The MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS) was one of the first institutions of its kind to formally develop a major communication research emphasis and continues to be recognized internationally for the outstanding research.
This past November alone, more than 70 faculty and graduate students were selected to present at the National Communication Association 99th Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. That's an impressive number and reflects how the college invests in both its faculty and graduate students.
CAS places a high priority on making sure graduate students have the opportunity to be mentored by and work with some of the most preeminent communication researchers in the world. CAS offers opportunities for early research experience and helps graduate students build a strong network with peers and accomplished scholars so they will be well positioned for success after graduation.
CAS in February announced the recipients of its newest research fellowships, generously supported by a $500K endowment fund created by the Charles J. Strosacker Foundation Research Fund for Health and Risk Communication. This fund provides resources for graduate students to engage in hands-on research, apply theoretical constructs to real-world health practices, and share results and impacts from their projects with their community partners. Priority is placed on projects to be implemented in Michigan, and in mid-Michigan specifically. The Strosacker Foundation endowment will support five $5,000 fellowships awarded annually.
The first Strosacker fellowship recipients are:
Tom Day, a second-year Media and Information Studies master's student with a concentration in human computer interaction in the Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media department. Day also has a dual bachelor's degree in telecommunications and psychology from MSU.
Guanxiong Huangand Kang Li are Media and Information Studies Ph.D. students in the Advertising + Public Relations department working on a joint research project. Huang is a fourth-year doctoral student with a master's degree in communication and a bachelor's degree in journalism. Li is a third-year doctoral student with a master's degree in digital art.
Ali Hussain, a first-year Media and Information Studies doctoral student in the School of Journalism, also has a master's degree in Health and Risk Communication from CAS.
Sarah Sheff, a first-year master's degree student in Health and Risk Communication, completed her B.A. in Communication last year in the Department of Communication.
Daniel Totzkay, a first-year master's student in Health and Risk Communication, completed his B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science with a minor in Women's and Gender Studies.
Kami Silk, associate dean of Graduate Studies and director of Master’s for Health and Risk Communication in the Department of Communication, said, “We are very grateful to the Strosacker Foundation for recognizing the important role communication research plays in better understanding and improving human health and the environment, and the need to cultivate an up-and-coming corps of researchers committed to meeting the growing need for health and risk communication research.”