News Archive

Celebrating Maureen Keeley

The Department of Communication Studies celebrates the career of Maureen Keeley, who is retiring after 31 years of service to Texas State University. She is currently a Full Professor, teaching courses in Nonverbal Communication, Family Communication, Relational Communication, Interpersonal Communication, and a graduate seminar on End-of-Life Communication. Maureen is considered one of the leading experts in the area of family communication at the end of life. Her focus for over two decades has been to explore "Final Conversations" from the family members’ and close friends' perspective. Her new co-authored book “The Good Goodbye” was published in June 2025 and explores the transformative power of conversation at the end of life.

Maureen has authored 22 refereed, peer-reviewed journal articles, 14 book chapters, 10 encyclopedia articles and three books that have shaped the discourse on end-of-life communication. Her research has been published in journals such as the Southern Communication Journal, Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, Health Communication, Journal of Family Communication, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, Journal of Loss and Trauma, and Death Studies. Her research is widely cited, both in Communication and interdisciplinary, demonstrating its influence on the field of communication and beyond. 

Her work has been recognized with many awards such as the Bernard J. Brommel Award in Family Communication, NCA Distinguished Article of the Year in Health Communication, Outstanding Article of the Year from the Journal of Family Communication, Book of the Year in Consumer Health from the American Journal of Nursing, and the Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities.

Maureen has also made significant contributions beyond the University setting, engaging the community to enhance public understanding of death and dying communication. She has delivered public lectures, conducted over 30 community workshops, and contributed to policy discussions that bridge the gap between scholarship and real-world application. Through her outreach efforts, she has collaborated with healthcare professionals, hospice organizations, and advocacy groups to improve end-of-life communication practices.

Maureen has also served as a dedicated mentor to the many students she has taught throughout her career. She has provided invaluable guidance to students and early-career researchers, helping them navigate academic and professional development. Many of her advisees have gone on to pursue doctoral degrees and contribute to the field in their unique ways. She sums up her career by saying, “Teaching my students here for the past 31 years has been the greatest honor of my life.”

Amanda Guajardo named Staff Employee of the Month

The Department of Communication Studies is pleased to announce that Amanda Guajardo has been named Staff Employee of the Month for April 2026. 

Amanda earned her B.A. in Business Administration in 2019 and an M.B.A. in Business Administration in 2024, both from Texas State University. She has served the department as Administrative Assistant III since 2020. In that role, she manages many responsibilities such as budget and procurement, travel coordination, human resource duties, managing scheduling operations, grant support, and event planning. Amanda serves as the operational hub of the Department of Communication Studies–managing day-to-day logistics, coordinating communications, and ensuring processes run smoothly for faculty, staff, and students. Amanda exemplifies quality service through her consistently responsive, student-centered, and solutions-oriented approach to every task. She communicates with warmth and professionalism–creating a supportive, we-run environment that reflects the best of Texas State.

President Damphousse, Provost Aswath, and Dean Fleming were on hand to present Amanda with a certificate and share their thoughts.

Forensics Continues Tradition of Excellence

The Elton Abernathy Forensics Society, Texas State’s competitive speech team, is named for Prof. Elton Abernathy, a long-time chair of the department and former Director of Forensics. During the fall and spring semesters, Texas State speech and debate students competed in 19 regular season tournaments including the State Championship tournament for the Texas Intercollegiate Forensic Association (TIFA). Students who qualified were then able to attend one of three different national tournaments, each hosted by a different speech and/or debate organization.  The awards listed below were earned by students who committed hundreds of hours to practice, competition, and travel while also maintaining full course schedules and, in many cases, working to support themselves.

Texas Intercollegiate Forensic Association State Championship (TIFA)

• Team Debate Sweepstakes – First Place
• Team Individual Events Sweepstakes – Second Place
• Team Overall Sweepstakes – First Place

National Online Forensics Championship

• Luke Sides – IPDA Debate – Gold
• Luke Sides – IPDA Debate – Third Place Overall Speaker
• Josh Lockaby – Dramatic Interpretation - Gold
• Carlos Castro and Josh Lockaby – Duo Interpretation – Gold
• Josh Lockaby – Program Oral Interpretation – Gold
• Carlos Castro – Prose – Gold

American Forensic Association National Speech Tournament

• Carlos Castro and Josh Lockaby – Duo Interpretation – Quarter Finalist

International Public Debate Association National Championship and Convention

• Andrew Groce – Novice Division (115 entries) – Triple Octa Finalist

National Forensic Association National Championship

• Taylor Tate – Lincoln Douglas Debate (103 entries) - Quarter Finalist
• Taylor Tate – Lincoln Douglas Debate (103 Entries) - First Place Overall Speaker 

**Taylor Tate is the first Texas State student to be awarded “First Place Overall Speaker” at the NFA National tournament.**

Communication Studies Students Earn Scholarships

The Department of Communication Studies congratulates the undergraduate and graduate students who earned departmental scholarships. All graduate students that applied received between $1581-1600. A special thanks is extended to the scholarship committee of Wayne Kraemer, Jasmine Austin, and Manu Pokharel.

Wilburn Faily Scholarship

1. Monica Cruz $1500

Elton Abernathy Scholarships ($1581.67) each

1. Azja Farabee
2. Cade Glasscock
3. Denise Ndofor
4. James Randall
5. Lexi Howard
6. Caleb Garrison
7. Julia Busby
8. Kaylee Gonzalez
9. Hansen Penya

Excellence Fund Scholarships

1. Jihan Haque $1600
2. Sandy Rioux $400
3. Vianni Dudley $300

 Philip J. Salem Graduate Scholarship

1. Sandy Rioux $1200

 M. Lee Williams and Cathie Fleuriet Graduate Teaching Scholarship

1. Vianni Dudley $1300

Steven A. Beebe Graduate Scholarship ($1585.71 each)

1. Jubayer Mahmud
2. Katie Brindle
3. Mohammad Razzak
4. Nicoly Ribeiro
5. Noshin Hassan
6. Opelouwa Akinbodewa
7. Sanzida Maliha

Communication Studies Celebrates Graduate Students

The Department of Communication Studies, in association with the Graduate College, put together theme days for Graduate Student Appreciation Week. Themes included “Western Day”, “Character Day”, “Wacky Tacky Day”, and “Twin Day”. Special thanks to Amanda Guajardo (Admin III) and Madison Wimmer (Program Coordinator) for creating and coordinating these events.

Faculty Accolades

Jasmine Austin published “Words to live by”, co-authored with her siblings, Drs. Jude and Julius Austin. The autoethnography examines messages received from family members that proved to be pivotal in their academic journeys. She also published “Survival of the thickest as discursive resistance: Rewriting the fat narrative in media”, in Critical Studies in Media Communication (RCSM). The piece was co-authored with Bailey Thrasher (current M.A. student), Amber Brown (B.A. alum), Lilly Ezigbo-Dessesaure (B.A. alum), and Milena Williams (M.A. alum). She also presented a two-part speaking workshop for the TXST leadership academy over Managing Difficult Conversations.

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. Casey also presented to David Angelow’s ANLY 2330 (Data Analytics) classes and to Dr. Vanessa Higgins Joyce’s Research Methods in Mass Communication (MC 3360) course. Casey secured $14,000.00 in Student Service Fee money to fund the COMM Lab for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. 

Elizabeth K. Eger hosted four scholar dialogues with six faculty research experts in her COMM 5319: Organizational Communication seminar in Spring 2026. Master's students read peer-reviewed organizational communication journal articles by the visiting scholar and prepare questions for the discussion. Professors visiting her seminar via Zoom included: Iccha Basnyat from George Mason University, Scotti Branton III from the University of Arkansas, Minkyung Kim from the University of Illinois, Mahuya Pal from the University of South Florida, Keri Stephens from UT Austin, and Astrid Villamil from the University of Missouri.

Nikkie Saldivar Hodgson presented a poster entitled "Communication Studies Career Readiness Students Learn About Food Security" to the 2nd annual Service-Learning Excellence Showcase in McCoy Hall. This project contributes to the Texas State's Service Excellence program as it outlines how the service-learning teaching model can link departments to a unified community interest. Student presenters Vaughn Derr and Lauryn Kalb (Communication Studies majors and students in Dr. Hodgson's Career Readiness course, COMM 3322) co-presented and shared their experience in being involved in volunteering for Bobcat Bounty, coordinating a food drive for Communication Studies Food Cupboard in Centennial Hall and learning about food security on campus and in our communities. Dr. Hodgson extends a special thanks to Dr. Nick Weimer and Ms. Rosario Davis for supporting these types of community initiatives. 

Kellie Marin received the James Madison Prize for Outstanding Research in First Amendment Studies from the Freedom of Speech division of the Southern States Communication Association. The prize was awarded to the "top publication (book, article, or book chapter) on issues related to free expression or the First Amendment authored by a member of SSCA and published during the previous calendar year." She also presented "A needle in a haystack: Examining voting integrity rhetoric and citizenship as an information imaginary," to the SSCA convention in Birmingham, AL.. Kellie guest lectured to Dr. Alan Grant's COMM 3320 (Sports Communication) course on "Fighting Gender Norms" and she joined an interdisciplinary panel of researchers for an online discussion about surveillance, organized by the Surveillance Studies Network (SSN), about Steven Spielberg's 2002 film Minority Report.

Meredith Turner successfully defended her doctoral dissertation entitled “Manipulative Maintenance: Examining Manipulation Behaviors in Romantic Relationships.” Meredith will join the Department of Communication Studies faculty as an Assistant Professor this summer.

Student Accolades

Prospective graduates of the M.A. program in Communication Studies construct and defend a portfolio reflecting students’ objectives and accomplishments throughout their program of study. The Master of Arts Program Portfolio (MAPP) allows students to articulate the ways in which their MA program experiences “map” onto the degree’s goals of proposing and defending choices regarding appropriate research methods, integrating communication theory within communication inquiry, and applying communication in individuals’ personal, professional, and public lives. M.A. students Bailey Thrasher, Morgan Smith, Sarita Ojeda, Alex Waterhouse, Savannah Hawkins, and Suraya Alidu successfully completed their MAPP defenses in April. 

Suraya Alidu (M.A., spring 2026) was accepted with funding into the Ph.D. program in the Department of Communication at the University of South Florida. Suraya also earned the Presidential Doctoral Fellowship, the most prestigious graduate student scholarship awarded by USF. Suraya was also a guest speaker in Dr. Jasmine Austin’s COMM 3336 class discussing Disabilities, Accommodations, and Communicating Across Difference. 

M.A. students Jubayer Mahmud and Noshin Hassan presented their research, co-authored with Dr. Jasmine Austin, titled “From Immigrant Homes to Global Stages: Co-Cultural Identity Negotiation in The Namesake and BTS” to the Graduate Student Research Conference (GSRC) at Texas State University.

Md Jubayer Mahmud is a first-year M.A. student in the Department of Communication Studies who has both published a journal article and presented a conference paper this year. He recently co-authored a peer-reviewed article in South Asian Studies titled "The south Asian spring: Flash social movements from Sri Lanka to Nepal". The article offers a comparative analysis of recent protest movements in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, examining how digital mobilization, collective grievances, and institutional dynamics shaped rapid political change across South Asia. In addition, he presented a paper at the International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference at Clemson University titled ''The hidden crisis of climate change: Distress, entrapment, and suicidal ideation among Bangladeshi adolescents''. This research contributes to health and risk communication scholarship by advancing understanding of how climate-related distress shapes mental health vulnerability among adolescents and highlighting the importance of communication-based mental health interventions, risk messaging, and resilience-building programs, particularly in Global South contexts.

M.A. student Jihan Sabah Haque presented her debut research poster at the Southern States Communication Association in Birmingham, AL. Her paper was entitled, "The role of absent fathers in the emotional and communicative development of children during childhood and adulthood." 

The following M.A. students were selected to receive the Graduate College Scholarship of $1,000. Of the sixteen College of Fine Arts and Communication students who were awarded scholarships, eight are Communication Studies students.

• Farjia Ahmed Pranti
• Opeoluwa Akinbodewa
• Jihan Haque
• Noshin Hassan
• Nicoly Nogueira Ribeiro
• Jubayer Mahmud
• Sanzida Maliha
• Sandy Rioux

Lambda Pi Eta (LPH), the Department of Communication Studies honors organization for undergraduate Communication Studies majors and minors, participated in Texas State's Bobcat Build in March. The organization is advised by Assistant Professors Marek Muller and Wallace Golding. This year, LPH helped a local resident clear her yard of leaves ahead of spring.

The Communication Studies Graduate Association (CSGA) hosted various events during the spring semester. Dr. Rebekah Fox spoke with the graduate students about research and seminar preparations during CSGA's Research Workshop and Dr. Nikkie Hodgson offered helpful tips to writing professional resumes and interviewing during CSGA's Resume Workshop. CSGA also offered graduate students an opportunity to relax and have fun during their Karaoke Night in April. Those with the best love song, best performance, and best vocals were showered with applause and prizes.

Alumni Accolades

B.A. and M.A. alumna Grace Morton was selected as a featured mentor at SXSW 2026. As a mentor in the Brand Track, she was joined by other communication professionals to meet with SXSW attendees looking for advice on all things communication — from career and internship advice to disruptor brands looking for insights for how to promote their brand’s messaging. While the breadth of questions was vast, she shared that it all boils down to one key point: “Stay true to your voice — the right audience (from employers to consumers and fans) will always find you.”

M.A. alumna Tori Rose led the fabrication of the exhibit Inter(mediate) Spaces by Present Futures for the SXSW 2026 VR/XR Exhibition. Inter(mediate) Spaces is a generative AI VR experience that reexamines technology's promise of connection. The experience was created by Chloé Lee the Creative Director & Producer, CEO of Present Futures and Lucas Martinic the XR Creative Technologist, CTO. Present Futures past mixed reality project Reflections of Little Red Dot won the Jury Award at SXSW 2025 where Tori Rose also led the fabrication on the exhibit in Austin, TX.

TEDxTexasStateUniversity Challenges Us To “Unlearn”

This year, TEDxTexasStateUniversity explored the power of unlearning. In a world overflowing with information, traditions, and routines, it is easy to mistake the familiar for the truth. But growth begins when we pause, reflect, and gently release the assumptions and habits that no longer serve us. Unlearning is about rethinking old stories, reexamining what we’ve accepted without question, and discovering new perspectives that open the door to possibility. This year, six speakers shared powerful ideas from across technology, health, the arts, media, science, and the humanities, each one inviting the audience to see the world with a fresh perspective and consider what might emerge when we let go of the familiar.

2026 Speakers

Brian Johnson examined how today’s evolving workplace invites us to rethink old assumptions about work and success. A former Major League catcher and scout turned consultant, he shared lessons from years helping organizations strengthen culture and opportunity. His message emphasized adaptability, purpose, and supporting those who often face limited pathways forward.

Dr. Maureen Keeley invited us to rethink how we communicate at the end of life. A leading scholar in family communication for 31 years, she was inspired by the loss of her mother to dedicating much of her work to studying “Final Conversations”. For more than two decades, she has worked with over 700 research participants, revealing how honest, meaningful communication can help families navigate dying with connection, care, and humanity.

Melanie Koroluk confronted the idea that mental health is an individual pursuit, highlighting how connection, community, and coregulation shape our wellbeing. A bilingual immigrant and future professional counselor, she drew on neuroscience, social justice work, and her experiences across three countries to show why healing is most powerful when it happens together.

Benjamin Elias explored how unlearning limiting beliefs can open the door to growth and possibility. Drawing from his journey through incarceration and into nonprofit leadership, he shared how education and self-reflection helped him rebuild his life. Now supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, he encourages others to challenge the narratives that hold them back.

Elli Overton challenged the belief that “winning is everything,” showing how healthier definitions of success help young people thrive. A three-time Olympian, youth-sports consultant, and counseling graduate student, she drew on decades of experience in sport to highlight how resilience, self-compassion, and learning through failure fuel long-term excellence.

Charlene “Char” Holmes examined how survival-mode thinking can persist long after hardship ends. A psychology student, trauma-informed life coach, and host of the award-winning podcast “Talk Bari To Me”, she shared how unlearning old patterns can help us experience genuine peace, joy, and self-worth.

In addition to these six powerful talks, the audience was treated to electrifying performances from Texas State students and alumni in music, dance, and musical theatre, along with a live DJ and a youth competitive dance team to turn the energy up. 

Infusion Dance is a premier youth performance and competitive dance studio known for high-energy, versatile routines that blend Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Latin styles while promoting confidence, creativity, and community through movement.

Young, Gifted, and Black Showcase is a powerful collective of Musical Theatre students at Texas State University presenting a dynamic showcase of songs, scenes, dance, and devised pieces celebrating Black artistry and expression.

Chronos Quartet is a dynamic student-led saxophone quartet from the Texas State School of Music recognized for their community performances, premieres of new works, and upcoming appearance at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention.

VocaLibre is an auditioned choral ensemble at Texas State University dedicated to honest storytelling through song, performing a wide range of genres from traditional choral works to pop, R&B, and global music traditions.

Sade’ May is a director, theatre educator, and storyteller whose work explores Black performance traditions through embodied storytelling, using theatre, ritual, and oral history to center voice, memory, and collective imagination.

DJ Ladybug is an emerging open-format DJ with a love for shimmering electropop and femme pop divas, serving up bold, eclectic mixes that kept the audience entertained before the show and during intermission.

Roseann Mandziuk honored by NCA

Roseann Mandziuk, professor emerita at Texas State University, was awarded the Samuel L. Becker Distinguished Service Award during the National Communication Association’s 111th Annual Convention in Denver, Colo. 

The Samuel L. Becker Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to both NCA and the profession. The award is presented to individuals judged to have made the greatest contribution to the association and to the profession during their career. Roseann has served the communication discipline as an NCA member for nearly 40 years, including notable terms as president of NCA (2022) and the Southern States Communication Association (2017). She has served on the editorial board of eight different communication journals and more than a dozen NCA committees and councils.

She has also represented the field internationally as both a two-time Fulbright scholar and selection committee member. In addition to her service in these roles, Roseann has mentored countless students and faculty, being a resource on pedagogical philosophy and practice. 

Faculty Accolades

Stephanie Dailey and Seth Frei published “The role of service-learning abroad in cultivating professional skills for the global workplace” in the Journal of Education for Business. The paper qualitatively explores how service-learning courses abroad cultivate professional skills for the global workplace and is based on data collected from students in their Business Communication Abroad program over the past several years. The analysis identified four skill domains developed through international service-learning: cross-cultural communication, intercultural competence, teamwork, and presentation skills. This publication was made possible by a research grant from the TXST Service-Learning Excellence program, as well as their partners abroad (Serve the City Portugal) and Educational Services Abroad who have helped create meaningful service-learning experiences for students. 

Elizabeth K. Eger (Director of Undergraduate Studies) and Amanda Guajardo (Admin III) hosted a Department of Communication Studies Advisors' Open House. 24 advisors from across the college and university joined for a Valentine's breakfast, networking, and learning about the B.A. in Communication Studies (including concentrations), the new B.S. in Applied Communication, and 6 interdisciplinary communication minors (including a new minor in Science Communication). Elizabeth also welcomed TXST M.A. alumni to her COMM 5319 (Organizational Communication) grad seminar to present to current students. Alumni discussed tips for choosing a research topic, how they conducted their textual analysis of organizational communication challenges when they were COMM 5319 students, and how they use organizational communication theories in their work-life today. Alumni panelists included Luke Dye, Luis Ortiz, Elizabeth Yanas Larkin, Leela Schooler, and E M Pollard. 

Nikkie Hodgson welcomed Communication Studies Alum Staci Ortiz as a guest speaker in her Career Readiness course and Leadership Communication course. Staci is an account manager for InsightGlobal, a global staffing and professional services firm. She shared her career story with students and how her Communication Studies degree assisted her in landing a new career with InsightGlobal. She provided information about employment opportunities, resume building, and LINKEDIN tips. Staci encouraged students who are graduating this year and seeking employment to reach out to her at staci.ortiz@InsightGlobal.com or her colleague Carsen Whitten, talent acquisition specialist at Carsen.Whitten@InightGlobal.com. For more information about TXST Communication Studies Career Readiness course COMM 3322, contact Dr. Nikkie Saldivar Hodgson.

Wallace Golding provided commentary for The University Star in the article, "Hays Primary Turnout Rises to Highest Level in Six Years Amid State Record," on March 10. He commented that he was encouraged by the number of first-time voters casting ballots in the primary, and the increased turnout was motivated by several factors, such as mid-decade redistricting, displeasure with national politics, and the ability of certain campaigns to motivate voters. 

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!