johnson
First place for Editor’s/Feature Columns: Abby Payne
First place for Staff-Produced Ad: Brett Ferrin
First place for Sports Story: Scott Stevens
First place for Photo Page: Kaitlyn Johnson
First place for In-House Self Promotion: Autumn Mariano
First place for News Coverage
First place for Staff-Produced ROP Ad Campaign
First place for Website: Nate Branning
Second place for Breaking News, Michael Anderson Kruse
Second place for Sports Column, Tyson Jex
Second place for Front Page, Mariano and J. Michaela Funtanilla
Second place for Sports Page
Third place for Comm. 3130’s Special Section on Utah’s air pollution problems
Third place for Feature Series
Third place for News Photograph, Lichelle Jenkins
Third place for Feature Photograph, Jamii Freston
Third place for Feature or Community Lifestyle Page

Signpost staff, students finalists in several categories in SPJ competition

April 2015—The Signpost has also been informed by the Society of Professional Journalists that it will win in the following categories:

Staff for The Signpost
Autumn Mariano, Kaitlyn Johnson and Skyler Pyle for Homecoming
Lichelle Jenkins for Santa Run
Alex Gerrish for Alex Gerrish
Michael Anderson Kruse for Now It's Legal
Autumn Mariano, Kaitlyn Johnson and Skyler Pyle for Fall graduation
Michael Grennell for Michael Grennell
Charles Bowker for Soccer Overtime Loss
Matt Kunes for Nursing Professor
Kelsy Thompson for Kelsy Thompson
Staff for The Signpost
Stephanie Konchar for Now It's Legal

Winners will be recognized at the Region 9 Spring Conference April 24-25 at the Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Weber State Debate wins CEDA West conference for fourth year in row

April 2015—The Weber State Debate won the conference title at the Cross-Examination Debate Association’s national tournament for the fourth year in a row, edging out teams such as the University of Washington, the University of Wyoming, Gonzaga University and Whitman College. One team ended up in the Elite Eight, while two other teams finished in the top 40. Misty Tippets and Jordan Hendricks ended prelims with a 6-2 record and made an impressive run to the quarterfinals of the tournament, ending up in sixth place overall. Kinsee Gaither and Anne Olsen ended prelims with a 6-2 record and also made a good run to the double-octafinal round where they lost a very close 2-1 decision to the team that ended up fourth overall. They finished in 21st place. Mark Veeder and Chris Hall ended prelims with a 5-3 record and lost their first elimination round debate. They ended up 38th place overall. Tippets was 24th speaker and Hendricks was 28th speaker out of 230 debaters. In addition, Tippets and Veeder were selected for the CEDA All-American Team, a distinction awarded to the top 30 debaters. Catherine Shackelford was named a summa cum laude National Debate Scholar for maintaining a minimum 3.75 GPA.

60 students graduate this year with a bachelor’s in Communication

April 2015—Congratulations to this year’s baccalaureate graduates in Communication.

Civic Advocacy: Veronica Rae Savage

Digital Media: Nathan George Clark, Lisa Bossman, Rachel V. Hernandez

Electronic Media: Nicholas Bailey, Joan C. Dunn, Harmony Dean Fehr, Kydee Ann Jensen, Daniel T. Martinez, Zach E. Otero, David M. Rodriguez

Journalism: Brian Giles, Tyson A. Jex

Multimedia Journalism: Marcus Alan Jensen

Associate of Science in Communication: Haley Pasquariello

Fourteen students graduate with Master of Professional Communication degree

April 2015—Congratulations to members of the 2015 class of the Master of Professional Communication. They will be hooded in a special ceremony on April 30 at 6 p.m. The students are: Marcus Call, Jody Flower, Bruce Frandsen, Monique Lundstedt, Erik Olsen, Sharon Annette Petersen, Stephanie Rikard, Bryce Schow, Jennifer Smith, Brooks Stevenson, Benjamin Taylor, Jennifer Toomer-Cook, Richard Wadley and Kurtis Wilkinson.

Inductees into national Communication honor society listed

April 2015—Fourteen students will be inducted later this month into Lambda Pi Eta, the national honor society for graduates in Communication. To be eligible for Lambda Pi Eta, students must (1) complete 60 semester credit hours, (2) have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all courses taken, (3) complete the equivalent of 12 semester credit hours in Communication, (4) have a minimum GPA of 3.25 for all Communication courses, (5) currently be enrolled as a student in good standing, as determined by the institution's policies, and (6) rank within the highest 35 percent of one’s class in general scholarship. This year’s inductees include Mackenzie K. Bushman, Harmony D. Fehr, Shaquille Kevon Heath, Rachel V. Hernandez, Glenda M. Hoffman, Caysem David Johnson, Courtney Garner Keeffer, Kristi Megan Mak, Alexis Marquez, Laycee Annetta Moss, Zach E. Otero, Camille Orozco, Kris Sanford and Natalie Robison Slater.

MPC student Cash Knight elected student body president

April 2015—Cash Knight, a student in the Master of Professional Communication program, has been elected as Weber State University student body president after winning 47 percent of 1,777 votes cast.

Students present at 11th Annual WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium April 2015—A number of Communication students present work at Weber State’s Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Madelaine Tesori: Different Groups and Their Standpoint Regarding Drug Addiction
Tylee Call, Jonathan Coy, Christopher Murphy, Stetson Smith and Marie Spackman: From Dick Van Dyke to Parks and Recreation: A Critical
Analysis of Feminism in Popular Television
Anna Auger, Amelia Lewis, Andrew Chambers, Amberly Lambertsen, Cyler Preece, Hector Valencia & Kozue Morishita: It's What You Say and How You
Say It: Gendered Communication Expectations in Heterosexual Relationships
Jasmine Jackson, Janna Green, Lanea Rea, Veronica Savage, Chelsea Wheeler, Cheyenne Claytor and Audrey Salas: The Sexualization of Women
through Gender Expression
Dana Gibson, Belinda McElheny, William Peterson, Mathew Walker, Kylee Hallows and Jalen Carpenter: Using Queer Performative Theory to Explain
Transgender Challenges in Utah: A Staged Reading Performance
Lissa Quinlan, Courtney Beecher, Krystin Kubo, Jazmine Thompson and Julia Saxton: Women Portrayed through Social Media
Andrew Chambers: Memes and Me: The Effects of Memes in Interpersonal Communication

Three to graduate with Communication Department Honors

April 2015—Three students will graduate with departmental Honors this Spring. They include:

Stephanie Lloyd: Influence of LDS Religion on Selecting a Long-term Partner, WSU Symposium
Andrew Chambers: Memes & Me: The Effect of Memes in Interpersonal Communication, WSU Symposium
Courtney Keeffer: Comparison of Gender and Education between USA and Saudi Arabia, WSU at the Capitol

Miss Kaysville trying to collect 1,000 pairs of shoes to be sent to Africa

April 2015—Abbigale Williams, a Communication major, has been named queen of the Miss Kaysville/Fruit Heights scholarship pageant, which is affiliated with the Miss American Organization. As part of her service responsibilities, Williams is working to gather 1,000 pairs of shoes that will be sent to Africa. This shoe fundraiser is part of the Power2Become organization. The shoes can be any size, color and style as long as they are wearable. The contestant who collects the most shoes won’t automatically be named Miss Utah, but she will have the opportunity to travel to Africa to deliver the shoes.

Public Relations & Advertising graduate to speak at Commencement

April 2015—Shaquille Heath, a Communication major with a Public Relations & Advertising emphasis, has been selected as the student speaker at the overall commencement ceremony.

Haislett named new faculty adviser for KWCR 88.1 FM

April 2015—Robin Haislett, a faculty member in Public Relations and Digital Media, has been named faculty adviser for KWCR 88.1 FM, the campus radio station. She will replace Dr. Eric Harvey who will resign his faculty appointment in June to accept a position with Grand State Valley University in Michigan.

Student leaders selected for The Signpost, KWCR 88.1 FM

April 2015—Top leaders have been selected for The Signpost and for KWCR 88.1 FM. Both students will begin their new posts in Summer Semester. Abby Payne, a Communication major in the Multimedia Journalism emphasis, has been named editor in chief for The Signpost. J. P. Orquiz, a Communication major in the Civic Advocacy emphasis, was named general manager of KWCR 88.1 FM for the second year.

Communication graduate named WSU associate development director

April 2015—Recent Communication graduate Morgan Bruderer has been named as associate development director for the College of Science and the Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities. Morgan graduated in December 2015 with a B.S. in Interpersonal Communication. While in school, she worked for more than three years as articulation analyst in the WSU Admissions Office, and Student Orientation director/admissions ambassador in the WSU Recruitment Office. She also continues to serve as a manager of Customer Relations for BullySpeak Referral Service. She is the recipient of many honors including the WSU Emerging Leader and WSU Recruitment Purple Heart Awards. She presented at the WSU Service Symposium and the Undergraduate Research Symposium and was the 2012 Associate of Science Commencement Speaker.

Public Relations & Advertising graduate lands job at digital advertising company

April 2015—Connor Harrison, a recent graduate in Public Relations & Advertising, is working for 180fusion, a digital advertising company specializing in search-engine optimization, pay per click, social and design. He said, “I know what I learned in the program really helped me step into my role here.” Harrison said the company is looking at hiring account managers for his team and encourages interested students to contact him.

Harvey publishes in Pitchfork Review; scholarly article about to be released

April 2015—Dr. Eric Harvey has published an online article and has a scholarly piece scheduled for publication. Harvey’s article titled “Who got the camera: NWA's embrace of 'reality', 1988-1992" was published in the March issue of Pitchfork Review, a quarterly print publication about music. His piece titled "Siding with vinyl: Record Store Day and the branding of independent music will be published in the refereed International Journal of Cultural Studies in the forthcoming months.

Gillen co-authors Central States Communication Association paper

April 2015—Dr. Hailey Gillen is a co-author of a paper being presented at the Central States Communication Association Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, in April. The paper is titled "Differences in Information Seeking among Organizational Peers: Perceptions of Appropriateness, Importance, and Frequency."

Steimel to present research on Organizational Communication Top Paper panel

April 2015—Dr. Sarah Steimel’s paper titled “Socializing a Global Labor Force: Problematizing Organizational Socialization in Light of Global Migration” will be presented on the "Top Papers in Organizational and Professional Communication" panel at the Central States Communication Association Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, in April. Steimel will also be part of a discussion panel at CSCA titled "Converging on Career: Career Development Activities and Strategies for the Communication Classroom."

Digital Media professor interviewed on NPR’s ‘All Things Considered’

April 2015—Dr. Eric Harvey was interviewed on National Public Radio’s "All Things Considered" on March 31 about streaming digital music—particularly Tidal, the celebrity-driven platform that launched earlier in March. Story is available at http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2015/03/31/396634244/jay-zs-music-service-tidal-arrives-with-a-splash-and-questions-follow.

WSU locks up three of five finalist positions in state PR student competition

March 2015—Three Public Relations & Advertising students—Shaquille Heath, Cynthia Villagomez and Shaun Wilson—have been named finalists in the Utah PR Student of the Year competition. Along with two finalists from other state universities, they will compete in the final round for the top title on March 27. WSU has won the title four years in a row.

Two WSU debaters have qualified for National Debate Tournament

March 2015—Chris Hall and Mark Veeder have qualified for the 69th annual National Debate Tournament at the University of Iowa from April 2-7. Omar Guevara, director of forensics, said, “We deeply appreciate their commitment, and their professionalism. Weber State University is proud to call them the kindest of all words: Wildcats."

Group Facilitation and Leadership students facilitate WSU’s Deliberative Democracy Day

March 2015—Twenty-two students from Dr. Susan Hafen's Comm. 3100 class Group Facilitation and Leadership co-facilitated 11 focus groups for WSU's Deliberative Democracy Day on Feb. 25. The approximately 100 participants first took a survey on economic inequality and minimum wage when they picked up free box lunches in the Union Building. Then the Communication facilitators led discussions in 11 rooms for an hour before everyone reconvened in the Ballroom to ask questions of a panel of three experts, including Dr. Michael Vaughan, WSU provost and economics professor; Mark Knold, Department of Work Services; and Tom Christopulos, Ogden City Council.

Communication major doing video report for Standard-Examiner

March 2015—Joan Dunn, a Communication major in the Digital Media emphasis, is doing a daily video report for the Standard-Examiner. She learned what she wanted to do for a career after a class tour at KSL Television. She is now well on her way. To watch one of her reports, see: http://www.standard.net/Police-Fire/2015/02/23/BREAKING-Suspect-at-large-in-Ogden-shooting.html.

WSU Debate, Studio 76 nominated for Organization of the Year

March 2015—Weber State Debate and Studio 76 each received a nomination for the Registered Organization of the Year Award that is part of the annual Crystal Crest celebration.

KWCR 88.1 FM briefly flooded in February

March 2015—The offices of the campus radio station, KWCR 88.1 FM, were briefly flooded in early February when a 4-inch pipe burst in the Union Building. KWCR student staffers were able to save equipment from incoming water. Luckily, the water did not flood into the engineer and production rooms. The station remained on the air during the flood.

Student to present study at National Undergraduate Research Conference

March 2015—A study conducted by Preslee Patton, an Interpersonal & Family Communication student, has been accepted into the National Undergraduate Research Conference to be held at Eastern Washington University April 16-18. Her research is titled “Child Abuse to Professional Boxer: The Analysis of a Father’s and Son’s Oral Histories of the Use of Violence as Parental Discipline.” It was conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Becky Johns.

Debaters to tackle topic of vacation rental properties in front of Ogden City Council

March 2015—Weber State debaters will take on the topic of vacation rental properties on March 3 from 7-8:15 p.m. in front of the Ogden City Council. As part of the College Town Initiative, Omar Guevara, director of forensics, volunteered members of his squad to tackle tough topics in front of council members to show both sides of the issue. In December, debaters took on the issue of towing practices in downtown Ogden.

Communication Teaching graduate accepted into doctoral program

March 2015—Katriina Adair, a graduate in Communication Teaching, has been accepted to the doctoral program in the Department of Communication and the Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies at the University of Utah. Adair will start this fall. She will continue to work as business correspondence coordinator for Utah Gov. Gary Herbert.

Five faculty members receive nomination as Master Teacher

March 2015—Five faculty members in the Department of Communication each received a nomination for the Crystal Crest Master Teacher award. Omar Guevara, Dr. Susan Hafen, Dr. Eric Harvey, Drew Tyler and Brent Warnock all received a nomination from a Communication student. Department secretary Sonja Green and adjunct faculty member Donna Hernandez received nominations for Friend of Students.

Communication major to present research at WSU at the Capitol

February 2015—Courtney Keeffer, a Public Relations and Advertising major, will present her research findings at WSU at the Capitol on Feb. 10. Her paper is titled "A Comparative Study of Gender Roles and Education in the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Four Weber State debaters named top speakers at Sun Devil Invitational

February 2015—Weber State debaters Misty Tippets, Jordan Hendricks, Kris Colen, Benjamin Soper, Bianca Morales and Steven Sanchez turned in outstanding performances in January at the Sun Devil Invitational. In addition to having three teams participate in the elimination rounds, four of the top five speakers were Wildcats.

KWCR 88.1 Weber FM turning 50 years old this year

February 2015—Weber State University’s student-run radio station KWCR 88.1 Weber FM turns 50 years old this year. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the station will host a number of events including open-mic shows, dances and remote broadcasts. Former staff members will also get a change to reminisce about their student radio days. KWCR adviser Dr. Eric Harvey said KWCR students have to learn and do more than ever to keep the station relevant and accessible than they had to do 50 years ago. “We have a vibrant online presence with various social media platforms and live streaming on KWCR.org. You can’t hold back the tide of innovation and change. I have no doubt KWCR will proceed through the next half of the century as strongly as we have the first.” Dr. Ty Sanders will also be involved in the 50-year festivities. He advised the station of 25 of those 50 years. The 50th anniversary of KWCR was featured in the January 2015 edition of WSU News.

PR and Advertising student successfully pitches story to Standard-Examiner

February 2015—Christa Lindley, a Public Relations and Advertising student, who works with Get Away Today pitched a story about her company that resulted in a news story in the Standard-Examiner on Jan. 30. PRSSA adviser Dr. Nicola Corbin said, “As the journalists among us know, pitching and succeeding in a media placement, is not always easy.” The story can be viewed at http://www.standard.net/Business/2015/01/29/Get-Away-Today-celebrates-25-years-in-the-travel-industry.html.

The Signpost debuts Spanish pages in print and online

February 2015—The Signpost debuted its Spanish pages on Jan. 16. Weber State's news organization began translating some of its coverage in Spanish last semester online (wsusignpost.com/category/spanish). With the addition this semester of Spanish editor Ingrid Maldonado, a Multimedia Journalism student, The Signpost was able to dedicate two pages of the eight-page newspaper on Jan. 16 to stories in Spanish. Maldonado brings not only her language skills to The Signpost, but she is also ensuring the news interests of the Latino population at Weber State and in Ogden. Any bilingual students who want to build their portfolio are encouraged to join the staff. Contact editor in chief Skyler Pyle at skyler.pyle@gmail.com.

Department of Communication to launch Speech Showcase competition

February 2015—The Department of Communication is sponsoring a Speech Showcase on April 16 at 7 p.m. in the lecture hall in Elizabeth Hall, Room 229. This event will recognize the best speeches from each COMM 1020 (Public Speaking) class. It will provide an opportunity for the Top 5 finalists to present their speeches to faculty, administration, students and the overall university community. Each COMM 1020 class in Spring 2015 will select one student to represent the class in the competition. Students selected will be recognized as semifinalists. Each semifinalist will receive a $25 Bookstore gift certificate and will have the opportunity to present their speech to a faculty selection committee on Selection Saturday on April 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The faculty selection committee will then choose five finalists who will receive a $150 cash award and will be asked to present their speeches during the April 16 Speech Showcase evening. For any questions about the Speech Showcase, contact either Mark Merkley (mmerkley@weber.edu) or Brent Warnock (brentwarnock1@weber.edu).

Former WSU debater guest speaker at opening of WSU’s LGBT Resource Center

February 2015—Kate Kendell, a former debater and graduate of Weber State University, was the special speaker at the opening of WSU’s LGBT Resource Center. Kendell of the National Center for Lesbian Rights is nationally renowned for her work in advocating for equality. She served as the first staff attorney for the ACLU of Utah before taking a position with the NCLR where she continues as the executive director.

Packer publishes chapter in service-learning book

February 2015—Dr. Colleen Packer has published a book chapter titled “Community Engaged Learning and Supplemental Instruction: An Exploratory Study of Intersecting Pedagogies” in the 2015 book “Service Learning Pedagogy: How Does it Measure Up? edited by V. Jagla, A. Furco and J. Strait. The article was co-authored by Dr. Brenda Kowalewski, the director of the WSU Center for Community Engaged Learning and a professor of Sociology.

Johns to have chapter on Mormonism in America published in 2015 book

February 2015—A chapter by Dr. Becky Johns will be published in the book “Communication and the Global Landscape of Faith,” edited by Adrienne Hacker-Daniels. Johns’ chapter is titled “Sacred places of Mormonism in America: Its Origins, Exodus to the Promised Land and Missionary Program, Extending the Sacred Place of America’s Zion into the World.” The book will be published in 2015 by Lexington Books.

Josephson’s article to be published by Visual Communication Quarterly

February 2015—Dr. Sheree Josephson’s paper titled “Just State the Facts in Twitter: Eye Tracking Shows Readers Pay Less Attention to Questions Posted by News Organizations in Twitter than Facebook” has been accepted for publication in the scholarly journal Visual Communication Quarterly. The research was conducted with co-author Jessica Schreifels Miller, a graduate of WSU’s Master of Professional Communication program.

Corbin to present paper on Essence Magazine at international conference

February 2015—Dr. Nicola Corbin will present a paper at the Popular Communication Division of the International Communication Association Annual Conference from May 21-25 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her paper is titled “Respectability Politics, Self-Help and Colorism in Essence Magazine.”

Hafen to present paper on cat-bird divide between animal and environmental ethics

February 2015—Dr. Susan Hafen will present a co-authored paper with Peter Oehlkers of Salem State University at the International Environmental Communication Association in Boulder, Colorado, in June. Her paper is titled “Compassionate Conservation: Across the Cat-Bird Divide between Animal and Environmental Ethics.”

Two professors to present at Utah Campus Compact Conference

February 2015—Mark Merkley and Kim Smith have been selected to deliver a workshop/presentation at the Utah Campus Compact Conference Feb. 5-7 at Dixie State College titled “Public Speaking as Community Engaged Learning for College Students.” The proposal for the workshop/presentation was submitted and accepted with the support of Brenda Kowalewski, director of the Center for Community Engaged Learning at Weber State University.

Digital media students work at Consumer Electronics Show with professor

January 2015—Two current digital media students and a digital media graduate spent Jan. 5-9 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas working under the direction of faculty member Drew Tyler on several projects. Rachel Hernandez and Daniel Rubio created content for KTData.net. Hernandez is a co-host of the LittleBigKast podcast, and Rubio is a show producer for KTData.net. They were joined by (Spring ‘14) digital media graduate Jeff Hawkes. While these students were working, Tyler manned a booth promoting 3D Printing.

Debate students spend 10 days competing in Southern California

January 2015—Twelve Weber State Students competed over 10 days at two tournaments in Southern California: The University of Southern California and the California State University-Fullerton. Over the course of 72 different two-hour debates with universities such as Berkeley, Harvard, and Wake Forest University, Weber State debaters distinguished themselves with competitive grace. Of particular note is the head-to-head defeat of the top team from Wake Forest University (Winston Salem, N.C.), by Weber State sophomores Jordan Hendricks (political science and philosophy) and Misty Tippets (Communication). The team will travel again this weekend to Arizona State University.

New graduate lands job as social media coordinator

January 2015—Camille Twitchell, who graduated in December in Public Relations & Advertising, has been hired as social media coordinator for Golden West Credit Union. She reports to the V.P.

MPC graduate hired for PR team by Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

January 2015—Kristy Parker, a 2014 graduate of the Master of Professional Communication program, has been hired to be part of the PR team at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The hiring manager found her through LinkedIn and was impressed with her posts on Twitter. Parker had been working as a patient advocate at an assisted-living center. Her goal was to make a career change and work in public relations and marketing after completing her MPC.

Harvey to present paper on streaming music commerce

January 2015—Dr. Eric Harvey will participate in a panel on streaming music services at the 2015 conference for the Society for Cinema & Media Studies. Harvey’s paper is titled “Listening like a platform: the reorganization and intensification of streaming music commerce.” The conference will be March 25-29 in Montreal, Canada.