Jenna Bluedorn
Jenna is from Boardman, Ohio. She chose the PhD program in Media and Communication Studies at IUP because of its diverse content, having a strong theoretical emphasis balanced by a production element. She appreciates how the program has prepared her to be an active academic through opportunities to not only write and publish papers, but also to present research at conferences and learn about the world of academia.
Her dissertation is focused on how brands leverage humor to increase engagement on TikTok.
Hamdi Echkaou
Hamdi hails from Morocco. He’s a doctoral candidate in the Communications Media and Instructional Technology PhD program. He chose to study at IUP mainly because of the combination of practical media production and research courses. He also enjoys the opportunities to work as a graduate assistant, collaborating on research projects, and teaching.
His dissertation is about US online news sources: Perception of selective exposure and its impact on political participation.
Lori Smith Roles
Lori is from Indiana, Pennsylvania. Having always been interested in the ways our media consumption affects us, she’s found this program to be the perfect fit for her, with just the perfect mix of theory, research, and production.
Her dissertation examines the framing of articles in women’s magazines.
Edna Biwott
Edna is from the East African country of Kenya. She chose the PhD program in Media and Communication Studies at IUP because of the practical elements incorporated in the program.
As an international student, she appreciates the support she received from faculty and fellow students in the department to help her settle in the new environment.
Tenley Sablatzkey
Tenley lives and works in Texas. She chose this program because it combines the research and theory side of communications with the practical side of media production. She also appreciates the option to take it in an online/hybrid format, which gives her flexibility as she works full-time.
Her dissertation research is on health information-seeking behaviors, information trust, and information literacy skills.
Emile Imanov
Emile is from Denver, Colorado. He chose the program because of the option to study online. He enjoys interacting with and learning from his cohort, some of whom have great expertise from their previous work in the industry.
His dissertation is on the impact of female fame and celebrity on society, politics, and culture.