Ohio University School of Communication Studies

05/16/2026

To wrap up our spring coverage, we have an exciting announcement! After almost six years (three under the official title), Dr. Sarah E. Jones has concluded her service as COMS Social Media Coordinator and is handing over the reins to the one and only, Dr. Jerry Miller 🌟 Make sure you stick around to continue witnessing all the amazing things COMS is up to! And a special thanks to our many student workers on the social media team, both past and present, who make this coverage possible 🙏

Have an awesome summer, Bobcats. We can’t wait to see you again in the fall!
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/15/2026

Many thanks to those who joined us to celebrate COMS Director, Dr. Ann Frymier, at Athens Country Club last week. Dr. Frymier is retiring at the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2026). We’re grateful for her leadership and service to COMS and look forward to hearing good things from the next chapter of her life! Join us in the comments to share your gratitude or tell a memorable story you have with Dr. Frymier ✨
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/15/2026

Graduate commencement to start the month was a dream ✨ Congratulations to our newly minted PhDs in the School of Communication Studies!

- Dr. Roshni Ashiq [advised by Dr. Angela Hosek]
- Dr. Kujang Laki [advised by Dr. Benjamin Bates]
- Dr. Dious Joseph [advised by Dr. Angela Hosek]
- Dr. Brandon Mock [not pictured; advised by Dr. Benjamin Bates]
- Dr. Michael Rodrigue-Barnes [advised by Dr. Sarah E. Jones]
- Dr. Kaitlyn Searls [advised by Dr. Benjamin Bates]
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/15/2026

BTS at last month's COMS Awards Ceremony 🎬
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/14/2026

Next up, a dynamite duo: Drs. Lynn Harter and Brittany Peterson! They recently co-edited a Field Report Forum on “Brave Space-Making" in Volume 54, Issue 2 of the Journal of Applied Communication Research (JACR), which features the work of several COMS alumni and current doctoral students.

- Harter, Peterson, Kaminski, Ellingson & Yamasaki: "Brave Space-Making as Engaged Communication Scholarship: Witnessing, Disrupting, and Co-Creating Anew Through Storytelling” (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2026.2637760)
- Peterson, Wilson & Annan: "Brave Space-Making as Witnessing” (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2026.2637770)
- Kaminski, Saeed & Yamasaki: “Brave Space-Making as Disrupting” (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2026.2637764)
- Walker, Adzimah & Pangborn: "Brave Space-Making as Co-Creating Anew” (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2026.2637771)
- Harter & Quinlan: "Scenes, Sparks, and Stories of Brave Space-Making in Motion” (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2026.2637761)

The Field Report Forum was established by JACR Editor, Dr. Heather Zoller to “foreground applied communication projects, interventions, and case-based inquiries," and “privilege praxis in ways that are distinct from the theory-building that anchors the journal’s applied research articles.” Dr. Zoller's introduction to this edition of the forum can be found here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2026.2637767.
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/14/2026

Now for a Throwback Thursday™️ with COMS doctoral student, Rhoda Osei, who won the Top Graduate Poster Award at the 117th annual Eastern Communication Association (ECA) Convention in Pittsburgh last month 🎉 Her research poster chronicled her work on, “The Relationship Between the Communication of Social Support, Loneliness, and Adult Attachment Styles Among International Students.” So well deserved!

See original post from GradCo here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXVYBYhFeKz/?img_index=1 🏆
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/13/2026

And rounding out our Wednesday: Dr. Jonathan Baker 🌟

Earlier this semester, Dr. Baker was invited to deliver guest lectures in two separate graduate seminars taught by prestigious scholars at the University of South Florida. In Dr. Steven R. Wilson’s seminar, “Difficult Conversations,” Dr. Baker spoke about the process of publishing research in graduate school, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and teamwork, as well as the realities of publishing as an iterative and often lengthy process. In Dr. Ambar Basu’s seminar, “Health Communication and Culture,” Dr. Baker delivered a talk titled, “Reclaiming Risk and Liberatory Communication Practices,” which synthesized his own research alongside cross-disciplinary work on risk communication to explore how health communicators—including health communication scholars, public health professionals, clinicians, and hospital staff—can more effectively communicate about risk in the context of health and wellbeing.

We continue to be so impressed with Dr. Baker’s commitments to mentorship, collaboration, and creating meaningful contributions in the field 💚
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/13/2026

Next up: The one and only, Dr. Devika Chawla – the 2026 Distinguished Honors Tutorial College (HTC) Thesis Mentor! Dr. Chawla advised COMS senior, Thien Pham, in the development of her HTC thesis titled, “In Between Worlds: Navigating Identity Negotiations and Challenges in Youth Cultural Preservation.” The award was presented by HTC Associate Dean, Dr. Beth Novak, during the annual Senior Celebration earlier this month. Congratulations, Dr. Chawla!
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/13/2026

Next up in our retrospective of achievements, give it up for COMS doctoral student, Athar Memon, who has been BUSY this academic year! In addition to four co-authored publications in both academic journals and public scholarship outlets (see comments for direct link), Athar was recently awarded two prestigious scholarships from the Eastern Communication Association (ECA), both worth $500. The Centennial Scholarship acknowledges strong academic achievement, commitment to discipline, and the ability to conduct meaningful, original research, while also reflecting confidence in my continued contributions to the field. The Chesebro award honors a commitment to research, diversity, and the promotion of inclusive perspectives within the field of communication, reflecting the impact and promise of my contributions to socially relevant scholarship.

Over the next year, Athar will also be serving in two leadership roles. As a Country Ambassador for ECREA’s Health Communication Section, Athar helps strengthen connections between the section’s management team and national health communication communities by raising awareness of the section, serving as a point of contact, and representing local needs and interests. As a Health Equity Practice Mentor for United Against Inequity in Diseases, Athar will support students completing the health equity training course by mentoring them in manuscript development and conference presentations, participate in the UAID Mid-Year Symposium and Annual Conference, and serve as a judge for UAID-sponsored events.

Well done, Athar!
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Ohio University Scripps College of Communication

05/12/2026

For our summer Bobcats on the Athens campus, there’s still room in COMS 3600, “Cultural Studies & Beer,” with Dr. Ben Bates! 🍺 The course will take place during the second summer session (July 8-22). See full course description in original announcement below 💭

Believe it or not, registration for Summer 2026 begins in about one month! Consider adding COMS 3660, “Cultural Studies & Beer,” with the one and only, Dr. Ben Bates 🍺 The course will take place during the second summer session (July 8-22). See full course description below 💭

“This course is designed to provide a cultural studies approach to beer, a common commodity in the United States and abroad. Specifically, this course examines how communication influences and is influenced by the production, consumption, representation, and distribution of beer, and how communication intersects with issues of identity in beer choices in the processes. Students study multiple theoretical, conceptual, and methodological approaches to understanding this intersection of communication and an important artifact of public culture. The course requires students to think critically about their own and others' interaction with beer.”