Current Issue Fall 2023

By Ken Thomas
Instructor and Senior Broadcast Engineer

UNF Multimedia Club students celebrate at the Florida News Awards in Orlando.

Two School of Communication alumni garnered national recognition for work they completed before graduation. Multimedia journalism graduates Felicity Ten Brink and Lauren Fox grabbed top honors in two distinguished national awards. 

Meanwhile alumnae Lauren Fox was selected as a Top 20 winner in Explanatory Reporting by the William Randolph Hearst Journalism Awards for her work with Spinnaker Media. She was chosen as a national finalist for her explanatory reporting on Abortion in America.

Lauren Fox won for her work with Spinnaker Media.

Both graduates were also honored in regional and state competitions. The Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists selected Ten Brink as the winner in the Producer category for her work on Episode 7 of Inside Swoop Scoop. She was also a finalist for News Anchor. For her the recognition continued well after graduation in December of 2022 as she was also named a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists Sunshine State Awards. Fox was managing editor of Spinnaker Media and was placed second at the SPJ Green Eyeshades awards in the Best Feature Writer category for her article on “Banned Books Week.”

In addition, several graduates and current students were recognized by regional and state organizations. Members of the UNF Multimedia Club participated in the Florida News Awards gala in Orlando where alum Austin Maida, who is a television reporter at WJHG in Panama City Beach, picked up a finalist trophy in the Sportscaster category. Senior Grace Dvorovy also was a finalist in the Weathercaster category. 

Senior and editor at Spinnaker Media Carter Mudgett placed second at the SPJ Sunshine State Awards for Best Coverage of LGBT Issues. Ethan Leckie, a junior in the multimedia journalism major concentration, placed second in the Best Columnist category for the Green Eyeshades Awards. The SPJ Sunshine State Award committee chose UNF alum Megan Agugliaro, who is a content editor for WPTV in West Palm Beach, for her coverage of the January 6th hearings for Inside Swoop in 90. Finally, the entire staff of Inside Swoop grabbed another finalist award as the Best Broadcast Outlet in Florida for the second consecutive year.

By Frank Goodin
Associate Instructor, Digital Video Production

Krisita Burket (right) aims to inspire students to pursue meaningful and life-changing work in the field of communication, just as Jennifer Bittner (left) did.

Krisita Burket, vice president of public relations and communications at Hanger, Inc., has found a remarkable way to honor the legacy of a dear friend and colleague by creating the Jennifer Bittner Memorial Communication Scholarship for UNF School of Communication students.

Krisita first met Jennifer Bittner at Hanger, where they became an effective “two-person public relations department,” she said. A deep and meaningful friendship blossomed between the two colleagues through their work together. Jennifer's passion for public relations and communications fueled her career at Hanger, where she crafted award-winning strategies that elevated the company's brand on a national and global scale. Tragically, Jennifer was diagnosed with advanced, metastatic breast cancer at the age of 36. Despite the grim prognosis of only months to live, Jennifer's determination to live fully and fight her illness became a profound inspiration for all who knew her.

After her diagnosis, she continued advocating for metastatic breast cancer research and funding. She was invited to the White House to participate in the Precision Medicine Initiative alongside renowned scientists and physicians. As part of her advocacy, Jennifer encouraged donations to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF.org) and METAVIVOR (metavivor.org), two organizations that support research for curing metastatic breast cancer. Jennifer passed away at the age of 42, far exceeding the life expectancy for this type of disease.

Krisita is connected to UNF as a former UNF student and teacher in the School of Communication. She offers this advice to our students and alumni: "Look for opportunities to help give a voice to the voiceless, and advocate for meaningful change. Know that there will be good days, and bad days, but as long as you’re pursuing a career that you’re passionate about, it will all be worth it at the end of the day. Be sure to smile and have fun along the way, while being kind to others. Jennifer took to heart Yogi Bhajan’s quote: 'Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light,' which is sound advice in all stages of life."

By Frank Goodin
Associate Instructor, Digital Video Production

Paola Lorenzo contributes her expertise during football season as part of the Jacksonville Jaguars' public relations game day staff.

Paola Lorenzo, a 2018 public relations graduate, has a clear vision as the newly appointed leader of the School of Communication Alumni Association: create engaging and fun events that encourage alumni to reconnect and give back to their alma mater. By providing opportunities for networking, mentorship, and connection, she aims to build a strong sense of community among graduates that extend to current students as well.

Paola currently serves as the communications manager at Newfold Digital, a global tech company empowering small-business owners with an accessible digital presence. Additionally, she helps the Jacksonville Jaguars with post-game press conferences and other media-related responsibilities.

Her journey with UNF began when she fell in love with the campus during a tour. While a student, she was a member of UNF Swoop Squad and was a tour guide and orientation leader. She also served as an event planner for Osprey Productions, a chairwoman in student government, and a founding member and vice president in her sorority.

To help build the alumni association, she encourages SoC alumni to bring friends or family to alumni events if they would like, regardless of their educational background. She understands that some individuals may feel hesitant to attend networking events alone, which is why she strives to make each gathering as welcoming and enjoyable as possible. "The number one challenge I've found is that people don't want to come by themselves, and I get it, so just bring anybody you want!  It's not limited to just our students or graduates," she said.

Paola is eager to hear from fellow alumni and encourages everyone to reach out with ideas, preferences, or concerns. Whether you have just graduated or left the university years ago, she believes every alumnus has a unique perspective to offer. "I really want to hear your thoughts about what you're looking for with these events so they can be the most beneficial to you. Anyone can reach out to me if you have ideas, questions, concerns, anything!" Paola can be contacted at paolanaara@gmail.com, Facebook.com/paolanaara, or at Instagram.com/paolanaara. 

To learn more about Paola, please watch this interview.

This is part of an ongoing series exploring what School of Communication alumni are up to and what advice they have for current students. These short videos are the brainchild of Dr. Nataliya Roman and her MMC 3342-Content Creation Tools students.

Vanessa Fleury, a 2009 public relations alum, serves as a development and communications manager at Genspace in New York. Genspace is a community biolab where young people and adults can work on projects and take classes about genome editing, biohacking, synthetic biology, and other topics. Malina Hanson interviewed Vanessa via Zoom. Vanessa Fleury video link: https://www.facebook.com/unfcomm/videos/901833907901812/.

 Max Hochman, a senior producer and editor for the Jacksonville Jaguars and a 2015 multimedia journalism and production alum, talks about how the skills he learned in UNF classes and during his extracurricular activities with UNF’s Spinnaker and ESPN3 club helped him to land a job with the Jaguars after college. Austin Maida spoke with Max. Max Hochman video link: https://www.facebook.com/unfcomm/videos/716861330152228/

Cullen Peele, a 2017 public relations alum, works as a press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C. Cullen talks about his job and how UNF set him up for career success. Allison Bradish interviewed Cullen via Zoom. Cullen Peele video link: https://www.facebook.com/unfcomm/videos/1123311591776965/

Marcel Robinson, a 2012 alum, say “the ability to multitask is by far the most valuable skill you can have in television.” Marcel works as a sports reporter at Jacksonville TV station Action News Jax. Anthony Salazar interviewed Marcel about his job at Action News Jax. Marcel Robinson video link: https://www.facebook.com/unfcomm/videos/889833028986805/

Tiffany Salameh, 2018 multimedia journalism alum, is the main anchor at ABC 57 News in Southbend, Indiana. Prior to her job at ABC 57, Tiffany worked at UNF Spinnaker and interned at various news stations in Jacksonville. Kara Scarbrough interviewed Tiffany via Zoom. Tiffany Salameh video link: https://www.facebook.com/unfcomm/videos/714959886695839/

Alex Torres-Perez, class of 2018, majored in multimedia journalism and minored in Spanish. She currently works in Huntsville, Alabama, as a multimedia journalist, producer and anchor for WAAY31. Kaitlynn Sorondo interviewed Alex via Zoom, and B-roll is courtesy of Alex. Alex Torres-Perez video link: https://www.facebook.com/unfcomm/videos/1115415096521397/

By Rachel E. Riggs
Associate Professor, Public Relations

Tricia Booker, an instructor of multimedia journalism, is no stranger to UNF and the Jacksonville area. She has taught a variety of courses at UNF since 1996, and she is a well-known writer from the Northeast Florida region. 

Booker earned her master’s degree in journalism from Boston University, and she went to the University of Notre Dame for her undergraduate degree. Upon her graduation from college, Booker backpacked across Europe, worked as a swamp tour guide, and then worked on a cruise ship. She began her long career in journalism in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

“I love natural Florida, so part of what I love about both Northeast Florida and UNF is the surrounding environment,” Booker said. “I’ve spent hours hiking in the forests and on UNF trails.”

Booker writes a column/blog—which she calls a “blogumn”—on Substack where she writes about raising teenagers and dogs. Booker has also written a memoir titled The Place of Peace and Crickets about her experiences raising three adopted children.

“I will never get tired of inspiring curiosity in young adults and making them care about the world around them,” she said. “Many come into college without a clear idea of why they should know about current events, or about how to develop compassion for people whose lives are different from theirs. Teaching them how disparate parts of society are connected is like watching a flower garden bloom.”

Dr. Sydney Brammer, an assistant professor of mass communication, is a seasoned educator and passionate researcher. She teaches general mass communication courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition, she will continue her research about interpersonal relationships, social media and body image.

Brammer is a two-time alumna of Texas Tech University, in Lubbock, Texas. Brammer completed her undergraduate degree at Texas Tech, and she came back to graduate with her doctorate in media and communication from Texas Tech University in May 2023. Brammer also has a master of arts in strategic communication from American University in Washington, D.C.

“My favorite part of teaching is seeing my students get excited about media and communication,” Brammer said. “When they realize that all of the critical thinking they have been asked to do in the classroom meshes with their new practical skills and salient personal experiences, they start to believe in their ability to act as communication professionals in a wide variety of situations.”

Brammer’s research explores how body-related media messages influence individuals’ self-esteem and eating behaviors.

“I typically use a feminist lens to explore the structural and sociocultural systems that pressure girls and young women to look a certain way at any expense (e.g., plastic surgery, disordered eating) and media’s role in prevention and intervention in low body satisfaction,” she said. “At the end of the day, I prioritize research that explores and appreciates the richness of people’s real-life stories and how they can help us make sense of solutions to real-life communication problems.”

When she isn’t working on class prep or research, Brammer enjoys reading, traveling and listening to music. She said she listened to her two favorite musicians, Dan Fogelberg and Linda Ronstadt, while driving from Texas to Florida this summer.

Dr. Roy Christopher joins the School of Communication as an instructor of communication studies. Christopher is an avid skateboarder and BMX biker, and he was front on the scene for emerging genres of hip-hop, punk and metal music.

Christopher earned his doctorate in communication studies from the University of Texas at Austin. He researches figurative language use and allusions used in hip-hop lyrics, and he also researches technology and media theory.

“I write about the music I love and the technology that defines its creation, distribution, and consumption – a sort of punk-rock media theory,” Christopher said.

Christopher has lived in many different parts of the United States, including Jacksonville when he was a toddler.

“My dad is an air traffic controller, which meant moving every two years: Athens, Alabama; Gulport, Mississippi; Memphis, Tennessee; Savannah, Georgia; Chancellor, Alabama; and even Jacksonville when I was two,” he said. “Since moving out on my own, I’ve moved even more: Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, San Diego, Austin, Chicago, and Savannah.”

Christopher is teaching courses about mediated communication and cyberculture, and his favorite part about teaching is bouncing ideas around with students.

Christopher has published multiple books, including Boogie Down Predictions: Hip-hop, Time, and Afrotourism, Escape Philosophy: Journeys Beyond the Human Body, and Dead Precedents: How Hip-hop Defines the Future.

Dr. Christa Arnold and Dr. Margaret Stewart presented “Truthful & Untruthful Social Media Posts: Applying Statement Analysis to Detect Online Deception” to the International Conference on Psychology, Law, and Criminal Responsibility. They also published “Consequences of Social Listening Via Mediated Communication Technologies (MCTs)” in the International Journal of Social Media and Online Communities.

Dr. Berrin Beasley updated her book Research Methods in Communication. She also contributed a book chapter, titled “Origins of Communication,” in The Media in America: A History.

Dr. Chunsik Lee and Dr. Junga Kim published “How Does Fact-Check Labeling Impact the Evaluations of Inadvertently Placed Brand Ads?” in The Social Science Journal. They also presented “Perceived Health Risks of Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Air Pollution and South Koreans’ Risk Information Seeking and Processing” to the International Communication Association conference. In addition, they won a $6,000 grant from the Arthur W. Page Center of the Pennsylvania State University for “The Impact of Corporate Data Responsibility on User Trust in Algorithmic Recommendation Systems: A Mixed-Methods Approach.”

Dr. Carolynn McMahan presented “The Long-Term Implications of a Pandemic on Strategic Brand Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)” to the International Academy of Business Disciplines conference.

Dr. Siho Nam published “Scratching the Surface: How the Meta Journalism Project Helps Legitimize Platform Capitalism and Undermine Critical Media Literacy” in Transformative Practice in Critical Media Literacy: Radical Democracy and Decolonized Pedagogy in Higher Education. He also presented “Billed by Bill Gates: The Public Cost of Private Philanthropic Interventions into Global Problems” to the International Communication Association convention.  

Dr. Jae Park published “Emergence of Logo-Less Branding: Application to the Context of Sports” in Sport Marketing and Sponsorship: Global Perspectives and Emerging Trends. He also presented “The Impact of Digital Partisan News Algorithms in the 2022 Midterm Election” and “Factors Affecting the Effect of Metaverse Corporate Promotion Zone” to the World Media Economics and Management Conference. He also presented “Metaverse History and Trends” to the Korea Entertainment Association conference.

Dr. Rachel Riggs published “Graduate Students’ Perspectives on the Role of Faculty Advisors in Helping Students with Mental Health Problems” in Journal of American College Health. She also presented “Engaging Public Relations Students in a Post-COVID Environment: How to Increase Participation in Professional Student Organizations and Rebuild Student Leadership” to the Southern States Communication Association conference, and “Examining the Diffusion of Innovations from a Dynamic, Differential-Effects Perspective: A Longitudinal Study on AI Adoption Among Employees” to the International Communication Association convention.

Dr. Margaret Stewart published “An Interdisciplinary Perspective of Incorporating Social Media into Teaching Practice” in Research Anthology on Applying Social Networking Strategies to Classrooms and Libraries. She also presented “Mediated Communication Technologies (MCTs) for Innovation of the Educational Experience for Military-Affiliated Learners (MALs)” to the Council of College & Military Educators Professional Development Symposium.

There are eight great ways to stay connected with the School of Communication:

1. Join the School's Professional Advisory Board. The board helps us make sure we are getting students prepared for the current media environment. If you have risen to a position of leadership at a news organization, PR firm, advertising agency or other media outlet, please contact the school's director, John Parmelee. Even if you don't want to be on the board, feel free to email the director with any advice on making the curriculum better.
2. Join the School's Alumni Association. This is a great chance to interact with fellow communication alumni and current students. To join, please contact John Parmelee, mention your interest in joining, and please include your name, contact information, year of graduation and track. Also, all communication alumni are invited to be a part of the conversation on Facebook. This is the "go to" spot for UNF communication alumni. The Facebook group includes information about alumni social events, recently posted communication jobs, tech tips, departmental news, and pictures/video from school events such as Media Week. In addition, communication faculty members have joined the group, so you can connect with your old professors. Here's how to join the alumni Facebook group: Search for UNF communication alumni and ask to join.
3. Let faculty know how you're doing. Below is a link that lists faculty and their email addresses. Faculty love to hear what their former students are up to and are always happy to offer advice.
4. Participate in the Internship + Job Fair. Every spring, representatives from companies such as WJXT, The Florida Times-Union, United Way and Mayo Clinic meet with communication students to discuss upcoming internships and jobs. If you are a leader at a company that is looking for interns to do advertising, public relations, journalism or production, please contact professor Bobbi Doggett to participate.
5. Be a guest speaker or mentor to our students. Your expertise in advertising, public relations, journalism or production could be a real benefit to current students. We are always looking for guest speakers to come to communication classes. A good time to do this is during the fall semester when the school hosts Media Week, an opportunity for media professionals to speak with students and faculty about the media landscape. Contact John Parmelee for more information. If you want to mentor our students, please fill out a profile on our mentoring website.
6. Contribute to Alumni Notes. This is your chance to let faculty and fellow alumni know of any big career or personal changes in your life. Also, consider contributing a 300- to 500-word piece on which professors made the biggest impact on your career. Submissions will be published in the alumni newsletter. Contact John Parmelee to submit.
7. Donate to the School. Even a small gift can help us enhance our facilities, academics and recruiting of top-quality students and faculty. To contribute, please go to our website.
8. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.