HIGH POINT, N.C., May 15, 2015 – Undergraduate communication students, along with graduate students and alumni of the Master of Arts in strategic communication program at High Point University, attended the Eastern States Communication Association conference. The event was held April 22-26 in Philadelphia.
“I am so grateful that I got the opportunity as an undergraduate to present my research at this conference,” says HPU presenter Jessica Pikowski. “I received valuable feedback on my work, was able to network with my peers, and got insight on the kind of research others are doing in the communication field.”
During the conference, eight students and alumni presented their research in both oral and poster sessions. They are as follows:
Haley Slone, an undergraduate student, presented “What Role Does Communication Play in Hunger and Food Insecurity.”
Jessica Pikowski, an undergraduate student, presented “Not Just a Mindless Activity: Reality Television, Perceived Realism of Television and Verbal and Relational Aggressive Behavior of Viewers.”
Douglas Peninger, a graduate student, presented “Social Capital, Religious Commitment, and Perceptions of a Large, Affluent Church.”
Amber Williamson, a graduate student, presented “Selfies & Vanity: Are Snapchat and Narcissism Related?”
Matt Ritter, an alumnus of the graduate program, presented “The Role of Group Inhibition in the Presentation of Televised Tornado Warnings.”
Tanisha Harris, an alumnus of the graduate program, presented “It’s Not Just What You Say, but How You Frame It: Exploring Message Framing in Safe Sex Communication Among African American Female Adolescents.”
The annual ECA conference, currently in its 106th year, hosts undergraduates, graduates and faculty to present their research. The ECA is a professional organization of scholars, teachers and students of communication studies. Established in 1910, it is the oldest professional communication association in the United States.