November & December 2015 College News

Faculty Accolades Steven Beebe published the third edition of Business and Professional Communication: Principles and Skills for Leadership with co-author Timothy P. Mottet . He contributed a book chapter entitled “Building an Effective and Supportive Peer Tutoring Team” to Communicating Advice: Peer Tutoring and Communication Practice , as well as “Forward,” a chapter in The Surprising Imagination of C. S. Lewis . Steve also delivered a presentation focused on listening skills in leadership to the Governor of Texas Executive Development Program in Dallas. Michael Burns hosted a “Speakeasy Speech Prep” workshop with ten graduate students for Retama and Tower Halls on campus. Fifty undergraduate students enrolled in COMM 1310 attended, and grades on their informative presentations were enhanced significantly. He was also a guest lecturer for the Student Issues in Higher Education (SAHE 4178) course and spoke about “Power and Influence for Student Leaders.” Michael was an invited guest speaker for the Omega Phi Alpha Service Sorority, focusing on how to create a more positive perception of the sorority’s leadership team using relational leadership skills. He also served as Guest Football Coach at the Homecoming football game on November 7, honoring him for his work with student athletes outside the classroom. Michael was the Guest Director for the University production of Evita for the support he provides many Musical Theatre students. Stephanie Dailey and her co-author recently had their article, “Communicating Health at Work: Organizational Wellness Programs as Identity Bridges” accepted for publication in the journal Health Communication . Graduate students in Stephanie’s Qualitative Inquiry in Communication class are collecting data to identify messages given by professors that positively impacted at-risk students decisions to remain at the University. Students will present their findings to the Vice President for Student Affairs, and Director of COMMUNICATION STUDIES Retention Management and Planning at the end of the semester. Sean Horan was recently named one of the Top 25 (e.g., 1%) most prolific and influential contributors to the Communication discipline based his record of peer-reviewed scholarship. He is only one of three scholars from the state of Texas on this prestigious list. Sean is currently working on a research team funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to understand the role of communication within the context of coping following disastrous flooding. Philip Salem published a book chapter entitled “New science” in the International Encyclopedia of Organizational Communication , his second entry in this prestigious series. In addition, Phil is directing a conference, “Organizational Communication Traditions, Transitions, and Transformations” that will take place in Austin, February 11-16, 2016. The Speech Communication Association and the International Communication Association will also participate. He anticipates the publication of a book of edited papers from the conference afterward. Student Accolades M.A. student Ben Clancy received the Graduate College Thesis Award Fellowship, which provides financial assistance to students completing graduate thesis work. His thesis discusses the relationship between the role of public intellectuals in the Prague Spring reforms in 1968 Czechoslovakia. The fellowship f inances f ield research that he will conduct in Prague this January. The LBJ Debate Society and Elton Abernathy Forensics Society competed in the Fall Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Championships (TIFA) – the collegiate speech and debate championships for Texas. The team took First Place Overall, Second Place Individual Events Sweepstakes, and First Place Debate Sweepstakes. This marks the 15th TIFA Championship out of the last 16 tournaments. In addition, Texas State came away with 31 individual awards. Alumni Accolades Abby Bland (M.A. 2013): Abby currently serves as Associate Enrollment Counselor Supervisor at Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kelly Clancy (B.A., 2002 & M.A. 2004): Kelly is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Nebraska Wesleyan University. This spring, she defended her dissertation entitled “Grains of Doubt: A Comparison of the Politically Contested Visual Landscapes of Genetically Modified Organisms in the United States and Europe,” and earned a Ph.D. from Rutgers University. Dana Dinsmore (M.A., 2015): Dana is a Ph.D. student at the University of Arizona. Pamela Farley (B.A., 2012): Pamela works in the “Guide By Your Side” program for Texas Hands & Voices, which offers support, information and resources in an unbiased manner to families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. She recently began work on a Master of Science degree in Deaf Education through Texas Woman’s University and expects to graduate next year. Pamela has traveled around the country giving workshops and presentations on deaf-related topics, Cochlear Implants, motivational speaking, and education. She is currently working on securing a grant for a new non-profit public service organization. Texas State Forensics and Debate teams. celebrating their huge win at the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association (TIFA) state championship Michael Burns, Marsha Burney, and John Fleming with Boko at the Homecoming game