Summary of Student Research Fall 2017 – Spring 2018
Students in the Department of Communication and Sociology gave 20 presentations in the 2017/18 academic year. They presented their research at the ACU Undergraduate Research Festival and three different nationally-recognized conventions, traveling from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. to Canada. The following list demonstrates the breadth of research in which our students engaged.
Eastern Communication Association Conference
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, April 2018
Conference Theme: Building Bridges
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Three undergraduate students presented a total of five papers at this conference. One of these students’ papers was selected for the top paper panel. Undergraduate students who presented at this conference included:
- Emily Counts (Senior), “How Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” Became a Black Lives Matter Anthem”
- Jacqueline DeMuynck (Senior), “Analyzing the Catholic Church’s 2002 Crisis Response Strategies”
- Jacqueline DeMuynck (Senior), “The Feed that Feeds: A Rhetorical Analysis of @NourishAndEat’s Body Positive Instagram Campaign and Its Effect of Self-Image” — Selected for the Top Paper Panel at the Undergraduate Scholars Conference
- Rachel Runnels (’17), “But I Believe Females Can Save The World: A Rhetorical Analysis of Female Empowerment in Avatar: The Last Airbender”
- Rachel Runnels (’17), “Navigating Turbulence: An Analysis of the JetBlue Ice Storm Crisis Response”
Four graduate students gave four presentations and one chaired a panel at this conference:
- Madeline Fortner, “Innovating the Public Speaking Course: Delivering High-Quality Courses that are Flexible, Affordable & Efficient”
- Kim Martinez, “The Chick-fil-A Same-Sex Marriage Crisis and Image Repair Theory”
- Kim Martinez, “Speak in the Box” — Delivery Activity
- Taylor Powers, “Too Little, Too Late: Analysis of Susan G. Komen’s Crisis Response”
ACU Undergraduate Research Festival
Abilene, Texas, March 2018
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Seven undergraduate students presented six papers and one poster at the research festival. One student won a top paper award and another won a top poster award. Students who participated included:
- Emily Counts (Senior), “How Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” Became a Black Lives Matter Anthem.”
- Jacqueline DeMuynck (Senior), “The Feed that Feeds: A Rhetorical Analysis of @NourishAndEat’s Body Positive Instagram Campaign and Its Effect on Self-Image” — Winner of a Top Paper Presentation in Arts & Humanities Award
- Jacqueline DeMuynck (Senior), “Analyzing the Catholic Church’s 2002 Crisis Response Strategies.”
- Abbey Green, (Senior), “Factors associated with emergency shelter stay for the homeless.” — Winner of a Top Poster Presentation in Social Sciences Award
- Kayler Hatfield (Sophomore), “The Mythology of Black Criminality: A Rhetorical Analysis of Ava DuVernay’s Documentary ’13th’.”
- Kayler Hatfield (Sophomore), Vanessa Vela (Senior), and Tryce Prince (Senior), “The Gender Roles in Christian Colleges.”
- Summer Thompson (Junior), “Lead Laced Water: An Analysis of Governor Snyder’s Image Restoration Strategy in the Flint Water Crisis.”
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Conference
Washington, D.C., October 2017
Conference Theme: Going Public: The Social Impact of Scientific Research on Religion
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One student collaborated with a professor in our department on the following presentation:
- Suzie Macaluso (Professor) & Bryn Stonehouse (Senior), “Generational Perceptions on Church Health.”
Association for the Sociology of Religion Conference
Montreal, QC, Canada, August 2017
Conference Theme: Religion and Division: Causes, Consequences, and Counters
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Two students in our department collaborated with their professor to present the following paper:
- Suzie Macaluso (Professor), Bryn Stonehouse (Senior), & Abbey Green (Senior), “Christian Colleges as Vicarious Religion: What is the Appeal of Christian Higher Education for Students?”
Graduate Student Theses
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Two graduate students in the Communication Division of our department wrote rhetorical theses this year.
- Taylor Katz, “Reconstructing the Death Star: Myth and Memory in the Star Wars Franchise” — Carley Dodd Graduate Researcher of the Year Award
- Kim Martinez, “Think Outside the Music Video: A Fantasy Theme Analysis of Music Videos that Break Genre Conventions”