Communication Studies News
April 15, 2005
Update: Dr. Linda Dickmeyer recaps Steve Duck's visit, which can be viewed by clicking here.
Nationally-known scholar to visit UW-L
The following message comes to us from Dr. Linda Dickmeyer. Please be in touch with Linda if you have questions as developments unfold.
I have some darn exciting news to share: In my CST
430 class (Advanced Interpersonal), groups of
students have selected a prominent interpersonal
scholar and are highlighting his/her work. Jeni
Hatz, a student in the class, attended the Central
States Communication Association convention and had
the opportunity to meet and interview her scholar.
For those of you who know of him, you’d likely agree
that STEVE DUCK (Iowa) is a very influential,
prominent interpersonal scholar and Jeni was
thrilled to speak with him.
Well, through a series of circumstances, STEVE DUCK
has decided to take a road trip to La Crosse and
attend this group’s presentation on May 2! WOWZER!!
He has offered to “fill his schedule” as we see
appropriate. So this is a heads up that you will
likely hear more/have an opportunity to visit with
nationally-known Comm Studies scholar Steve Duck on
May 2.
A final schedule has been compiled for Monday, May 2 and students are encouraged to take this opportunity to meet with the distinguished Comm Studies scholar, Dr. Steve Duck
CST Students & faculty at CSCA
Several faculty and students from the Communication
Studies Department recently returned from the Central
States Communication Association annual convention. UW-L
was well represented at this conference.
First and foremost, Dr. Linda Dickmeyer was placed on the
ballot for Vice President of CSCA. If elected, Linda will
make a four year commitment as a leader of the
organization. She would be responsible for planning the
2008 convention (in Madison) and preside over the 2009
convention in St. Louis. Linda was active in this year's
conference, presenting scholarship on several panels and
attending meetings pertaining to the role of officers in
the organization.
Ten CST students (or recent grads) attended the
convention. Three alumni who attended the convention
presented their senior project research. All three were
accepted through a competitive process--Wenona Wolf was
awarded the TOP student paper for the conference, Sara
Weisenbeck presented on the Top Four competitive papers
panel and Erin Bong presented her paper with a group of
like-interest research projects that were competitively
selected. Christina Nelson presented a poster describing
the work of our honorary society, Lambda Pi Etta. Jess
Karis, Melissa Peick, Andy Pendl and Steve Phalen
presented papers that they produced in CST 452
Contemporary Approaches to Organizational
Communication--this panel was grounded with a paper by Dr.
Scott Dickmeyer that described the theoretical and
scholarly grounding of the class project. Each student
presented the results of their group's study of PR
messages found on the Websites of companies on Fortune
magazines list of the "100 Best Companies to Work For in
America." Additionally, two students (Brian Grewe and
Jennifer Hatz) who are interested in attending graduate
school in Communication Studies when they graduate (2006)
came to the conference to meet scholars and gain a
stronger understanding of our research. All of our
students were wonderful ambassadors for our university.
In fact, several convention participants (including some
top scholars in Interpersonal Communication) expressed how
impressed they were with how bright and inquisitive our
students were!
Dr. Scott Dickmeyer presented in one of four spotlight
panels for the convention--translating the work-life
research of a top scholar for use in organizational
training and consulting. Scott was also the respondent
for the top four papers in Organizational and Professional
Communication Division and was elected Vice President of
that division. He also met with the Executive Director of
the National Communication Association and an editor from
Sage Publications to discuss publication outlets for
project that grounds organizational training in strong
communication scholarship.
Dr. Rick Rodrick was a respondent for competitive papers
in Communication Theory Division and was nominated for the
position of Vice President of the Division.
Dr. Ronda Knox presented a paper on student's perceptions
of the study abroad experience. Mary Anna Kidd was
invited to present on a roundtable discussion of the
challenges facing researchers who employ content analysis
techniques in the study of media effects.
As you can see the CST has been active!
CST Search and screen generates big pool
The members of the department search and screen committee
are continuing their work to fill the new faculty position
granted to our department in anticipation of higher
university-wide enrollment in fall, 2005. The committee is
pleased to report that our recruitment effort was quite
successful - we have a pool of more than 60 applicants for
the position. Watch the bulletin board outside the CST
office for updates about the search and information on the
committee meetings (which are open to the public).