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Emily Kolek, Carey McKelvey, Dean Simpson, Tatyana Dumova, Brian Miller and Ashley Kress. Photo | Heather P. Miller.

(L-R) Emily Kolek, Carey McKelvey, Dean Simpson, Tatyana Dumova, Brian Miller and Ashley Kress.

Translating our Communication Research into Practice was the theme that underlined the work of several School of Communication graduate students featured at the 76th annual Pennsylvania Communication Association conference, held Oct. 9-10 at Penn State York.

Six Point Park students presented competitive research papers and posters that stemmed from class projects completed in communication theory, research methods and graduate capstone courses taught by Tatyana Dumova, Ph.D., professor of multimedia.

Research presentations included:

  • Emily Kolek, M.A./M.B.A. student, "The Portrayal of Women in Popular Music: A Content Analysis of Top Pop Song Lyrics"
  • Ashley Kress, M.A. in communication technology student, "Advancing Feminism Through Social Media"
  • Carey McKelvey, M.A./M.B.A. student, "Cute Puppies and Funny Business: What Makes Viral Video Go Viral"
  • Brian Miller, M.A. in communication technology student, "Apple Pay and Society: Marketing Influence on Technology Adoption Rates"
  • Andrew Perrott, M.A. in communication technology student, "Using Pathos: The Effects of Lovemarks and Emotional Advertising"
  • Dean Simpson, M.A. in communication technology student, "A Content Analysis of the Visual Composition of Facebook Ads"
  • Tatyana Dumova, Ph.D., "Social Network Research Methods: Approaches, Key Issues, and Implications," and "Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes in a Graduate Capstone Course"

What students and faculty are saying about the PCA conference

  • "The conference was a great experience to take something I did in class and present it in a real-world academic setting. Hearing feedback from other professionals in the academic community was extremely validating and really provided a lot of insight on how research is presented to the public." - Carey McKelvey
  • "It has become a good tradition in the last five years for Point Park graduate students to present juried research at state and regional communication conventions. Since 2011, the School of Communication graduate students have made 35 presentations at professional conferences demonstrating the value of a Point Park education and extending its name across the Commonwealth and as far as Massachusetts and Connecticut." - Tatyana Dumova, Ph.D.
  • "It was an honor to present among communication professionals who offer such unique perspectives and contributions to the field of communication. They justified my sincere interest in pursuing higher education and the field of communication. I also appreciate the great support I have received from the School of Communication, specifically Dr. Tatyana Dumova's sincere encouragement in sharing my research at this level." - Emily Kolek
  • "Engaging with students and faculty from other universities was really beneficial because we were able to discuss the communication field, as well as the future of higher education. I hope within the years to come, more students get involved with attending conferences and seminars." - Ashley Kress
  • "Research has been a way for me to dig deeper into topics that I find meaningful, satisfying my own intellectual curiosity but also providing a way to think creatively about solving a challenge. Following the presentation, I spoke with a conference participant who said my study gave her some ideas of how to approach a difficult marketing challenge she was facing." - Dean Simpson
  • "Several interactions at the conference referred me to other sources and books on my material that I intend to use in the future to further my research and understanding of my topic. Attending a conference was also a chance for me to try and overcome a fear of public speaking." - Andrew Perrott

At the conference, students also attended sessions, a keynote presentation, a PCA business meeting, an awards ceremony, and interacted with faculty and peers from around Pennsylvania and beyond.

Photo courtesy of Heather P. Miller

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