Michigan State University College of Communication Arts & Sciences

08/24/2026

Consumers know AI influencers aren't real. But that doesn't mean they can't feel connected to them.

New research from Advertising and Public Relations faculty members Juan Mundel and Pat Huddleston and doctoral student Zheran Liu explores how social connection and trust shape the way consumers respond to AI influencers, including their purchasing decisions.

For brands, that creates both new opportunities and new questions about trust and transparency.

Explore the research: http://spr.ly/6182B1S9oO

Advertising + Public Relations at Michigan State University

08/20/2026

What can a board game teach us about broadband access?

ComArtSci faculty members Jean Hardy and Cory Heald are helping rural communities navigate broadband challenges through Connected Community, a board game designed to help community leaders explore digital access and equity.

Learn how the game is helping communities think through real-world broadband challenges: http://spr.ly/6188B1zWGp

Media and Information at Michigan State University

Rather than launch a strategic planning session or organize a workshop or seminar, MSU Assistant Professor Jean Hardy chose an unconventional approach to help local leaders bridge the digital divide: a board game called Connected Community.

08/13/2026

As conversations around data centers increase in communities across Michigan, ComArtSci faculty member Jean Hardy is helping navigate those conversations.

Much of that work is taking shape through the Quello Center, Michigan State University's Emerging Digital Infrastructures initiative, which develops research, educational resources, and practical tools to help communities prepare for emerging forms of digital infrastructure.

On easing community concerns, Hardy said, “A lot of them don't actually need to worry about data center development. It's about talking them through these things, how they happen, what's required and offering a frank evaluation of their community.”

Learn more about how Hardy is helping local communities prepare for the future of digital infrastructure: http://spr.ly/6187B1zS11

08/11/2026

For over a decade, School of Journalism at Michigan State University alumna Alysia Sofios has covered the country's most talked-about criminal cases with one guiding principle: empathy first.

Now, that approach has shaped "Crime Unfiltered," a new series giving people like John Ramsey and Gabby Petito's mother the chance to share their stories in their own words.

Go inside her approach to empathy-driven storytelling and how it shaped this new series: http://spr.ly/6186B1Ky34

08/10/2026

This summer, 36 ComArtSci students participated in the Advertising and Public Relations Mediterranean education abroad experience.

The program included coursework taught in part by Fabrizio Caperna, a creative brand director at T&P Italia, along with a week attending the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Students also completed hands-on field projects, comparing how brands present themselves across the U.S., Italy, and France, and developed original advertising and PR campaigns for lesser-known parts of Rome.

In addition to their academic work, students took part in cultural experiences such as a pasta and tiramisu cooking class, walking tours of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Vatican Museums with a historian specializing in Ancient Rome, and daily life exploring the city of Rome.

Violet Thomas, a participant in this year's program, reflected on how the experience shaped her career outlook:

"My study abroad experience helped me to understand Public Relations and Advertising on a global scale. Attending the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity gave me a deeper appreciation for the creativity and collaborations behind impactful and successful campaigns."

Advertising + Public Relations at Michigan State University

08/07/2026

Earlier this summer, 14 students from six majors within and beyond ComArtSci participated in the Public Relations and Advertising in Scandinavia education abroad experience, spending May and June in Oslo, Norway, and Stockholm, Sweden. Open to students in all majors, the program gives participants from different disciplines the chance to connect and learn from one another.

The program centered on transparency, accessibility, sustainability, and inclusion, with guest lectures from industry professionals at Kristiania University in Oslo and the Stockholm School of Economics. Students visited the US Embassies in Oslo and Stockholm, the Nobel Peace Center, the Vasa Museum, and ReTuna (the world's first recycling mall), while also connecting with local students through activities like a sauna and Oslo harbor plunge.

Katherine Goble, a strategic communication major, shared how the trip reshaped her approach to the field:

"I am studying strategic communication in CAS, and this opportunity taught me how other parts of the world create and implement advertising campaigns. By learning aspects of Scandinavian culture, I am now able to approach campaign strategy from a global perspective and segment different audiences to enact the desired response."

Advertising + Public Relations at Michigan State University

08/07/2026

The Guardian featured insights from Mariah Wellman, associate professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, in a story examining the growing conversation around the luteal phase and how wellness influencers are shaping women's health information online.

Read more: http://spr.ly/6184B1691e

Advertising + Public Relations at Michigan State University

People have found language for moodiest part of their menstrual cycles, and the right has seized on it

08/04/2026

ComArtSci public relations students have reached a major milestone: since 2021, they have completed more than 100,000 hours of professional field experience through the Public Relations Field Experience Program.

Their work has included preparing Fortune 500 executives for national media interviews to contributing to a “60 Minutes” segment and leading media training at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Through this program, students have the opportunity to apply concepts in real-world settings while building portfolios and expanding professional networks.

Learn what 100,000 hours of hands-on experience looks like in action: http://spr.ly/6185BEC5bz

Advertising + Public Relations at Michigan State University

08/04/2026

The School of Journalism at Michigan State University and the Michigan State University Communication Department have published a new guide aimed at fostering better public understanding of stuttering.

The guide is the 24th volume in ComArtSci's Bias Busters series, which produces practical resources to help readers understand people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Developed through a JRN 492 course, the guide was shaped by students from multiple disciplines who worked hand in hand with people who stutter to ensure it reflects lived experience alongside current research.

Learn more about the guide: http://spr.ly/6186BEar5q

08/03/2026

Julia Terhune, a doctoral student in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Michigan State University, has received the 2026 Natural Resources Research Interest Group Student Paper Award from the Rural Sociological Society.

The award recognizes outstanding student scholarship in rural sociology and natural resource research. Terhune earned the honor for her paper examining how environmental stewardship is defined across disciplines and arguing for an Indigenous First approach through co-management of public lands.

"I felt really proud," Terhune said. "Doing this paper wasn't just the culmination of research I had done over the last year. It was also a chance to think about how to incorporate Indigenous methodology as a form of justice for this population, especially as a non-Indigenous person."

Read more: http://spr.ly/6180BES90O

Advertising + Public Relations at Michigan State University