Department Administration
James R. DiSanza
Professor & Department Chair
Office: Frazier Hall 223
Education:
BA, California State University Stanislaus; MA, San Francisco State University; Ph.D. Penn State University
Emphasis:
Corporate Communication & Leadership
Courses Taught:
CMP2201: Business & Professional Communication; CMP3320: Foundations of Leadership; CMP4422: Conflict Management; CMP4424: Management Communication; CMP5522: Conflict Management
Idaho State University was my first full-time, tenure-track job after getting my Ph.D. I suspected it would be a three or four year gig. Twenty-nine years later I'm still here and I wouldn't even consider leaving ISU. I am privileged to lead the finest group of faculty at this institution. You can't find a more "present" and caring group who throw themselves into their teaching and research. I often remind myself that most people go an entire career and are never be part of a creative team like this one.
My annual teaching schedule includes Foundations of Leadership, Conflict Management, Small Group Communication, and Business and Professional Communication. The greatest reward is watching students' improve their communication skills and the increased self-confidence that this improvement creates.
My research interests are in persuasive attack and defense. As part of a research team that includes John Gribas, Nancy Legge, Karen Hartman, Jasun Carr, and Zac Gershberg, we examine how organizations are attacked during a crisis and how they defend themselves using various image repair tactics. I enjoy bringing the findings of our research into the classroom for students' benefit.
Selected Publications:
DiSanza, J. R., Hartman, K. L., Legge, N. J., & Gershberg, Z. (2018, in press). Adding narrative to the situational crisis communication theory: The case for crisis ‘Narrative Management’ in sport.
Gribas, J., Gershberg, Z, DiSanza, J. R., and Legge, N. L. (2017). Finding story in unexpected places: Branding and the role of narrative in the study of communication. In B. Attebery, J. Gribas, M. K. McBeth, P. Sivitz, and K. Turley-Ames (Eds.), Narrative, Identity, and Academic Community in Higher Education (pp. 91-110). New York: Routledge.
DiSanza, J. R., Carr, D. J. (2017). Corporate Communication. In Mike Allen (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods (pp. 264-266). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Gribas, J., DiSanza, J., Legge, N., Hartman, K., and Santee, C. (2016). Exploring the alignment of image repair tactics to audience type. In J. R. Blaney (Ed.), Putting Image Repair to the Test (pp. 41-61). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
Legge, N. J., DiSanza, J. R., Gribas, J., & Schiffler, A. (2012). "He sounded like a vile, disgusting pervert. . ." An analysis of persuasive attacks on Rush Limbaugh during the Sandra Fluke Controversy. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 19, 173-205.
Awards & Honors
Outstanding Service Award nominee, 2011, 2014
Full-time Faculty
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Nikyra Capson
Assistant Professor
Office: Frazier Hall 315
Having been born and raised in Idaho, I’m excited to be a part of the CMP department at Idaho State University. After getting my BA in Communications and a BFA in Fine Art, I went on to get my MFA in Studio Arts with an emphasis in digital arts. My work is centered around social media and the mental health issues it causes in some users. I teach Graphic Design and Typography and enjoy watching students find their artistic sides as they learn about visual communication.
Selected Shows:
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We are All Contagious, UMass Dartmouth University Art Gallery, Juried by Nato Thompson, New Bedford, Massachusetts
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In Love and Tech: Exploration of the Human Interaction in the Digital Age, eighteen fifteen, Juried by Anton Chavez and Amanda Fay, Austin, Texas
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enGENDERing Change: The Exhibition, Cloyde Snook Gallery, Adams State University Juried by Dr. Ann Woods, The Public Book, and Dr. Alan Woods, Alamosa, Colorado
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The Biennial Project Biennial 2019, Juried by Kaveh Mojtabai, Jeannie Motherwell, Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, Yanelys Nuñez Leyva, and Nonardo Perea, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
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Women’s Stories (Untold) - Text and Image, Midwestern Center for Photography, Juried by Linda Robinson, Wichita, Kansas
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“Clotheshorse,” Indianapolis Art Center, Juried by Kyle Herrington, Indianapolis, Indiana
D. Jasun Carr
Associate Professor and Minor Advisor Global Studies and Languages | Chair, Department of Global Studies and Languages | Chair, Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminology
Office: Frazier Hall 316
Education:
BS, Communication Processes, UW-Green Bay; MS, Electronic Media, Kutztown University; PhD, Mass Communication, UW-Madison
Emphasis:
Digital Media; Social Media; Media Psychology; Research Methods
Courses Taught:
CMP2202: Photo, Graphic, and Video Editing; CMP2203: Media Literacy; CMP3307: Social and Interactive Media Campaigns; CMP3309: Communication Inquiry; CMP3339: Web Design; CMP6601: Introduction to Graduate Research Methods; CMP6630: Communication Revolutions
Dr. Jasun Carr earned his PhD in Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His ongoing research interests focus on persuasion, consumer culture, and civic engagement; the interaction of source and generational cohort in new media; and the changing journalistic and persuasive practices within social media platforms. Currently he is in the beginning stages of developing a scale to clarify the measurement of "social media trust." In addition to teaching and research, he acts as webmaster and social media coordinator for the department.
Selected Publications:
Carr, D. J. (2018). Multitasking & Multiskilling. In Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh (Ed.), International Encyclopedia for Journalism Studies. (In Press)
Carr, D. J. (2018). Exploring the Role of Parasocial Relationships on Product Placement Effectiveness. American Communication Journal, 20(1), 31-45.
Carr, D. J. & Bard, M. (2017). Even a Celebrity Journalist Can’t Have an Opinion: Post-Millennials’ Recognition and Evaluation of Journalists and News Brands on Twitter. Electronic News, Online First, doi: 10.1177/1931243117710280
Carr, D. J. (2017). The Internet and Information Economy. In Robert Rycroft (Ed.), The American Middle Class: An Economic Encyclopedia of Progress and Poverty. ABC-CLIO.
Carr, D. J., Barnidge, M., Lee, B. & Tsang, S. J. (2014). Cynics and skeptics: Evaluating the credibility of mainstream and citizen journalism. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 91(3), 452-470.
Awards & Honors
Faculty Senator - College of Arts & Letters
Political Communication Interest Group - Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication: Head (2016-17), Vice-Head (2015-16), Research Co-Chair (2013-15).
ISU Office of Research: ISU College of Arts & Letters Combined Subject Pool Pilot. (2018-June 2020)
ISU College of Arts & Letters: Faculty Travel Funds. (2017, 2015)
ISU Office of Research: Faculty Travel Funds. (2017)
Idaho Humanities Council Grant: Humanities Cafe 2015-16: Identity. (2015)
ISU College of Arts & Letters: Infrastructure Grant Proposal Department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion DSLR Photography and Video Cameras. (2015)
Zac Gershberg
Associate Professor
Office: Frazier 310
Education:
BS, Cinema, Sports Communication, Ithaca College; MA, Communication, Hawaii Pacific University; PhD, Communication Studies, Louisiana State University
Emphasis:
Journalism, Media Studies
Courses Taught:
CMP1110: Media Writing; CMP2203: Media Literacy; CMP3310: Multiplatform Storytelling; CMP3311: Business and Political Reporting; CMP3382: Political Communication; CMP3312: Screenwriting; CMP4410: Mass Media History, Law, & Ethics; CMP4418: Feature Writing; CMP6630: Media and Culture
The range of courses I teach reflects how media necessarily intersect with our lives — economically, technologically, and politically. From newspapers and magazines to social media, as well as movies and television, we shouldn't just be consumers. We are, first and foremost, citizens of a democracy who must critically process and effectively negotiate the contemporary frenzy of communication all around us. That can be challenging but also exciting and full of opportunities. For students in my courses — and multiplatform journalism majors, in particular (who often go on to work across the media landscape spanning news, entertainment, sports, and politics) — that means nurturing a creative, polished professionalism armed with creativity, knowledge, and responsibility.
Research-wise, I examine journalism, media, and politics. I recently co-authored a book, The Paradox of Democracy: Free Speech, Open Media, and Perilous Persuasion, published by the University of Chicago Press.
I have experience working as a journalist in Hawaii covering news, sports, and travel, and I spent some time in script development in Hollywood. I used to host a monthly program, Know Your Media, on our campus NPR affiliate, KISU-FM, and serve as one of the college’s pre-law advisors as well as a liaison for our exchange program with Karlstad University, in Sweden, where students can attend with a department scholarship.
Recent Publications:
Zac Gershberg and Sean Illing, The Paradox of Democracy: Free Speech, Open Media, and Perilous Persuasion (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2022).
Zac Gershberg and D. Jasun Carr, “Media in North America,” in Global Journalism: Understanding World Medis Systems, ed. Daniela V. Dimitrova (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), 177-186.
John Gribas
Professor & Associate Dean for Fine Arts and Humanities
Office: Business Administration 247
Education:
BS, Secondary Education, Eastern Montana College; MA/PhD, Communication Studies, University of Kansas
Emphasis:
Corporate Communication & Leadership
Courses Taught:
CMP3308: Groups and Communication; CMP4420: Advanced Leadership Communication
I grew up the son of a self-employed carpenter in northern Montana and attended Eastern Montana College (now MSU-Billings) as a first-generation college student. I began my career as an educator working with junior high and high school students in Billings, Montana, teaching art, language arts, theatre, English, and speech communication, and I coached competitive debate. I moved to the Midwest, earned my PhD in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas in 1993, and have been at ISU since 1996.
As a scholar, I am interested in exploring how language choices impact human thought and action. In particular, I am fascinated with ways people use metaphor to refer to themselves as organized groups. My interest in groups and communication really comes from many years of participation with educational, community, and professional summer repertory theatre. I love downhill skiing, remodeling my home, and, most of all, spending time with my family.
Selected Publications:
Bass, C. W., & Gribas, J. (2020). Factors to consider while attempting image restoration: Limitations to the impact of sound strategy application. American Journal of Management, 20, 59-77.
Gribas, J., Disanza, J., & Legge, N., & Hartman, K. L. (2018). Organizational image repair tactics and crisis type: Implications for crisis response strategy effectiveness. International Journal of Crisis & Risk Communication, 1, 225-252.
Gribas, J., Disanza, J. R., Gershberg, Z. M., & Legge, N. (2017). Finding story in unexpected places: Branding and the role of narrative in the study of communication. In B. Attebery, J. Gribas, M. K. McBeth, P. Sivitz, & K. Turley-Ames (Eds.), Narrative, identity, and academic community in higher education (pp. 91-110). Routledge.
Gribas, J., DiSanza, J., Legge, N., Hartman, K. L., & Santee, C. (2015). Exploring the alignment of image repair tactics to audience type. In J. R. Blaney (Ed.), Putting image repair to the test: Quantitative applications of image restoration theory (pp. 41-62). Lexington Books.
Driskill, G., & Gribas, J. (2013). Enacting grace and truth: A communication perspective on interfaith dialogue. In D. Brown (Ed.), Interfaith dialogue in practice: Christian, Muslim, Jew (pp. 11-36). Rockhurst University Press.
Legge, N., DiSanza, J., Gribas, J., & Shiffler, A. (2012). "He sounded like a vile, disgusting pervert...": An analysis of persuasive attacks on Rush Limbaugh during the Sandra Fluke controversy. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 19, 173-205.
Gribas, J. (2008). Doing teams while being the body: Managing spiritual/secular dialectical tensions of defining the church collective through transcendent metaphor. The Journal of Communication and Religion, 31, 206-244.
Karen L. Hartman
Professor
Office: Frazier Hall 221
Education:
BA, Communication Studies, Furman University; MA, Speech Communication, University of South Carolina; PhD, Rhetoric and Public Address, Louisiana State University
Emphasis:
Corporate Communication, Public Relations, Sport Communication
Courses Taught:
COMM1101: Public Speaking; CMP1110: Media Writing; CMP2241: Introduction to Public Relations; CMP3346: Public Relations Writing; CMP3347: Sport Communication; CMP4446: Public Relations Campaigns; CMP4440: Sport Public Relations; CMP6630: Crisis Communication
My research interests revolve largely around the role of sport in the United States and how language and public relations efforts frame athletes, organizations, and laws. I have authored over a dozen peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and book reviews and my work has been published in the Journal of Communication Studies, International Journal of Sport Communication, Quarterly Journal of Speech, Academic Exchange Quarterly, and the edited volume The ESPN Effect: Academic Studies of the Worldwide Leader in Sports.
I teach eight different courses in our department that largely include the courses in the public relations curriculum, as well as a sport communication elective and a graduate seminar on crisis communication. One of my favorite things about teaching is seeing the transformation within students when they move a topic from a mere curiosity to something that becomes inspirational and fulfilling in their lives.
Beyond the classroom I enjoy marveling at the Pocatello scenery, playing with my daughter, and eating greasy bar food while watching sports. Go Bengals!
Selected Publications:
Hartman, K. (2016). How did this end up on my doorstep? In D. Tucker & J. Wrench (Eds.), Casing Sport
Communication (pp. 196-203). Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.
DiSanza, J., Gribas, J., Legge, N., Hartman, K., & Santee, C. (2016). Exploring the Alignment of Image
Repair Tactics to Audience Type. In J.R. Blaney (Ed.), Putting image repair to the test: Quantitative
applications of image restoration theory (pp. 41-61). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
Hartman, K. (2015). ESPN’s mythological rhetoric of Title IX. In J. McGuire & G.
Armfield (Eds.), The ESPN effect: Academic studies of the worldwide leader in sports (pp. 97-109). New
York: Peter Lang.
Hartman, K. (2014). The “most evil thing about college sports”: The one-year scholarship and a
former NCAA athlete’s personal narrative. International Journal of Sport Communication, 7, 425-440.
Awards & Honors
Keynote Speaker for Idaho State University’s National Girls and Women in Sport Day. (2015)
Nancy J. Legge
Professor
Office: Frazier 401
Education:
BA, Speech Communication, Wayne State University; MA, Speech Communication, Indiana University; PhD, Speech Communication, Penn State University
Emphasis:
Rhetoric
Courses Taught:
COMM1101: Principles of Speech; CMP2209: Persuasion; CMP3302: Image Management; CMP4483: Rhetoric of Popular Culture; CMP4487: Rhetorical Theory; CMP4488: Rhetorical Criticism; CMP6630: Graduate Seminar
“Speak out! Your voice should be heard.”
“Speak out and suffer the consequences!”
These opposing points of view reflect an important premise: democracy and rhetoric are intricately intertwined. As democracy thrives so, too, do opportunities for speaking (orally or in writing), also called “rhetoric.” Conversely, when democracy declines, so does rhetoric. Logically, then, when democracy is threatened, the need for rhetoric intensifies, but the risks inherent in speaking out also increase. These are foundational premises for my research and teaching. My work is characterized by the assumption that what’s relevant is inherently worth investigating and analyzing.
As a researcher, I am interested in investigating the rhetorical dimensions of issues in popular culture including sports, politics, and music. As a member of a research team in the CMP Department we are consistently engaged in understanding issues related to image, crisis, and persuasive attack in sports, organizations, and politics.
As Journal editor for Relevant Rhetoric: A New Journal of Rhetorical Studies, I am dedicated to publishing scholarship that creates a bridge between “academics” and “community.” The Journal publishes essays on current issues analyzed from a variety of rhetorical perspectives that create new insights for both an academic and lay audiences. The Journal has a large international audience from diverse backgrounds with varying levels of education. The success and appeal of the Journal is due to its accessibility in language, its development of relevant and contemporary issues, and its free access.
As a teacher, I work to ensure that students understand three components of rhetoric: (1) Rhetoric is relevant. Understanding the relevance of rhetoric helps make people aware, tolerant, and willing to be analytical of the world around them. (2) Rhetoric is precious. That is, words should be spoken with care and reflection; there are consequences for speaking. Students come to appreciate that opportunities to speak should not be taken for granted and they should think strategically. (3) Rhetoric is honorable. That is, we should be thoughtfully critical of ideas and tolerant of others’ voices. Students have opportunities to both practice and analyze the art of rhetoric. Through analysis of rhetorical artifacts in history and in popular culture, students learn to evaluate beyond the standard “up/down” simplicity embedded in our culture to reach understandings about the complexity of audience, context, content, and layered meanings. The result is citizens who are critical citizens and critical consumers of messages.
Selected Publications:
DiSanza, J. R., Hartman, K. L., Legge, N. J., Gershberg, Z. (in press). Adding Narrative to the Situational Crisis Communication Theory: The Case for Crisis 'Narrative Management' in Sport. In Andrew Billings, W. Timothy Coombs, and Kenon Brown (Ed.), Reputational Challenges in Sport. New York: Routledge.
Gribas, J., Gershberg, Z., James, D. R., Legge, N. J. (2017). Finding Story in Unexpected Places: Branding and the Role of Narrative in the Study of Communication. In Brian Attebery, John Gribas, Mark K. McBeth, Paul Sivitz, and Kandi Turley-Ames (Ed.), Narrative, Identity, and Academic Community in Higher Education (pp. 91-110). New York: Routledge.
Gribas, J., DiSanza, J., Legge, N., Hartman, K. L., Santee, C. (2016). "Exploring the Alignment of Image Repair Tactics to Audience Type." In J. R. Blaney (Ed.), Putting Image Repair to the Test: Quantitative Applications of Image Restoration Theory (41-61). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
DiSanza, J. R., Legge, N. J. (2016). The Rhetoric of Persuasive Attack: Continuing the Development of a Taxonomy of Strategies and Tactics. Relevant Rhetoric: A New Journal of Rhetorical Studies, 7, 1-16.
Awards & Honors:
Master Teacher (2009)
Twice nominated for Carnegie Teacher of the Year
Journal Editor, Relevant Rhetoric: A New Journal of Rhetorical Studies
Terry Ownby
Professor
Office: Frazier 416
Education:
BS, Media + Photography + Geography, Missouri State University; MA, Media Communication, Webster University-Saint Louis; PhD, Visual Media Studies, Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Emphasis:
Visual Communication and Photo Media
Courses Taught:
ART2210/CMP2250: History and Appreciation of Photography; CMP2251: Intro. To Photography; CMP3352: Photo Communication; CMP3355: Studio Photography; CMP4455: Photo Media; CMP4457: Advanced Photography; CMP6630: Critical Visual Methodologies
I am a visual storyteller. My career has been diversified, challenging, and above all, FUN! Over the years and before turning to full-time academics, I have accomplished editorial and food advertising photography, shot and directed corporate video productions, served as a military photojournalist and public affairs chief for an Army division (both stateside and overseas), and mentored hundreds of emerging visual communication professionals.
During my professional career, I won multiple ADDY Awards and worked with clients such as: Tyson Foods, Land O' Lakes, Bass Pro Shops, Copper Mountain Resort, and Colony Brands, to mention a few. My commercial work has been published in magazines such as Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, McCall's, Ladies Home Journal, TV Guide, and Colorado Homes & Lifestyles, among others. Lastly, I have worked in broadcast and TV operations for a local PBS station, which included producing several on-air promo pieces.
Here at Idaho State University, I'm an associate professor in the Communication, Media, & Persuasion department and I teach in our Visual Communication program. As an undergrad teacher, my area of responsibility is the Photo Media track and I manage the program’s first fully-equipped photography studio. I provide a variety of face-to-face and online photo media courses, field experience, and professional studio application for our photo majors. Also, I conduct graduate seminars on critical visual methodologies.
My research interests include: Atomic West Photography: Photography and Nuclear Zones in USA West; Visual Semiotics: Personal Identity through Visual Images; Vernacular Snapshots: Road Trip Identity and Photo Media; and 19th Century Photographic History: American Photography in the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, I have presented my research at conferences in Cyprus, Sweden, and Turkey, as well as in the U.S.
So, as you can see, I haven't always been an academic! I've had full careers in corporate advertising and in the military. And just to mix things up a bit, I farmed my wine vineyard in Wisconsin for several years. What a ride!
https://atomicphotographers.com/photographers/terry-ownby/
Selected Publications
Ownby, T. (2017). Gulf-08 with Bluebird House #20. Juried Group Exhibit. Midwest Center for Photography: Topographies, Wichita, KS.
Ownby, T. (2017). Shepard’s Wagon in Snow. Juried Group Exhibit. 1650 Gallery: Snow & Ice 2017, Los Angeles, CA.
Ownby, T. (2017). Atomic Amnesia: A Mashup of Photo Media, Cartography, and Satellite Imagery. Presented at the GeoMedia 2017 Conference, Karlstad, Sweden,
Ownby, T. (2017). Photographing the Wunderkammer: A Personal Journey of Art Making and Meaning. In C. Mieves and I. B. Wonder (Eds.) Contemporary Art Practice (pp. 271-283). London: Routledge.
Ownby, T. (2015). Reconstructing Silent Voices in Southern Photographic History. The Southern Quarterly: A Journal of Arts & Letters in the South, 52(4), 11-27.
Awards & Honors
Member, Atomic Photography Guild
Sarah Partlow Lefevre
Professor & Director, James M. & Sharon E. Rupp Debate Society
Office: Frazier 407
Education:
BA, English, University of Utah; MA, Communication Studies, University of Kansas; PhD, Communication Studies, University of Kansas
Emphasis:
Rhetoric & Debate
Courses Taught:
CMP2205: Argumentation; CMP3305: Intercollegiate Debate; CMP4404: Gender and Communication; CMP6630: Drama of Human Symbol Use
Sarah Partlow Lefevre, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion and has been the Director of Debate at Idaho State University since 2001. Dr. Partlow Lefevre began her involvement in debate in 1991 at the University of Utah where she completed her undergraduate degree. She then pursued both her M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication Studies at the University of Kansas where she was an Assistant Debate Coach. Coaching highlights from her time at ISU include: two 3rd place finishes in Public Forum Debate at Pi Kappa Delta Nationals, First Place in British Parliamentary Debate at Pi Kappa Delta Nationals, multiple First Round At Large Bids to the National Debate Tournament, 3rd Place at Cross Examination Debate Association Nationals, Second Speaker at both the NDT and CEDA national tournaments among hundreds of other awards and acclamations. She was a member of the NDT Committee for several years and served as President of the Cross Examination Debate Association. Dr. Partlow Lefevre is currently the Director of the National Debate Tournament and serves on the Board of the Women’s Debate Institute.
Selected Publications:
Partlow Lefevre, S. T. (2018) Recovering the Potential of Argument in the Public Sphere: Moms Demand Action and Threats of Gendered Violence in the Gun Control Debate. In (ed.) Randall A. Lake . Routledge.
Eckstein, J., & Partlow Lefevre, S. T. (2017). Since Sandy Hook: Strategic Maneuvering in the Gun Control Debate. Western Journal of Communication, 81(2), 225-242.
Awards & Honors:
The George Ziegelmueller Award honoring a faculty member who has distinguished himself or herself in the communication profession while coaching teams to competitive success at the National Debate Tournament
The Lucy Keele Award for outstanding service to the debate community
The Rebecca Galentine Award recognizing debate service, community building, and competitive success.
The Rupp Debate Society has won hundreds of awards with Dr. Partlow Lefevre at the helm, including: 3rd place Overall Division II at Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament, 3rd Place Debate Division I at Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament, 3rd Place Public Forum Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament, 3rd Place Public Forum Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament, 1st Place British Parliamentary Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament, Second Speaker CEDA Nationals, 2nd Speaker NDT Nationals, 3rd Place CEDA Nationals.
Neelam Sharma
Associate Professor & Director of Graduate Studies in Communication
Office: Frazier Hall 216 D
Education:
BC, Commerce, Panjab University; MA, Mass Communication, Panjab University; PhD, Public Communication and Technology, Colorado State University
Emphasis:
Journalism, Media Psychology, International Communication, Research Methods
Courses Taught:
CMP 1110: Media Writing; CMP 2241: Introduction to Public Relations; CMP3311: Business and Political Reporting, CMP 3309/5509: Communication Inquiry, CMP 4403/5503: Mass Communication & Society, CMP 6601: Communication and Media Studies
Selected Publications:
- Sharma, N. & Sivakumar, G. (2023). Social media, political discourse and the 2019 elections in India: Journalists’ perspectives on the changing role of the mainstream media in setting political agenda. Global Media and Communication journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/
17427665231186252. - Sharma, N. (2022). Digital moral outrage, collective guilt, and collective action: An examination of how Twitter users expressed their anguish during the COVID-19-related migrant crisis in India. Journal of Communication Inquiry, https://doi.org/10.1177/
01968599221081127. - Sharma, N. (2022). Populist leaders, and the social media platforms: analyzing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategic use of Twitter in the run-up to 2019 and 2014 elections. Media Asia journal. DOI: 10.1080/01296612.2022.2135269
- Sharma, N. (2021). An examination of viewers’ mental model drawings after they watched a transgender-themed TV narrative. Psychology of popular media culture. https://doi.org/10.1037/
ppm0000314 - Sharma, N. (2021). Satyajit Ray’s The Apu Trilogy: Understanding patriarchal modernity and women’s role in colonial Bengal. Media Watch Journal, 12 (2), 227-238, http://doi.org/10.15655/mw/
2021/v12i2/160148. - Sharma, N. (2020). The role of viewers’ performance of a narrative on their beliefs about transgender persons. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 1-19, https://doi.org/10.1080/
15456870.2020.1794866. - Sharma, N. (2020). Deriving meanings out of a fictional text: Analyzing readers’ performance of a narrative in India by using a mental models’ approach. Participations: Journal of Audience and Reception Studies, 17 (1). https://www.participations.
org/Volume%2017/Issue%201/6. pdf - Sharma, N. (2016). What do readers’ mental models represent? Understanding audience processing of narratives by analyzing mental models drawn by fiction readers in India. International Journal of Communication, 10, 26. https://ijoc.org/index.php/
ijoc/article/view/3911. - Sharma, N. (2020). Real-life projections and narrative engagement: A link between narrative transportation, real-life projections, and identification with characters in a polarizing TV drama about transgender persons. In S.S. Dunn & G. Nisbett (Eds) Innovations and Implications of Persuasive Narrative. Peter Lang Publications.
Awards & Honors
- Senior Research Fellowship, American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), 2023-2025.
- Professional Freedom & Responsibility (PF&R) Chair - International Communication Division- (AEJMC)- 2022-2023
- Kopenhaver Center Fellow, 2021: The Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication, AEJMC.
- Teaching Chair- Entertainment Studies Interest Group - Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC)- (2021-22).
- Faculty Senator - College of Arts & Letters (2021-2024).
- ISU Office of Research: Internal Small Research Grants (2021) $2000.
- ISU College of Arts & Letters- Travel Grant (2020, 2021, 2022).
- CAL course release award (Spring 2022; Spring 2023)
- Graduate Instructor of the Year (2014-2015), Department of Journalism and Media Communication, CSU, Spring 2016.
- Young Journalist of the Year Award, 2005. Press Club, Chandigarh (India).
Amanda Bennett
Assistant Lecturer
Office: Frazier Hall 216C
Education:
BA, Communication and Rhetorical Studies, Idaho State University; MA, Communication, Idaho State University
Emphasis:
Speech Communication; National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC)
Courses Taught:
Comm 1101: Principles of Speech, CMP 2261: Introduction to Advertising, CMP 3365: Ad Strategy Copywriting
Selected Publications
Knight, H. R., Hartman, K. L., & Bennett, A. (2019). Gun Violence, eSports, and Global Crises: A Proposed Model for Sport Crisis Communication Practitioners. Journal of Global Sport Management, 1-19.
Awards & Honors
Benny Award for Student Organization Advisor of the Year for her work with the NSAC team (2024)
Most Influential Teacher: ISU Women’s Volleyball Team (2018)
Andy Christensen
Associate Lecturer & Assistant Director ISU Bengal Debate
Office: Frazier Hall 325
Education:
BS, Communication & Public Relations, University of Idaho; MA, Communication, Idaho State University
Emphasis:
Rhetoric, Speech, Debate
Courses Taught:
COMM 1101 - Principles of Public Speaking; CMP 2201 - Business and Professional Speaking; CMP 3305 Intercollegiate Debate
Professor Christensen is recovering from over two decades in captivity as senior management for one of the nation's top resorts, after which he sought to pursue his lifelong dream of teaching at the university level [he simply doesn't have the patience, or vocabulary, to work in a pre-collegiate setting]. As a member of the Bengal Faculty, he brings to the classroom a background of leadership, team building, passion, straight talk, and humor. Christensen values the desire to learn as well as to teach, and celebrates the notion that there really must be a better hobby than political criticism.
Awards & Honors
Graduate of Management Tools, Inc. Hospitality Management and Leadership Quality Institute
Former Executive Officer in Idaho for DeMolay International
Member of the Alpha Kappa Epsilon Corporation
Member of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta
Member of Pi Kappa Delta Speech and Debate Association
Honorary member of the F.B.I. National Executive Institute
Elisa Johnson
Assistant Lecturer
Office: Frazier Hall 216E
Emphasis:
Speech Communication
Courses Taught:
Comm1101 Principles of Speech; CMP 2209 Persuasion; CMP 3308 Groups and Communication; ROAR 1199 First Roar
John Young
Assistant Lecturer
Office: Frazier Hall 219
Emphasis:
Video Production
Courses Taught:
CMP1110: Media Writing; CMP2202: Photo, Graphic, & Video Editing; CMP2271: TV & Video Production; CMP3371: Narrative Video Production; CMP4471: Advanced Video Production; CMP4475 Corporate Video Production
Kenneth Kim
Assistant Professor
Office: Frazier Hall 219
Education:
BA, Mass Communication, Korea University; MA, Communication, Korea University; PhD, Mass Communication (advertising emphasis), University of Florida
Emphasis:
Advertising, Strategic Communications, Framing
Courses Taught:
CMP 2203: Media Literacy; CMP 2261: Introduction to Advertising; CMP3365: Advertising Strategy and Copywriting; CMP 3367: Media Analytics, CMP 4406: National Student Advertising Competition
Dr. Kim teaches advertising subjects at ISU. His research focuses on the cognitive effects of various advertising tactics, with an emphasis on strategic message use and its impact on persuasiveness in health promotion and political advertising. Dr. Kim's scholarship has been recognized with the Best Paper Award from the International Journal of Advertising, as well as top paper awards from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Alumni Fellowship Award from the University of Florida.
Selected Publications:
- Kim, K. E., & McKinnon, L. M. (2023). An Experimental Study of the Effectiveness of Negative Campaign Messaging: Will Outcome Framing Work for Partisans in Polarized Politics? Journal of Creative Communications. 18(1), 26-39.
- Kim, K. E. (2021). Free Flu Shots vs. Herd Immunity in Flu Vaccination Advertising: The Interaction of Attribute Type and Message Sidedness on Flu Vaccination Judgment. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing. 15(2), 298-311.
- Kim, K. E., & Patnode, R. (2021). Sports Media versus News Media: Perceptions of Media Bias in Coverage of the NFL National Anthem Protest in 2017. Journal of Sports Media. 16(1), 1-19.
- Kim, K. E., & McKinnon, L. M. (2020). Framing financial advertising: message effectiveness in intertemporal choice. Journal of Marketing Communications. 26(3). 328-342
- Kim, K. E. (2020). Stealing Thunder in Negative Political Advertising: The Persuasive Impact of One-sided and Two-sided Negative Messages on Partisan Individuals. Journal of Creative Communications. 15(1), 7-18.
- Kim, K. E. (2019). The hostile media phenomenon: Testing the effect of news framing on perceptions of media bias. Communication Research Reports. 34(1), 35-44.
Awards & Honors
- College of Business Research Grant, Murray State University (2022)
- Research Sabbatical Award, Xavier University (2019-2020)
- Top Paper Awards: The Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC) (2018/2012/2011)
Emeritus Faculty
Paula Jull
Professor Emeritus
Emphasis:
Visual Communication & Graphic Design
Paula Jull specializes in graphic design, book arts, and photography. Professor Jull earned an MFA in printmaking at Indiana University's School of Fine Arts and is a founder of the Pocatello Book Arts Group and has exhibited in many regional and national exhibits. Her work is held in numerous private and public collections, including the Special Collections Departments of the Virginia Commonwealth University, the Otis College of Art, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah. Her books are also featured in 500 Handmade Books, 2nd ed., 500 Handmade Books, Volume 2, and Handmade Books, Studio Series, all published by Lark Crafts Press.
Bruce Loebs
Professor Emeritus
Emphasis:
Rhetoric
Dr. Bruce Loebs received his PhD from the University of Oregon. After five years of teaching and coaching debate at California State University at Hayward, he came to ISU as department chair in 1969, a position he held for 36 years. He taught courses in rhetoric including COMM 1101, Argumentation, American Public Address, the Rhetoric of Hitler and Churchill, and Rhetorical Issues.