Communication Newsletter
December 2023
Congratulations to our Spring and Summer 2023 Graduates
CON-CAT-ULATIONS!
Bachelor Degrees:
Marie Abercrombie
Berkley Barlow
Amber Benitez Ojeda
Kaylee Carter
Zachary Champion
Madisyn Christensen
Lizbeth Correa Rios
Carson Cundick
Abigail Doran
Julie Elmahi
Abigail Elmer
Annalee Farner
Connor Geisler
Ethan Gibby
Harrison Goddard
Paul Hoskin
Shaylee Hunter
Gunnar Jardine
Brecon Johnson
Parham Kermani
Gunnar Knutson
Jessica Krok
Aaron Lowe
Patricia Madsen
Savannah-Marie Mason
Claudia McClellan
Hannah Moore
Emily Moran
Clyde Ratliff
Addison Rodriguez
Holly Suisse
Allie Taylor
Jessica Teran
Kayla Thurgood
Julie Trickett
Chelsea Vervloet
Nicholas Wayman
Remington Whiting
Master of Professional Communication:
Rynae Bowden
Gerrison Burgener
Breanna Child
Bryant Ellis
Karl Frobe
Brenda Harris
Jeremy Harvey
Timothy Hass
Kurt Hills
Angela Johnson
Sean Lawler
Hayden Meacham
Abby Monroe
Jason Nackos
Todd Nave
Emily Oyler
Ellie Robison
Leanne Spencer
Nick Thurgood
Jose Vazquez Marin
Mitchell Weaver
Mercedes Zigler
Associate of Communication:
Nicole Banner
Ashlee Ellinwood
Marianna Lopez Luritta
Cory Mater
Associate of Digital Media Production:
Chanell Sosa
Associate of Workplace Communication:
Star Neil
Emily Rupp
Upcoming Events
Spring registration is happening now. If you haven’t registered for spring classes yet, what are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to schedule and appointment with an advisor before our classes fill up!
Join us for our Speech Showcase this Thursday, December 7th, at 7 p.m. in the Lindquist Lecture Hall, Elizabeth Hall 229. Featuring in no particular order - Gracie Stephenson, Lyndee Thornell, Marin Guest, Sunny Jensen, and Mert Kilic. Invite your family, friends, and classmates to attend. It will be a wonderful evening celebrating excellence in public speaking.
Check out our new class: COMM 2980: Introduction to Storytelling in Cinematic Virtual Reality, T/R 1:30-2:45 Have you ever wondered how virtual reality comes to life? Learn how it works with our introductory course! You’ll be introduced to immersive, 360-degree cinematic virtual reality storytelling. Students will gain a foundational understanding of the conceptualization and construction of digital media content for head-mounted displays and present theoretical and practical applications for 360 VR content. Email Aaron Atkins at datkins@weber.edu to learn more.
Do You Want to Build a Snowman? The Communication Department is running a food drive as part of our entry for Weber’s annual Door Decorating Competition, and we need your help to make it a success! Bring any amount of food to donate, and add a piece of “snow” to our snowman starting on Friday, December 8 through the beginning of next semester. Thank you for your help, Wildcats!
Student Accomplishments
Studio 76 was announced a winner at BEA’s 2023 International 48-hour Film Challenge!
Feed Distortion, advised by Aaron Atkinson, directed by Sara Corless, and featuring a production team of 10 Studio 76 students, won the Award of Excellence.
The short film follows a paranoid husband, investigating the strange disappearance of his wife, who stumbles onto a dark secret.
The Weber State Debate Team had a great fall semester! Our debate team won the Weber Wildcat CARD Classic hosted right here at home and the David Frank Tournament of Scholars hosted by the University of Oregon in October. The team also found success with a positive win record at the Wake Forest University tournament in November. We had students receive first and second-speaker awards in each CARD category: Analysis, Communication, Community, and Evidence.
In addition to their competitive successes, WSU Debate partnered with the Weber State Speech Team to host the Wasatch Independent Debate League’s Fall High School Tournament, bringing hundreds of homeschooled high school students to our campus for an awesome tournament experience. We are looking forward to the spring semester!
Our Weber State Speech Team finished the fall semester with a record-breaking win in Oklahoma city, winning with over 400 points, more than double the typical scores for a tournament!
The win comes in on the heels of the 1st place division finish in the Mahaffey Memorial Tournament, a national tournament with more than 30 schools competing.
Congratulations to each and everyone one of the team members on an amazing fall!
Faculty Accomplishments
Mylynn Felt was interviewed by KSL News for their story on texting. She shared her expertise about the effects of group texts and how they can overwhelm.
James Mcallister’s short video, Nourish and Strengthen, was selected for a screening at the It’s Only a Movie film festival.
The 109th National Communication Association Convention was held in November. Faculty members from Weber State presented multiple works:
- Sarah Steimel. Nonprofit voices:Exploring differences in organizational dissent expression of paid staff and volunteers in nonprofit organizations
- Sarah Steimel. Exploring the freedom and restrictions of online communication research methods
- Sarah Steimel. Volunteer and staff communication and conflict management in nonprofit organizations
- Hailey Gillen Hoke & Leslie Howerton. On the edge of our seats: Watching Ukraine fight for freedom and cultivating fear from around the world
- Hailey Gillen Hoke. Exploring the freedom and restrictions of online communication research methods
- Hailey Gillen Hoke. That's what's at stake here: Freedom: The Russian invasion of Ukraine one year later
- Leslie Howerton. That's what's at stake here: Freedom: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine one year later
- Emma Blanch, Cayden Schroader, Kary Makela, Robin L. Haislett, Ryan Cain, & Alexander L. Lancaster. Examination of factors that stop students from completing the FAFSA application form: Empirical research from a four-year university
- Elaine Schnabel. Institutional unaccountability: How American megachurches normalize neoliberal ideology
- Elaine Schnabel. Communicating resistance across organizational contexts
- Hailey Gillen Hoke presented at the Association of Business Communication Conference the following:
- Traditional and Nontraditional Students' Anxiety in and Preference for Online and Face to Face Classes;
Navigating the New Normal: Faculty Perspectives on Remote Learning, Zoom Meetings, and Work-Life Balance;
Why Does Inclusive Teaching Matter
- Traditional and Nontraditional Students' Anxiety in and Preference for Online and Face to Face Classes;
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