‘Tis the season for thesis and dissertation defenses. Congratulations to these graduate students who have passed major project milestones:
Soo-keung Jung defended her M.A. thesis, “Audience Participation in the Production and Consumption of Gangnam Style,” advised byHongmei Li.
Maria Boyd, defended her dissertation prospectuson April 23. Her project, advised by Sharon Shahaf, is “Unscripted: The Invisible Labor of Reality TV Writers.”
James Triplett defended his M.A. creative thesis film, “The Welcoming,” under the direction of Ly Bolia.
Stephen Heidt defended his dissertation on March 24, “The Mobile Savage: Presidential Peace Rhetoric and the Perpetuation of Enemies.” Heidt was advised by Mary Stuckey.
Minla Shields defended her M.A. thesis, “Ethics in Photojournalism: Authenticity and Sensitivity in Coverage of Tragic Events,” advised by Carrie Freeman.
Scott Howard defended his M.A. creative thesis film, “Milk and Cookies,” under the direction of Ly Bolia.
Several students in the doctoral program successfully defended their comprehensive examinations (with oral examinations still underway in other cases). These include, so far,Phil Kostka, William Lorick, Christian Norman, andEmily Kofoed.
These M.A. students have successfully completed a non-thesis program of study and will graduate this May: Jenna Farmer, Denise Kennedy, andKristen Everett.
Congratulations to Laurel Ahnert, who will receive the 2014-2015 Woodruff Fellowship.
Ed Rideout, who worked as visiting lecturer for the department, has just been named a Lecturer in Communication at Georgia Regents University.
Jessica Link, who completed her B.A. in broadcast journalism at GSU, is now doing freelance travel writing and social media managing project work.
Farooq Kperogi, a doctoral graduate of the program, formerly a journalist in Nigeria, and now on the faculty at Kennesaw State University, has been called back to the University of Louisiana – Lafayette, having been named their 2014 Outstanding Alumnus. Congratulations!