Communication Studies, University of Minnesota

09/05/2026

Orientation Week was a great success! Faculty members and current students were excited to welcome our new graduate students and start our journey together.

We celebrated what we accomplished in 2025–2026 and set our eyes on what we can do together in 2026–2027. In our Departmental Lecture, Dr. Atilla Hallsby, Dr. Ascan Koerner, Dr. David Cram Helwich, and Dawn Schot Klotzbach shared their insights on how emerging technologies and AI may impact communication as a field of research and practice.

As we consider what MIT President Sally Kornbluth has described as a watershed moment for higher education, we want to encourage conversations and critical debates about the possibilities and risks of AI, as well as the commitments we hold as an institution of residential education dedicated to human flourishing.

Our departmental legacy and activities remind us that building genuine relationships and generating knowledge through communal engagement are at the heart of our scholarship. This is an exciting and critical moment for higher education. What we build together, whether relationships or knowledge, reflects our enduring commitment to the human spirit and our shared humanity.

07/15/2026

📅 Save the Date

Join us for the 2026 Karlyn Kohrs Campbell Speaker Series featuring Dr. Sarah Banet-Weiser.

GenderCon: Reproductive Politics and the Digital Revolt Against Feminism

📆 Thursday, October 1, 2026
🕒 3:00–4:30 p.m.
📍 Best Buy Theater, Northrop Auditorium
🥂 Reception to follow

Dr. Banet-Weiser is the Walter H. Annenberg Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and a leading scholar of media, gender, culture, and power.

Her talk will examine how feminism and gender have increasingly been framed as threats in contemporary media and political culture. She will explore the connections among digital media, reproductive politics, family ideals, and the growing backlash against feminism.

Learn more: https://cla.umn.edu/comm-studies/research-engagement/kkc-speaker-series/2026-karlyn-kohrs-campbell-speaker

06/05/2026

🌟 Faculty Spotlight!

Dr. Elaine Hsieh, Professor and Chair of Communication Studies, was recently interviewed by William Shiu and featured in The Politic, Yale University's undergraduate journal of politics and culture.

In the article, "For Chinese Americans, the U.S.-China Innovation Race Makes an Ancient Tradition Harder to Swallow," Dr. Hsieh shares insights on the cultural significance of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its role in shaping identity, community, and belonging among Chinese American immigrants.

Drawing on her expertise in health communication, culture, and migration, Dr. Hsieh helps readers understand how healthcare practices can carry meanings that extend far beyond medicine alone.

Read the article here: https://thepolitic.org/for-chinese-americans-the-us-china-innovation-race-makes-an-ancient-tradition-harder-to-swallow/

06/04/2026

🌟 Celebrating Community Storytelling and Public Scholarship!

We're proud to celebrate the work of Communication Studies doctoral candidate Nou-Chee Chang!

Nou-Chee has been part of the team behind "Mekong Journeys: Raising New Villages," a digital storytelling exhibition supported by the Minnesota Historical Society that commemorates 50 years of Southeast Asian stories, histories, and community experiences.

The project will officially launch next weekend, and we invite our alumni, friends, and community members to join Nou-Chee and her collaborators in celebrating this important milestone.

📅 June 13, 2026 | 2:00–4:00 p.m.
📍 825 Arts, St. Paul
🎟️ Free and open to the public

For refugees and immigrants, stories are embodied memories carried from one generation to the next. They are connections to the past that sustain the present and enrich the future. As newcomers become essential members of our communities, their stories become part of us. This is our shared stories.

Please join us in congratulating Nou-Chee and supporting the launch of this exciting project! 🎉

06/03/2026

🎉 Please join us in congratulating Dr. Ronald Greene on being selected as a 2026–2027 Fellow of the University of California's National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement! https://freespeechcenter.universityofcalifornia.edu/2026-2027-class-of-fellows/

Ron and collaborator Dr. Darrin Hicks of the University of Denver will advance a project examining academic freedom and religious exemptions in higher education. Their work explores timely and important questions about free expression, institutional governance, and the future of higher education.

The fellowship supports scholars whose work engages pressing public issues and connects academic research with broader public conversations. Through this opportunity, Ron and Darrin will collaborate with fellow scholars and Center leaders to develop policy recommendations and public-facing initiatives that bring scholarly insight to contemporary challenges.

What makes this recognition especially exciting is its emphasis on impact beyond the academy. By connecting research, policy, and public engagement, the project will help foster broader conversations about higher education, civic life, and democratic values.

Congratulations, Ron! We are thrilled to see your scholarship recognized through this national honor and look forward to following this next chapter of your work. 👏

Pictured: Dr. Darrin Hicks (left) and Dr. Ronald Greene (right).

06/02/2026

🎉 Wonderful news from the Department of Communication Studies! 🎉

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Wendy Anderson on her promotion to Senior Lecturer, effective Fall 2026!

Wendy's passion for teaching, dedication to student success, and commitment to excellence in the classroom have shaped the experiences of countless Communication Studies students. We are incredibly fortunate to have her as a colleague and educator.

Congratulations, Wendy, on this well-deserved achievement! 👏🎊
https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/wzeitz

05/18/2026

Congratulations to all of our majors and minors! 🎓

Today is a special day. Today is your day.

We are so proud of who you have become. It has been a privilege to witness your growth and to celebrate this milestone with you and your loved ones.

We cannot wait to join you in building our communities, society, and democracy. Your hard work, resilience, curiosity, and care for others will guide you through the journeys ahead.

You did it.

Congratulations, graduates! 👏✨

05/14/2026

Wonderful news from the Department of Communication Studies! 🎉

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Atilla Hallsby, Dr. Zornitsa Keremidchieva, and Dr. Emily Winderman on their promotions to Associate Professor with tenure, effective Fall 2026!

Dr. Hallsby examines rhetoric, surveillance, and AI in public culture. Dr. Keremidchieva studies democracy, citizenship, and public discourse. Dr. Winderman’s work explores health, medicine, and reproductive justice.

Together, their scholarship reflects the intellectual curiosity, critical insight, and public engagement that make our department so vibrant.

Congratulations, Atilla, Z, and Emily on this well-deserved achievement! 👏

05/06/2026

Today, we celebrated Dr. Tucker Marks as he prepares for his next chapter at the University of Minnesota! 🎉

Since joining the Department of Communication Studies in 2023 as Graduate Program Coordinator, Tucker has been an incredible source of support, professionalism, humor, and care for our students, faculty, and staff. He has made a lasting impact on our department, and he will be greatly missed.

Thank you, Tucker, for everything you have done for our community. We wish you all the best in your new role! 💛❤️

04/28/2026

We are proud to highlight undergraduate research in the Department of Communication! 🎉

This spring, Grace Eng presented her work at the Central States Communication Association (CSCA) 2026 Convention in Minneapolis. Developed in Dr. Wendy Anderson’s COMM 3625W Communication Ethics course, her project examines how AI-generated search summaries shape user trust and influence what people believe. 🤖📊

Congratulations to Grace, and thank you to Dr. Anderson for her mentorship! 👏

As I wrap up my final year of college, it has been filled with unexpected blessings and opportunities, and I am incredibly grateful for experiences like this one from mid-April 2026. I had the opportunity to speak at the Central States Communication Association (CSCA) 2026 Convention in Minneapolis,...