News Archive

Kristen Farris Named Chair of Communication Studies

The Department of Communication Studies is pleased to announce that Dr. Kristen Farris has been named Department Chair and will begin serving in that role beginning summer 2026. Kristen is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State University. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.A. from Texas State University, and a B.A. from Stephen F. Austin State University. She has been teaching in the Department of Communication Studies since 2009.

Her scholarship centers on relational communication processes that facilitate and/or hinder partners’ well-being in health and instructional contexts. Her health communication scholarship explores family interactions as they relate to coping with chronic illnesses and other health challenges, while her instructional communication scholarship focuses on how teacher-student interactions influence academic outcomes through their relational connections (or lack thereof). Kristen earned the Abbi Prestin Dissertation of the Year Award in 2018 from the Health Communication Divisions of the International and National Communication Associations for her work exploring romantic partners’ supportive communication in the context of arthritic and rheumatic diseases. She has also received 11 top paper or top paper panel awards from regional, national, and international communication associations. Kristen’s research appears in journal outlets such as: Health Communication, Communication Theory, Journal of Family Communication, Communication Quarterly, and Journal of Applied Communication Research. She earned the Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Activity in 2023 from Texas State University.

Kristen is also an award-winning instructor. She earned the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2020 and along with the COMM 1310 teaching team, was awarded the National Communication Association’s Program of Distinction Award in 2010 and the Program of Excellence Award in 2011. Kristen teaches undergraduate and graduate courses focused on communication and coping, health communication, instructional communication, the dark side of communication, and empirical research methods.

Kristen has been very active in service to the University and the discipline of Communication Studies. She served as a director of the basic communication course for 10 years and was a member of the General Education Council during her tenure. She also served on the leadership team for TEDx Texas State University for 10 years. She is an Editorial Board Member for the Basic Communication Course Annual and has served as a manuscript reviewer for regional, national, and international conferences and several journals, including Communication Teacher and the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Kristen currently serves as the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Communication Studies and is a leadership team member for WellCats, Texas State’s workplace wellness program.

Personally, Kristen loves spending time with Marc, her husband of 15 years, and their feisty, 4-year-old daughter, Ivy. She loves traveling and new experiences, rooting on her favorite sports teams (Houston Texans, Houston Astros, San Antonio Spurs), getting lost in a great book, and hanging out with friends and family, preferably at happy hour or near a body of water.

Communication Studies Welcomes New Faculty

The Department of Communication Studies welcomes Meredith M. Turner as an Assistant Professor as she joins the faculty this summer. Meredith is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Communication at the University of Connecticut. Her dissertation is entitled, “Manipulative Maintenance: Examining Manipulation Behaviors in Romantic Relationships,” and draws on longitudinal data and multilevel modeling to examine how manipulative behaviors are enacted within romantic relationships over time. Meredith earned a B.A. and an M.A. in Communication Studies at California State University, Fullerton.

Meredith’s research primarily investigates the bridge between psychological and communication processes, focusing on how personality, identity, and communication processes shape relational, health, and professional outcomes. Much of her work examines how Dark Triad personality traits are expressed in close relationships, and how they shape relational well-being. She also investigates how STEM professionals can improve communication outcomes, and how STEM identities are developed and expressed. Her work is published in Personality and Individual Differences, Western Journal of Communication, Communication Quarterly, Science Communication, Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, and the Kentucky Journal of Communication.

Meredith strives to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment that encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application of communication principles. Her teaching emphasizes active engagement by fostering creativity and empowering students to use communication effectively in their personal and professional lives. She has taught such courses as Technical Communication for Engineers, Professional Communication for Mechanical Engineers, Small Group Communication, and The Process of Communication. She is excited [MT1] to join the Department of Communication Studies and looks forward to building meaningful connections through research and teaching that bridge interpersonal communication, personality processes, and applied STEM contexts.

Remembering Sue Stewart

The Department of Communication Studies celebrated the life and career of Communication Studies faculty member and Texas State alum Sue Stewart. A dedicated educator, mentor, and colleague, Sue made enduring contributions to the University, the Department of Communication Studies, and her students—contributions that continue to resonate today.

Sue was born and raised in Alabama and attended Auburn University. She spent two years as Regional Sales Manager at TRW Title Insurance Company in Overland Park, Kansas. She sat on the Board of Directors of Southern Title Insurance Company in Richmond, VA, and then spent two years as Executive Vice President and Regional Manager at Fidelity National Title in Irvine, California.

Sue then moved to Austin and returned to school. She earned a B.L.S. in Speech Communication from St. Edwards University in 1998 and an M.A. in Communication Studies at Southwest Texas State University in 2000. She spent the next eighteen years as Senior Lecturer at Texas State University until her retirement in 2019. During her tenure, she served as Director of Undergraduate Studies for the department, taking on many administrative responsibilities in addition to teaching classes. She taught classes in Small Group Communication, Public Speaking, Leadership, and Communication and Technology. Sue also created the Communication Studies Internship program, giving students the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience in a communication related role with the production of a professional portfolio of work. Based on her corporate experience, she created COMM 3358 (Professional Communication), helping students manage the transition from undergraduate studies to professional life, including job selection, resume preparation and presentation, interviewing, and interaction management in business and professional settings. Sue also founded the COMM Club (now the COMM Guild), providing an opportunity for undergraduate students to develop social, intellectual, and professional networks with the help of informational workshops, group socials, and campus events.

Sue was passionate about helping young adults develop skills and mature as young professionals. One of her great joys was hearing from former students about their successes and their application of concepts and skills covered in her classes in their lives and professional journeys.
Sue was consistently recognized for outstanding service at Texas State University, to her department and to her students through work in curriculum development, academic assessment, working with student organizations, and mentoring interns. She earned multiple awards for service, including the College Achievement Award for Excellence in Service, a Departmental Award for Service, and the Friends of Fine Arts Excellence in Service Award. Even in retirement, Sue’s dedication to the Department of Communication Studies never wavered. She frequently gave her time to assist faculty with administrative tasks and collaborative opportunities.

When not working, Sue often preferred to head outdoors with her kayak, spend the day working in her yard or reading a good book. She was an eager traveler, particularly to places with nature and history to explore, learn, and experience something new. She was also very active in the local community, volunteering for the American Red Cross, Capital Area Food Bank, Austin Siamese Rescue, and as an election judge for primary and general elections in Travis County.

Special thanks to David Turner
 

Faculty Accolades

Ann Burnette and Rebekah Fox were invited to participate on the National Communication Association panel “Communicate to Elevate--Navigating the Crossroads: Academic Freedom in a Polarized Political Climate”. The panel was sponsored by the NCA Research Council and Religious Communication Association. She and Wayne Kraemer serve on the Board of Directors of the LBJ Museum of San Marcos. In January, the LBJ Museum held its 20th Anniversary Benefit Gala, and the featured speaker was Norma V. Cantu, civil rights lawyer and educator, who served in the Clinton Administration. Ann was also interviewed on KZSM Radio in October and November about the LBJ Museum of San Marcos to discuss LBJ’s relationship to Texas State University.

Stephanie Dailey published "Between class and career: Applying the job demands-resources model to working college students" in a Behavioral Sciences special issue: "Work Motivation, Engagement, and Psychological Health". She also serves as a guest editor of a special edition of Project Leadership and Society: "Narratives in Project Leadership". In December 2025, Stephanie’s qualitative methods graduate students presented findings from their field work and interviews with small business owners who participated in the LIFT program, an initiative of the SCALE UP program, funded in part by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and directed by Dr. Josh Daspit (Management).

Kristen Farris and Tricia Burke earned a Research Enhancement Program grant for $23,900 for their project entitled, "Familial Influence in Patient Medical Decision-Making." Kristen, Tricia Burke, and M.A. alum Abigail Mellow published “’It’s going to take hard work': An exploratory analysis of parent-caregivers’ labor across their child’s illness trajectory" in the Western Journal of Communication.

Maureen Keeley contributed a heartfelt conversation with Judy Oskam on her podcast, Stories of Change and Creativity. They discussed how to communicate with someone you love who is dying—and how research can help guide those final conversations. The interview draws on the work she and Dr. Julie Yingling share in their new book, “The Good Goodbye: The Transformative Power of Conversation at the End of Life.”

Student Accolades

M.A. student Ashton Rios was announced as the Graduate Student of the Year by the Texas Speech Communication Association on Saturday, February 7. 

Students from Nikkie Hodgson’s COMM 3322 Career Readiness Course, Lambda Pi Eta members and Communication Studies faculty/staff gathered food donations during the 2nd annual Communication Studies Food Drive. The food collected helps support our Communication Studies Food Cupboard located near CENT 205 which provides food to students, staff and faculty in need. In addition, students from Dr. Hodgson’s Career Readiness class volunteer 3-5 hours during the semester at Texas State University Bobcat Bounty Food Pantry.

The Communication Studies Graduate Association (CSGA) is a departmental organization dedicated to unifying the graduate students in Communication Studies at Texas State University. CSGA members come together for events like professional development, research seminars, and social and philanthropic events. CSGA hosted their first event of the semester on February 6. The graduate students had a blast connecting over food and competition at Sunset Bowling Lanes. Look forward to more fun and helpful events from CSGA this year!
 

Mark Paz II honored as Regent’s Teacher

Mark Paz II, Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Communication Studies, received the prestigious Regent’s Teacher Award. The Texas State University System’s highest faculty honor, the Regents’ Award, is conferred upon professors who demonstrate excellence and exemplary achievement in the areas of teaching, research and publication, and service. This award recognizes Mark as an exceptional teacher based on his outstanding performance as an educator, contributions to the development of courses, and use of innovative teaching methods, among other criteria. Winners maintain the title of “Regents’ Teacher” for the duration of their service within TSUS. Mark is the 16th recipient from Texas State.

Mark currently serves as Basic Course Director for the national award-winning Communication 1310 - Fundamentals of Human Communication course, teaching classes as well as mentoring and managing the graduate teaching staff. He also teaches courses in Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, and the “Talking Like Ted” Public Speaking course offered through the Honors College. He recently finished his duty as the Faculty Advisor for Lambda Pi Eta, the National Honor Society for Communication Studies and is currently the creative director for TEDx Texas State University.

As one colleague noted:

“He is a true teacher/mentor/coach who guides students, at every turn, to discover their love for learning and the “gifts” they have to share with those around them. His innovative teaching methods and established mentoring relationships help our students, faculty, and community members, alike, recognize the importance and value of his brand of teaching. Texas State University has always taken pride in its emphasis on teaching excellence. Mark is the epitome of a great teacher. His commitment, internal and external recognition, and impact are rare qualities for one person to embody. He has them all.” 

The Department of Communication Studies has the honor of claiming two additional Regents Professors, Dr. Ann Burnette and Dr. Elizabeth Eger.

Faculty Accolades

Tricia Burke, Stephanie Dailey, and Kristen Farris’ publication “'It's a roller coaster of emotions!': Investigating the paradoxes of childcare app use and work engagement” was featured in the NCA publication Communication Currents, which explains scholarly information in straightforward language geared for broad audiences, including communication experts working with laypeople, instructors and students, the press, and other interested members of the public. The Communication Currents feature can be found here.

Ann Burnette published a book chapter with Texas State University M.A. alumnus Dr. Christopher Wernecke: "'That was the first time in history that anyone bothered to write that down': Mythologizing the Declaration of Independence in The West Wing.” The chapter appears in the book Used, abused, and sidelined: Debating the Declaration.

Casey Chilton provided presentation coaching to the Texas Youth Preparedness Council as they prepared to give presentations on their projects to the Texas Emergency Management state conference in San Antonio.

Stephanie Dailey led 28 Texas State undergraduates on a three-week study abroad program this summer in Europe. They visited the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, where students met with global companies such as IKEA, Heineken, BMW, PwC, IWC, Lavazza, and Martini Rossi. Students returned with stronger cross-cultural communication skills and a deeper understanding of how businesses operate on a global stage. The trip was co-sponsored with M.A. alum Seth Frei (Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Instruction - McCoy College of Business). Stephanie published “Got creatives?: The role of identity and workplace environment in retaining creative professionals” in the International Journal of Business Communication.

Elizabeth K. Eger was named a Platinum Volunteer by Austin Pets Alive!, which requires 100-239 annual consecutive volunteer hours for two or more years. Elizabeth volunteers weekly for the Adoptline team helping to place rescue dogs and cats in their “furever” homes. As a Faculty Fellow with the TXST Translational Health Research Center, Elizabeth and her TXST student alumni team Allister McNally, Rex Long, Johnny Vasallo, Anca Tonciu, and Rowan Lampert published "Texas Librarians Communicate Their TSLAC Experiences and Future Needs and Dreams for Texas Libraries and Communities" in July. This applied communication research report examines librarians’ communication about the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s (TSLAC) programs and addresses statewide community needs.

Rebekah Fox and Ann Burnette published a book chapter, "Wrangling the ructions: An examination of Major Ian Fishback's whistleblowing campaign," in the book, From a Whisper to a Movement: Investigating the Shared Rhetorical Spaces of Whistleblowing and Social Protest, edited by Joshua Guitar and Alan Chu.

Wallace Golding published "'A monument of disenfranchisement': Inventing Black commemorative authority in the Mammy Monument controversy," as the lead article in Rhetoric & Public Affairs, a prestigious national journal in rhetorical studies.

Maureen Keeley published "The good goodbye: The transformative power of conversation at the end of life", continuing her research focused on “final conversations”. The book is meant to help those who must say goodbye to a loved one who is dying. In it, readers will discover how culture affects final conversations, and that often the last interactions may not consist of words but gestures and expressions. Readers will learn about the positive outcomes of final conversations, both from the advice of children and the detailed stories of adults who were changed profoundly in their attitudes and life paths.

Kellie Marin received the Surveillance Studies Network's 2024 "Early Career Research Award" for the article "Failure to enroll: The blurring rhetorical power of anonymizing tools and photographs in making In/Visible Black Lives", published in Surveillance & Society. Kellie published a book chapter, "See someone, say someone: Doxing vision as usurping the rhetoric of whistleblowing” in From a Whisper to a Movement: Investigating the Shared Rhetorical Spaces of Whistleblowing and Social Protest, edited by Joshua Guitar and Alan Chu.

Student Accolades

Morgan Smith (BA '24 and current MA student) served as Program Assistant for the Business Communication Abroad program this summer in Europe led by Stephanie Dailey and Seth Frei. In this role, she supported logistics and grading, while bringing professionalism and a positive attitude that enriched the experience for both students and faculty

TEDxTexasStateUniversity Celebrates Ten Years

The TEDxTexasStateUniversity team hosted its 10th annual TEDx event on Saturday, February 22. The theme of this year’s event was legacy.

On November 8, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson, alumnus of Texas State University (then Southwest Texas State College), signed into law the Higher Education Act of 1965 on our campus in San Marcos, Texas. One of the primary aims of the legislation was "to strengthen the educational resources of our colleges and universities.” The 2025 TEDx event celebrated the 60th anniversary of the signing of this bill and its lasting legacy, with speakers representing a variety of fields and perspectives including technology, health, the arts, media, social sciences, the humanities, and the natural sciences.

This year’s event featured seven speakers discussing various subjects surrounding the theme legacy, exploring the legislation’s impact on higher education, the limitless possibilities within education, and the promising future of education.

• Andy Bell is a Former Director of Innovation & Ecosystems at LEGO Education and currently serves as CEO of Thinkery, a premiere Children's Museum in Austin. Andy is driven to create a meaningful impact in the world by reimagining education to bring a lifelong love of learning to ALL kids. As a cancer survivor, engineer, educator, father, public speaker, and executive leader, his relentless focus is finding the potential in all things and collaboratively building innovative solutions to ensure today's youth thrive. He passionately works as an advocate and educator for joyful learning serving on the Advisory Board for SXSW EDU, the Champions Board for the Greater Austin STEM Ecosystem, and the Board of Directors for the Center for Engineering and Education Outreach at Tufts University. Andy discussed how the US education system needs not just an evolution, but a revolution to help ensure that children become critical thinkers. He shared the elements needed to reimagine our learning environments and experiences.
• Sergio Carvajal-Leoni is a storyteller, researcher, and cultural advocate with over two decades of experience telling stories across multiple platforms, including film, music, interactive media, and live events. Based in Texas, he is the creator of italchannel.tv, an edutainment platform celebrating Italian culture, as well as El Gallo and the Texas cult film Tiramisu for Two. His film work has been featured at renowned festivals, including Tribeca, South by Southwest, and Traverse City. His recent documentary series, Education is Boring, spotlights innovative approaches to make learning more engaging, reflecting his commitment to connecting communities through media and storytelling as tools for entertainment-education. Sergio is the founder of Tiburon Transmedia, a boutique communications shop based in Austin, Texas, where he collaborates with clients from local organizations to global corporations. Sergio’s talk highlighted the power of intergenerational learning and how we can use digital tools to collect and preserve the stories of our elder family members.  
• Dr. Aitiana Sanchez-Garciaguirre is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas State University. Her research interests focus on resilience, mental health, and alcohol use, particularly among Hispanic college students. She is passionate about investigating the role of Minority Stress Theory in understanding how marginalized students navigate psychological stress and adversity in higher education settings. Her work aims to design and evaluate interventions, such as 'Transforming Lives Through Resilience Education,' to bolster resilience and mental well-being in this population. Dr. Sanchez-Garciaguirre’s primary population of interest is Hispanic college students, and her research seeks to examine resilience interventions for diverse populations impacted by stress, mental illness, and addiction. She is also involved in developing tailored interventions for students experiencing mental illness or distress. Dr. Sanchez-Garciaguirre’s talk focused on how resilience can be cultivated, passed down, and strengthened across generations. 
• Dr. Omar Lopez, a Professor in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies, is a STEM Higher Education Reformer. A proud native of south Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, his passion lies in using transdisciplinary methodologies to solve some of the thorniest problems confronting society's most vulnerable populations. His recent research examines the nexus between higher education preparation and STEM workforce readiness. Dr. Lopez’s talk highlighted how higher education can overcome inequalities in the STEM workforce by ensuring that students graduate with the essential competencies required to compete in the global labor market. 
• Dr. Judy Oskam has served as Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University since 2012. She is also an Honorary Professor of International Studies. Oskam was Associate Professor and Associate Director for Round Rock Programs from 2006-2012. Earlier in her career, Oskam worked as a TV journalist, video producer and public relations professional. Her podcast, Stories of Change and Creativity, features content and interviews that inspire, educate and motivate. Through personal examples and examples from faculty and former students, Dr. Oskam discussed how experiences inside and outside of the classroom can provide us with tools and strategies to "figure it out along the way" when we stop limiting our beliefs and take action. 
• Dr. Zach Thomas, a School Improvement teacher and educator, completed his doctorate at Texas State University in the School Improvement Program in 2023. His research focuses on creativity and imagination’s value in traditional school systems, and how divergent thinking can transform learning.  Dr. Thomas’ talk focused on how using creativity and imagination in education allows students and teachers to cultivate learning environments and outcomes far beyond the confines of current standardized systems.

The event also included audience activations, snacks during breaks, and entertainment by Texas State students and local artists. This year’s performers included: 

• VocaLibre, an auditioned choral group directed by Craig Aamot, who prepared and performed songs related to our theme, including Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground and Pure Imagination from the movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. 
• Young, Gifted, and Black, a group of talented young black artists in the Musical Theater Department at Texas State University showcased powerful musical numbers and dance pieces.
• Doral Drama Club, a gifted group of children from the Doral Academy Charter School’s dram club performed a comedy scene about a magical candy jar. 
• DJ Dion and In2itive, former Texas State students and all around good guys spent time spinning records during the event’s registration and intermission. 
• The Trips, a rock band comprised of triplets, Sammy, Marshall, and McKenna Wells out of San Marcos, Texas rocked the house with three original songs off of their debut album. 
• TXST FSA Umigi, an open-level dance team and part of Texas State University Filipino Student Association danced various styles of hip-hop, embodying the essence of growth and improvement

Emcees for the event included:

• Gabe Cortez is an alumnus and current graduate student in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State. He has been performing stand-up since 2017 with the Texas State Comedy Association. He created a monthly showcase at the Fallout Theater and has hosted the Laughing Dead Comedy Open Mic at Wake the Dead Coffee House for the last two years.
• Tyson Taylor is a senior at Texas State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Digital Media Innovation. For the past two years, Tyson has been a member of KTSW-FM 89.9, Texas State’s student-ran radio station, where he has broadcast, reported, and produced various collegiate sporting events. In addition to his work at KTSW, Tyson serves as a marketing intern with Texas State’s Division of Marketing and Communications. He is expected to graduate in May.

The TEDx Leadership Team:                                                                      

• Dr. Alan Grant - Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Communication Studies, serves as Event Co-Lead and Director of Speaker Experience
• Mark Paz - Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Communication Studies serves as Event Co-Lead and Creative Director.
• Hannah Collazo - Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Communication Studies serves as the Director of Speaker Experience.
• Dr. Kristen Farris - Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies serves as the TEDx License Holder.
• Dr. Prisca Ngondo - Associate Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication serves as the Communications Director.                    
• Caroline Williams - Graduate Instructional Assistant in the Department of Communication Studies serves as Logistics Lead and Graduate Intern.
• Jordan Garner - Graduate Instructional Assistant in the Department of Communication Studies serves on the Communications Team and as Graduate Intern.
• Felicity Guajardo, Salia Munoz, and Bianca Perschbach serve as undergraduate social media and marketing interns. Felicity Guajardo also served as a photographer for the event. 

Speaker Coaches

• Dr. Ann Burnette - Professor in the Department of Communication Studies
• Mark Paz - Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Communication Studies
• Dr. Alan Grant – Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Communication Studies
• Rita Gomez - Lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies
• Hannah Collazo - Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Communication Studies

Student Interns + Volunteers

• Josh Trevino, an undergraduate student, served as the show caller and helped supervise and support the stage managers (KayCi Wolf and Marwa Habibi). The show would not run without the awesome students. 
• Azariah Reese, graduate student in the School of Music, served as a photographer for the event. 

We also had approximately 15 other graduate and undergraduate students who served as volunteers for dress rehearsal and the day-of the event. The event's success would not be possible without these students

We also could NOT have a successful event without the amazing help of the operations staff! 

Operations Staff

• Candice Mongellow - Operations Manager of the Performing Arts Center
• Robert Styres - Box Office Manager
• Eaton Saylor - Lighting Supervisor + Audio Engineer of the Performing Arts Center
• Angelica Medellin Vasquez – Undergraduate Music Major and Operations Support for the Performing Arts Center 

Finally, the TEDx Team like to thank The LBJ Museum of San Marcos for setting up a table during registration and the break to display a “traveling trunk” of historical items from President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Museum was also the site of the Speaker and VIP afterparty. We would also like to thank the Department of Communication Studies and the College of Fine Arts and Communication for all the support they provide for this event. 

Faculty Accolades

Jasmine Austin was the Keynote speaker for a Graduate Student-centered conference at Texas A&M where she shared three actionable strategies to help graduate students carve their own paths with confidence and purpose. Jasmine welcomed scholars from Texas Christian University, the University of Southern California, an organizational trainer, and M.A. alum Johnny Vasallo to her graduate level qualitative methods course. Each participant recorded videos requesting qualitative consulting from graduate students in the class. The students were able to learn about the scholar’s research and then give specific strategies for participant recruitment, participant engagement and rapport building, and recommendations for giving back to the participants.

Ann Burnette received the Presidential Distinction Award for Service at the Associate Professor/Professor level. She will represent the College of Fine Arts and Communication at the University level for the Presidential Award. Ann also received the Rena Barr Volunteer Spirit Award from the Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico (TxOLAN) Alpaca Association. She has been the official announcer of the annual TxOLAN Sweetheart Spectacular Alpaca Show since 2009 and has also served as the official announcer of the TxOLAN Bluebonnet Stakes Alpaca Show since 2020.

Stephanie Dailey received the Presidential Distinction Award for Teaching at the Associate Professor/Professor level. She will represent the College of Fine Arts and Communication at the University level for the Presidential Award. Stephanie welcomed Erika Lingonblad and Giselle Kowalski to her Social Media in Organizations course. They spoke about their roles in the Division of Marketing & Communications at TXST, sharing insights behind running the TXST flagship accounts and the TXST Podcast Network, as well as fruitful career advice for students seeking to work in social media.

Kristen Farris published, "A test of relational turbulence in sibling relationships: Relationship characteristics, emotions, communication, and relational turbulence" in the Journal of Family Communication.  

Rebekah Fox participated in a briefing for the Hazardous Fuels Review Team in the Ocala National Forest in Florida. These periodic reviews contribute to her ongoing, funded work with the United States Forest Service.

Marek Muller received the 2024 runner-up award for Online Teaching Excellence from the Division of Online & Extended Learning at TXST. This is a prestigious and competitive award meant to highlight innovative teaching methods in online instruction. They were honored for their online, accelerated course in Intercultural Communication. Specifically, their course was honored for its outstanding organizational structure, creative assessments, and multimodal course texts.

Mark Paz received the Presidential Distinction Award for Service at the Lecturer/Sr Lecturer/Assistant Professor level. He will represent the College of Fine Arts and Communication at the University level for the Presidential Award.

Lindsay Timmerman received the B. Aubrey Fisher Outstanding Journal Article Award for her publication in Western Journal of Communication, titled “Redefining ‘healthy mom, healthy baby’: Making sense of traumatic birth stories through relational dialectics theory.” The award was presented to her and co-author Valerie Cronin-Fisher at the Western States Communication Association Conference in February.

Communication Studies Welcomes New Faculty

Dr. Kellie Marin comes to Texas State from Utah Tech University where she has served as an assistant professor for the past two years. While there, she taught courses in Critical Thinking, Conspiracy Theories and Propaganda in Modern Media, Rhetorical Criticism, Rhetoric and Public Communication, and Public Speaking. Kellie also served as course coordinator for the public speaking, rhetorical criticism, and persuasion courses. She earned her PhD in 2022 from The Pennsylvania State University, where she was also a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow. Her research focuses on national security rhetoric, specifically how citizens interact with and discuss important national security issues, how technologies bring us close to issues concerning immigration and terrorism, and how we can rethink security through more democratic practices. Kellie’s research has been published in Screen Bodies: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Experience, Perception, and Display and Communication, Rhetoric Society Quarterly, Surveillance & Society, and Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies.

Wallace S. Golding comes to Texas State from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he is readying to defend his dissertation. He specializes in rhetoric, race, and political culture and earned a graduate minor in African American Studies. Wallace studies the evolution of politicians’ and activists' political languages as they have sought to critique dominant understandings of citizenship and belonging, define their identities, and advocate change in democratic practice and policy. His dissertation investigates the rhetorical history of Black reparations advocacy from emancipation to the present. He has taught courses in public speaking and writing, rhetorical criticism and theory, public policy communication, and visual rhetoric. His scholarship has appeared in journals such as Rhetoric & Public Affairs and Communication and Democracy and has received awards such as the Robert Bostrom Young Scholar Award from the Southern States Communication Association, the Nichols-Ehninger Award from the National Communication Association’s Rhetorical and Communication Theory Division, and the Robert Gunderson Award from NCA’s Public Address Division. Wallace is a first-generation college graduate committed to supporting students from backgrounds underrepresented in higher education.

Speech and Debate team wins overall sweepstakes at TIFA Championships

The LBJ Debate Society and Elton Abernathy Forensics Society bested fourteen colleges from across Texas to win the Overall School Sweepstakes at the Texas Intercollegiate Forensic Association (TIFA) Championships. The tournament was hosted by the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, January 31-February 1, 2025. Among the other schools participating were SMU, Texas Tech, and the University of Texas. 

In addition to first place overall, the Bobcats also won the top debate school sweepstakes, and placed second, behind University of Texas, in the school individual events sweepstakes.  

Luke Sides was the top debate speaker, and RJ Jasso was the second-place speaker. Luke also took home top honors in IPDA (Individual Parliamentary) debate, and he and RJ placed second in team parliamentary debate. Taylor Tate won the state championship in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.

Other notable achievements:

Santiago Malpica Calleja finished fourth overall in the individual speech sweepstakes by placing first in Impromptu speaking, 2nd in Extemporaneous speaking, and 3rd in Communication Analysis.

Robert Davis finished 4th in Poetry Interpretation, 4th in Prose, and 6th in Program Oral Interpretation.

Carlos Castro finished 3rd in Poetry and 6th in Dramatic Interpretation.

Josh Lockaby finished 3rd in Program Oral Interpretation and 4th in Dramatic Interpretation.

Jakob Salsgiver finished 4th in Impromptu Speaking and was also the top novice at the tournament. 

Texas State also had two students named to the All-State Speech Squad, Taylor Tate and Josh Lockaby. Only seven students are named to the All-State Squad. 
 

The team is coached by Wayne Kraemer who is the TIFA Executive Secretary, and Jeremy Hutchins, who is the outgoing Vice President and tournament director of the tournament. Tyler Cole and Ashton Rios round out the coaching staff.

Faculty Accolades

Jasmine Austin was awarded an REP grant through Texas University for $16,000 for "Casting for Change: Reconstructing Policies for Inclusive Musical Theatre Programs" with Aaron Brown of Theatre, Film, and Dance.

Stephanie Dailey delivered a webinar for WellCats titled, "Social Media and Mental Health: What You Need to Know and How to Protect Your Well-Being." Stephanie was also invited to visit the Department of Communication Arts at University of the Incarnate Word to share her research with their graduate students. Stephanie took part in the “Innovation and Discovery Workshop,” an initiative from the Division of Research to stimulate multidisciplinary grant funding. She is the only representative from the College of Fine Arts and Communication whose application was accepted.

Elizabeth Eger was named a Regents’ Teacher by the Texas State University System Board of Regents. She was also awarded an REP grant through Texas University for $8,000 focused on "Investigating Disabled and Chronically Ill Workers' Communication about Presenteeism". Elizabeth welcomed Dr. Eric James, Professor and Chair of Communication Studies at Metropolitan State University at Denver, for a virtual Scholar Dialogue to her graduate seminar on Work, Identity, and Difference. Students discussed Dr. James' article on blue-collar workers' organizational communication about healthy worker identities and workplace health programs. Most recently, eight Communication Studies M.A. alumni visited Elizabeth’s “Work, Identity, and Difference” (WID) graduate seminar to discuss their work and communication research and how they use their WID and communication expertise in their work and lives today. The alumni guests were all prior WID students from Dr. Eger's seminars in 2017, 2019, and 2022, and they joined the current 2025 students for an engaging alumni panel. As pictured below Dr. Eger and the current WID class, the alumni speakers included: EM Pollard, Victoria Diaz, Chelsea Biggerstaff, Logan Kennedy, Niko Corbin, Ramces Luna, A.D. Alston, and Jeannetta Landrum.

Marian Houser spent 3 days at Kennesaw State University, GA conducting a program review for the School of Communication and Media. She teamed with Dr. Joe Mazer, Dean of the School of Communication and Information at the University of TN, Knoxville. They were hosted by TXST M.A. alum, Dr. Robin Mathis, assistant professor at Kennesaw.

Marek Muller received the runner up award for Online Teaching Excellence sponsored by the office of online and extended programs. The award recognizes and rewards superior online teaching, provides models of excellence for fellow faculty, and encourages all faculty to continue to improve and advance their online teaching pedagogy. Marek participated in a showcase featuring presentations by the award winners, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what makes their courses so effective.

Manu Pokharel presented “Pandemic communication environments: A longitudinal investigation of the differing effects of overload, repetitiveness, exaggeration, and fatigue in the COVID-19 pandemic” to the Society for Risk Analysis annual conference held in Austin.

Career Readiness Sponsors Food Drive

This fall the Communication Studies Department, in collaboration with Bobcat Bounty, set up a cupboard that provides canned goods, pasta, rice and snacks. All those in need of food can help themselves to any item at no cost. Career Readiness (COMM 3322) students, directed by Nikkie Saldivar Hodgson, collected approximately 1000 cans of food in their first annual Communication Department Food Drive. Their goal was to support the efforts of Bobcat Bounty which provides services to decrease food insecurity by providing food to the students at Texas State University. The food collected in the food drive will support the cupboard located near CENT 205.

Faculty Accolades

Jasmine Austin was awarded the prestigious National Communication Association Presidential Citation Award, one of the highest honors in the discipline. This accolade recognizes her exceptional leadership in fostering a more community- and culturally-centered approach within the field of communication. The award celebrates Jasmine for bringing great distinction to the NCA and for significantly contributing to its mission of promoting inclusive dialogue and scholarship. Jasmine also welcomed Amanda Franklin, Data Manager at Sisu Youth Services, to her Communicating Diversity classes as a guest lecturer this semester. Sisu Youth Services is a low-barrier identity affirming shelter for young adults (ages 13-24) in Oklahoma City. Amanda’s presentation focused on the intersectionality of social class and sexuality. She also has access to a huge data base of Oklahoma’s unhoused populations and willing to partner with interested students on a publication using that data.

Ann Burnette moderated a forum for San Marcos Mayoral and City Council races on October 17, 2024. The forum included two mayoral candidates, four candidates for San Marcos City Council Place 5, and two candidates for San Marcos City Council Place 6. The forum was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Hays County. She also served as a panelist on a Civic Engagement panel, "Insights and predictions for the 2024 presidential election," on October 30. The Civic Engagement panel is part of the Student Civic Engagement project sponsored by the Departments of History and Political Science, as well as the Office of Student Inclusion and Engagement. Ann delivered a lecture, "Rhetorical framings of Kamala Harris during her presidential campaign" to the Penn State University Colloquium, and a lecture entitled, "Why LBJ is relevant today" to the Bluebonnet Lions Club in San Marcos.

Casey Chilton delivered a presentation entitled, “Inspiring others to believe what you believe (quickly)” to the Texas Youth Preparedness Council as they prepare to solicit funding from community partners to aid in the development of their projects.

Stephanie Dailey presented data from her REP-funded project at the National Communication Association convention. The collaborative paper, titled, “'It’s a roller coaster of emotions!': Investigating the paradoxes of childcare app use and work engagement," was co-authored with Kristen Farris, Tricia Burke, and Krista Howard. Her article exploring compassion fatigue was featured on the Center for Behavioral Health & Well-Being Research at the University of Maryland School of Social Work's social media channels. At the NCA convention in New Orleans, Stephanie participated in the Organizational Communication Research Escalator, reading and mentoring three doctoral students’ research in progress.

Elizabeth K. Eger co-authored book chapters in two award-winning books from NCA 2024: (1) the Distinguished Edited Book Award from the Applied Communication Division and (2) the Outstanding Edited Book Award from the Organizational Communication Division. Elizabeth’s  undergraduate LGBTQ+ Communication course participated in a semester-long Wiki Education program to create new Wikipedia pages focused on LGBTQ Communication Studies and Fields of LGBTQ Communication Studies. They wrote over 12,000 words about 154 peer-reviewed communication and rhetoric research articles.

Kristen Farris had 5 manuscripts accepted to the National Communication Association convention in New Orleans. “I did not come back the same”: Greater regard of intercultural interactions through a Study Abroad foundational communication course, coauthored with Marian Houser, M.A. alum Lauren Green, Andrea Avila Regalado, and Michael Burns. “It’s going to take hard work”: An exploratory analysis of parent-caregivers' labor across their child’s illness trajectory, coauthored with Tricia Burke, and M.A. alum Abigail Mellow. “Greater regard for communication competence: An investigation of the Social Skills Deficit Vulnerability Model in parent-caregivers of children with medically complex conditions, coauthored with Tricia Burke, Marian Houser, and M.A. alum Ololade Olanipekun. “A test of Relational Turbulence Theory in sibling relationships: Relationship characteristics, emotions, appraisals, communication, and relational outcomes, and “It’s a roller coaster of emotions!”: Investigating the paradoxes of childcare app use and work engagement, coauthored with Stephanie Dailey and Tricia Burke.

Rebekah Fox participated in the Social Science Research Group Kick-Off Meeting at the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Boulder, CO.  This is a group of researchers, mostly communication scholars, who have been assembled to assist with the implementation of the National Wildfire Crisis Strategy.

Nikki Saldivar Hodgson was the guest speaker for Women in Film and TV (WIFT), Austin, Texas, presenting on Ageism (Stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice acts towards people of all ages). Nikkie also welcomed M.A. alum Brian Robinson to her Career Readiness course. Robinson is Senior Vice President for Product at Watermark in Austin, TX and provided insightful information about the importance of his communication courses and how those courses aligned with his successful career path.

Maureen Keeley gave a presentation at the University of Buffalo, Dept. of Communication on her 20+ year program of research on final conversations. Her talk titled “The Good Goodbye: The Transformative Power of Communication at the end of life” was given to about 50 people and was well-received.

Manu Pokharel published “How people who habitually replot stories react differently (or not so differently) to melanoma narratives” in the Journal of Health Communication. She also published “Exploring appropriateness as a topic avoidance motivation: The influence of familial and social norms” in the Journal of Family Communication. Manu received the 2024 Translational Health Research (THR) Award at Texas State University. She also presented “The effectiveness of skin cancer visuals targeting minority populations: Educating Hispanic and African American participants about acral lentiginous melanoma” at the National Communication Association Convention in New Orleans.

Student Accolades

M.A. student Anca Tonciu successfully passed her MAPPS) Master's Academic/Professional Portfolio).

B.A. student Ethan Iselt was selected as a New Orleans Super Bowl LIX Host Committee Ambassador presented by Chevron. This opportunity comes from Jasmine Austin’s Diversity Training class where students participated in a Diversity Training Pitch Competition in which Super Bowl Executive Chincie Mouton served as a judge.

Students from the Career Readiness Course, taught by Nikkie Saldivar Hodgson, created a logo and launched the first Communication Studies Food Drive for Thanksgiving.

The Communication Studies Graduate Association (CSGA) is a departmental organization dedicated to unifying the graduate students in Communication Studies at Texas State University. CSGA members come together for events like professional development, research seminars, and social and philanthropic events. CSGA hosted a Halloween Karaoke Event featuring costumes, candy and performances.

Study Abroad brings Communication, Music, Business to Europe

Communication Studies students and faculty participated in three different Summer Study Abroad programs co-sponsored with the Department of Music and the McCoy College of Business.

Stephanie Dailey and Seth Frei spent 3 weeks in Europe with 34 Texas State undergraduates studying business and communication. They visited the Netherlands, Germany, and Portugal, meeting with companies including Mercedes, Heineken, Meyle + Mueller, Cockburn's, and Impetus. Students came away with a greater appreciation for business communication in international work cultures and lifelong memories of traveling abroad.

Kristen Farris and two faculty from the School of Music (Daris Hale, Ian Davidson), led a study abroad program of 28 students in May to London and Paris focused on communication and fine arts. 

Rebekah Fox, Ian Davidson, Daris Hale, and Michael Burns spent several weeks traveling and studying in Rome, Florence, and Vienna.

Faculty Accolades

Jasmine Austin published a book chapter entitled, “Workplace socialization: Reproducing racism? Or challenging discriminatory standards?” in The Palgrave Handbook of Antiracism in Human Resource Development. Jasmine earned two External Grants that add up to over $25,000. The first grant is from the Foundation for Louisiana, supporting her partnership with a youth-centered nonprofit to teach 13–18-year-olds qualitative research collection, analysis, and presentation skills. These projects were displayed in a highly successful culminating showcase in New Orleans this summer. The second grant comes from the National Communication Association (NCA) to bridge a connection between a New Orleans Nonprofit and NCA. Jasmine’s work is setting the foundation for future NCA partnerships in each convention city.

Ann Burnette and Wayne Kraemer published "The genius of America and the model immigrant: Barack Obama's rhetorical characterization of DACA recipients" in Evaluating the Obama Presidency: From Transformational Goals to Governing Realities, published by De Gruyter.

Casey Chilton provided presentation coaching to the Texas Youth Preparedness Council as they prepared to give presentations on their projects to the Texas Emergency Management Conference in San Antonio.

Stephanie Dailey published “The process of personal social media for work: Unveiling the ‘work’ behind social media in the journal Social Media + Society. The piece was co-authored by MA alum Madeline Martinson. She also published a handbook chapter entitled “Organizational entry processes” in The Handbook of Organizational Communication Theory and Research. Stephanie received a Service-Learning Research Grant from the Service-Learning Excellence Program at Texas State for a project with MA alum Dr. Seth Frei that explores the role of international service-learning in strengthening global workplace skills. She presented a virtual session on Crisis Communication for small business owners in Texas, sharing evidence-based communication strategies to help prepare for crises before they happen. The presentation was part of an online support and training program called BOOST, which seeks to help businesses’ ability to grow and contribute to a resilient economy. Stephanie also presented a session providing research-based guidance for employees to strengthen their communication and foster collaboration at Texas State University’s Development Day. 

Elizabeth K. Eger was named a 2024 Regents' Teacher by the Texas State University System, the highest teaching honor in the TSUS. Only 21 faculty members from across the system have received the Regents’ Teacher Award since its inception. She will receive the award in February 2025 at the Regents' board meeting. This esteemed recognition celebrates faculty who excel in outstanding teaching, contribute significantly to course development, and employ innovative teaching methods. Elizabeth presented a webinar called, “Librarians as Leaders for Community Resiliency Collaborations” for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s Continuing Education and Consulting. She presented along with MA student Anca Tonciu and Translational Health Research Center Executive Director Melinda Villagran. Elizabeth was named as the runner-up to the 2024 Linda L. Putnam Organizational Communication Early Career Scholar Award from the International Communication Association’s Organizational Communication Division.

Kristen Farris co-authored a manuscript with Timothy Worley and Emily Sheinfeld entitled, "Relational turbulence during family transitions: A lifespan perspective and roadmap for future research" appearing in Annals of the International Communication Association. She also presented a workshop entitled "Time Management Strategies for New Graduate Students" at the New Graduate Student Orientation hosted by the Graduate College at Texas State. Kristen has also recently been named as Graduate Director for Communication Studies (Sp. 25).

Rebekah Fox was part of a featured panel, “Risk and Crisis Communication in Wildland Fire Fighting,” at the International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference. Presenters discussed the development and use of a research strategy to cultivate communities of practice to mitigate the risks associated with the catastrophic effects of wildfires on communities. Her research was also featured in the piece, “Flames and Rapid Feedback: How Focus Groups Shaped Wildfire Response During COVID-19” published in the Rocky Mountain Research Station Science you can use Bulletin.

Marek Muller received the Christine Oravec Award from the National Communication Association’s Environmental Communication division, recognizing the top journal publication of the year. The article was entitled, “Long Live the Liver King.” They also published a piece in The Conversation, a trusted journalism outlet authored by academics, on the intersections of plant-based meat substitutes and cultural politics. The piece has since been republished in over 30 other outlets including Salon, the Houston Chronicle, and the Des Moines Register.

Mark Paz received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Senior Lecturer/Lecturer rank. Mark currently serves as Director of the department’s award winning COMM 1310 program. He also serves as faculty advisor to Texas State’s chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Honor Society for Communication Studies, and is the Creative Director for TEDx Texas State University.

Lindsay Timmerman was appointed as one of two Faculty Ombudspersons for a three-year term. The ombuds office on campus offers support to anyone in the campus community with work-related concerns. an ombudsperson offers confidentiality when conducting informal conflict management assistance, and serves as an independent, impartial party. The faculty ombudspersons are advocates for respectful and civil dialogue, transparent and fair policies, and continuous improvement. More information about the ombuds office/role can be found here.

Student Accolades

The Communication Studies Graduate Association (CSGA) is a departmental organization dedicated to unifying the graduate students in Communication Studies at Texas State University. CSGA members come together for events like professional development, research seminars, and social and philanthropic events.  CSGA hosted a Welcome Back Party at Frozen Cave to promote networking among members and faculty.

Celebrating Roseann Mandziuk

Friends and colleagues gathered to celebrate the retirement of Roseann Mandziuk after 37 years of service to Texas State University. It was a festive occasion with a performance by students of the Musical Theatre program, a video presentation featuring Dr. Mandziuk’s previous students, and celebratory speeches by fellow faculty members.

Roseann is currently a University Distinguished Professor, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses including protest rhetoric, media criticism, and rhetorical methods. She is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including 2023 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Professor/Associate rank, five Presidential Distinction Awards for Excellence in Teaching and six College Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Associate/Full Professor rank. She has received two Fulbright Scholar Awards, teaching courses in both Poland and India, and has held visiting professorships at the University of Amsterdam and Moscow State University. During her time at Texas State, Roseann feels immense gratification to see the many students she has worked with over the years and the successes they have had, both in the academic and professional ranks. “I believe that my role as a professor is to help open avenues for students to discover their own perspectives, their own critical sensibilities, and their voices, and to realize the power that their voices and their bodies have to fight in the service of justice. What I strive to do in every class I teach is provide examples, perspectives, and challenges that will help students see their world differently.”

Roseann’s research focuses upon images of women, the rhetorical uses of history, and the construction of public memory in museums and monuments. She has co-authored a scholarly book about the rhetoric of Sojourner Truth, published numerous articles and book chapters examining historical and contemporary rhetoric, and served as Editor of Women’s Studies in Communication. Through both teaching and research, Roseann hopes that “my students discover the means of resistance, if that’s what they need, or discover the means of harnessing communication to do great things, to better the world.”

Roseann also leaves a legacy of dedicated service, both the Texas State and to the Communication discipline. She has served as President of both the National Communication Association and the Southern States Communication Association. Through her leadership positions in professional associations across her career, she advocates for the inclusion and encouragement of diverse voices in the communication discipline, both in the professional sphere and in the areas of scholarship and pedagogy. As President of the National Communication Association, she cites the development of a new strategic plan as her most important accomplishment, helping to guide the discipline of Communication into the future. The plan emphasizes increased member engagement, promoting and advocating for Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) in the field of Communication, and promoting the role of Communication in challenging existing structures and fostering meaningful change.

At Texas State, Roseann is most proud of chairing the Presidential Work Life Advisory Council. In conjunction with Human Resources, the Advisory Council created Bobcat Balance, a free program providing financial, mental health, and legal resources to help support well-being at work and at home for Texas State employees. Bobcat Balance was instrumental in advocating for the current University workload policy, establishing free mental health care for employees, providing financial resources, legal guidance, emergency assistance programs, and child-care challenges.

Career Highlights

• President of the National Communication Association.
• President of the Southern States Communication Association.
• 2023 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Professor/Associate rank.
• 2013 Presidential Award for Service at the Professor/Associate Professor rank.
• Fulbright Scholar, Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi, India.
• Fulbright Scholar, Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities.
• Selected as an American Council on Education Fellow.
• 25 peer-reviewed publications.
• 62 papers presented to professional conferences.
• 5 Presidential Distinction Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
• 6 College Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching -Associate/Full Professor.
• Supervisor of 18 M.A. theses and 8 undergraduate theses.
   

Forensic Team Shines at National Tournaments

The LBJ Debate Society and The Elton Abernathy Forensics Society, Texas State’s competitive speech team, are members of the American Forensics Association (AFA), the National Forensics Association (NFA) and Pi Kappa Delta (PKD). The team travels locally, regionally, and nationally, with an emphasis on qualifying for the American Forensics Association-National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST). The team is coached by faculty members Wayne Kraemer and Jeremy Hutchins. The team recently competed at two national tournaments, the Pi Kappa Delta National Biennial Tournament and the American Forensic Association-National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST).

Taylor Tate and Ro Adams represented Texas State in Lincoln-Douglas Debate at the 2024 Pi Kappa Delta National Biennial Tournament in March. Pi Kappa Delta is one of the oldest forensic organizations in the United States. Ro Adams was named the tournament’s 8th best speaker and finished as the National JV Lincoln-Douglas Debate Champion, while Taylor Tate finished as the national runner-up and was also named second best speaker in the tournament. Jeremy Hutchins, Associate Director of Forensics, said that he was "impressed by the performances of these young, hard-working competitors." He added that it "bodes well for the future of speech and debate at Texas State." Texas State now boasts a national team debate championship in CEDA debate and one national runner-up in British Parliamentary Debate.

Five members of the LBJ Forensics team also competed in the American Forensic Association-National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST), finishing 24th out of the 65 schools in attendance at the competition. Four of the five Texas State competitors advanced to the elimination rounds of the tournament. Hanna Prince and Callum Ritter advanced to the national quarterfinals in Duo Dramatic Interpretation. Santiago Malpica Calleja advanced to the national quarterfinals in Impromptu Speaking. Vanessa Trevino, advanced to the national quarterfinals in Dramatic Interpretation. Wayne Kraemer, Director of Forensics, was proud of the performances from such a young team. Kraemer noted that "he was proud of the rehearsal and practice time the students put in all year just to qualify for the tournament and advancing to the elimination rounds was extra-gratifying." Tyler Cole, Assistant Coach, was also proud of the Bobcats' efforts, adding that "having three slots in the national quarterfinals was pretty exciting for us and contributed to our top 25 finish."

Faculty Accolades

Ann Burnette concluded her year as President of the Southern States Communication Association. She delivered her presidential address, "What Teaching Public Speaking Teaches Me" at the annual convention in Frisco, Texas. She will serve as Immediate Past President until April 2025. Ann presented the paper "'We need to do something about Richard': Examining the rhetoric in free speech battles in Texas" to the annual convention of the Eastern Communication Association in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The paper was co-authored with Rebekah Fox. She also presented the paper "Shining a spotlight on Texas free speech issues" to the annual convention of the Southern States Communication Association. The paper was co-authored with Rebekah Fox.

Casey Chilton presented “Developing and Giving Effective Presentations” to the Texas Youth Preparedness Council as they prepare to give presentations on their individual emergency preparedness projects they have implemented in their schools and communities across Texas.

Stephanie Dailey welcomed alumnus Kelli Ottmers to her COMM 4327 (Social Media in Organizations) class. Kelli is a Public Relations Specialist with Southwest Airlines, managing their social media presence.

Elizabeth K. Eger and her graduate student co-authors, Rex Long, Anca Tonciu, Allister McNally, Rowan Lampert, and Johnny Vasallo, received a Top Paper Award in Applied Communication at the Eastern Communication Association conference in Cambridge, MA. The paper was entitled, “Communicating challenges and imagining new futures through rural community resiliency collaboration: A pilot study adapting COPEWELL with Texas Library Directors and community stakeholders.” Elizabeth published, “LGBTQ+ peer advocates’ health communication praxis for college student health outreach and intersectional needs” with Melinda Villagran and Marsha Burney in the journal Health Communication. Rural Health Information Hub wrote a case study on Elizabeth’s applied communication research with the Translational Health Research Center using community collaboration to adapt a COPEWELL resiliency model with rural Texas librarians. Elizabeth was also named an Austin Pets Alive! Gold Volunteer for her service on the Adoptline volunteer team.

Rebekah Fox presented the paper "'We need to do something about Richard': Examining the rhetoric in free speech battles in Texas" to the annual convention of the Eastern Communication Association in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The paper was co-authored with Ann Burnette. She also presented the paper "Shining a spotlight on Texas free speech issues" to the annual convention of the Southern States Communication Association in Frisco, Texas. The paper was co-authored with Ann Burnette.

Roseann M. Mandziuk made two research presentations at the Southern States Communication Association Convention in Frisco, Texas. The first was entitled “What Lurks in the soil: Excavating the rhetorical roots of white supremacist women.” The second presentation was “Bodies of evidence: The persistent presence of criminal archives”. Roseann also participated in a discussion panel, “Conferencing 101: Navigating SSCA, From Spectator to Participant” and represented the Communication Studies department at the Undergraduate Honors Conference breakfast and Graduate Program Open House.

Marek Muller published “Fantatsical speeches: Performing fanfiction to model protest communication” in Communication Teacher. Their book chapter, “Violence begets violence: Cross-species exploitation in the slaughterhouse” was released in the edited collection Building Resistance Against Multispecies Exploitation: Stories from the Frontlines of Labor and Animal Rights. Marek was accepted to participate in the Research Network Forum at the Rhetoric Society of America’s 2024 Conference where they will rework “You Can’t Sue an Imaginary Cow! Relitigating Devin Nunes v. Twitter as Digital Carnivalesque” with a network of likeminded scholars. Marek offered a Continuing Education Seminar to the group Our Honor, a nonprofit veterinary advocacy group. The presentation was entitled “Treated Like Animals: Unpacking the (Ab)Use of Human and Nonhuman Animals in the Slaughterhouse.”

Manu Pokharel published "Using narratives to correct politically charged health misinformation and address affective belief echoes" in the Journal of Public Health. Manu also directed an undergraduate honors thesis for Maddie Swanson, a student in the Department of Psychology. The thesis was titled "Should I Stay or Should I Go: The Psychological Impacts of In-clinic and At-home Genetic Testing on Participants''.

Student Accolades 

M.A. student Allister McNally presented their research poster, "Jim Sinclair & the 1993 convention on autism: Autistic embodied language versus curation of the body and mind" to the Eastern Communication Association conference in Cambridge, MA.

M.A. student Anca Tonciu presented her research poster, "Elemental: Intercultural conflict and 'third act breakup' in movies" to the Eastern Communication Association conference in Cambridge, MA.

Communication Studies Graduate Association (CSGA) is a departmental organization dedicated to unifying the graduate students in Communication Studies at Texas State University. CSGA members come together for events such as professional development and research seminars, as well as social and philanthropic events. As part of TXST graduate student appreciation week, CSGA sponsored a Clothing Giveaway based on departmental donations.