The recent Undergraduate Research Colloquium had a full docket, including the presentation of this year’s Faculty Excellence Award, the Olive M. Cone Episcopal Scholarship Award, Undergraduate Research Presentations, and the Lambda Pi Eta Induction Ceremony. Dr. Jennifer Monahan was awarded this year’s Faculty Excellence Award. She was nominated for the award by both Interpersonal and Health and Rhetoric students. Congratulations, Dr. Monahan! LaPorsche Thomas received this year’s Cone Scholarship Award, which is given to one outstanding undergraduate student by a faculty panel. LaPorsche has an impressive resume as a double major in broadcast journalism and communication studies. She is a Bill and Melinda Gates Scholar who was recently voted Greek member of the year. She also has a “LaPorsche Speaks” YouTube channel. She thanked Dr. Tina Harris for the knowledge she gained in the race and communication course and Dr. Thomas Lessl for fostering her speaking confidence in speech composition course. Undergraduate students presented their research as part of the ongoing colloquia hosted by the Communication Studies department. Laurel Haislip touched off the presentations with “Integrating Art: A Mission to Save the Creativity of America.” Laurel is a fourth-year honor student in communication studies and music. Senior communication studies major Shane Annexstad presented “What’s the Deal with Donald Trump?” Emcee Dr. Roger Stahl shared that Shane successfully “sued” a daycare center in Communication in the Courtroom. Shane thanked Dr. Panetta for inspiring his project in his Communication Strategies in Political Campaigns course. Brittany Stocus is a sophomore journalism major with a communication studies minor. Her presentation was developed in Dr. Lee Pierce’s class. She wrapped up the presentations with “Class Privilege in Taylor Swift’s Benevolent Pop Princess Style.” The colloquium closed with the induction ceremony of UGA Chapter of Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society during which seven students were inducted. The Greek letters in the name correspond to the three modes of persuasion: logos, pathos, and ethos. The organization is open to undergraduates interested in field of communication who have achieved a high level of academic excellence. To view photos from the event, visit the Communication Studies flickr page!
