Honors and Awards

Honors (12)

  • 2022
    • Top Faculty Paper Competition (2nd place)—National Communication Association, Sport Communication Division. Awarded to the top three faculty research papers as rated during blind review.
  • 2021
    • Top Faculty Paper (3rd place)—National Communication Association, Public Relations Division. Awarded to the top three faculty research papers as rated during blind review.
  • 2020
    • Top Student Paper (1st place)—National Communication Association, Public Relations Division. Awarded to the top three student research papers as rated during blind review.
    • Rachel Davis Mersey Outstanding Ph.D. Student Award—Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Awarded to one Ph.D. candidate within the Hussman School to recognize a record of outstanding scholarship, service to the School and profession, and grades.
  • 2019
    • Top Student Paper (3rd place)—National Communication Association, Public Relations Division. Awarded to the top three student research papers as rated during blind review.
    • Top Open Competition Paper (2nd place)—Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Religion and Media Interest Group. Awarded to the top three research papers as rated during blind review.
    • Top Student Paper (3rd place)—International Communication Association, Public Relations Division. Awarded to the top three student research papers as rated during blind review.
    • 2019-2020 Competitive 4th year of Roy H. Park Fellowship Funding—The Triad Foundation. Awarded to one Ph.D. student to support the pursuit of a more ambitious dissertation. Valued at $60,000.
  • 2018
    • Top Student Paper (1st place)—International Communication Association, Public Relations Division. Awarded to the top four student research papers as rated during blind review.
    • Top Poster Award (2nd place)—4th International Summer School in Münster, Germany. Awarded to the top three student research posters.
  • 2016
    • Top Ten Finalist in the 3-Minute Thesis Competition—The Graduate School at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
    • James E. Grunig and Larissa A. Grunig Outstanding Thesis Award (3rd place)—International Communication Association, Public Relations Division. Awarded to the top four theses as rated during blind review.

Research Grants and Awards (6 grants/awards, totaling $31,183.68)

  • 2021 Page/Johnson Legacy Scholar Grant—The Arthur W. Page Center at the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State
    —Awarded $5,000 for the research project: Toward a caring government: Examining public relations practitioners’ approaches to ethics of care in the public sector
    —Role: Co-Principal Investigator with Dr. Chuqing Dong
  • 2021 Brooks Institute Signature Project Grant—The Brooks Institute at Clemson University
    —Awarded $9,233.68 for the research project: Examining the influence of relationships on societal engagement
    —Role: Co-Principal Investigator with Dr. Virginia Harrison and Dr. Brandon Boatwright
  • 2020 Summer School Teaching with Technology Mini-Grant—Center for Faculty Excellence and the Office of Summer School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    —Awarded $750 to adopt interactive software and instructional technologies that will enhance student participation and engagement
    —Role: Principal Investigator
    —Starting and Ending Dates: May 2020 to June 2020
  • 2019 Research Award—Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Mass Communication & Society Division
    —Awarded $10,000 for the research project: The Impact of Religion in Organizational Crises: An Examination of Religious Rhetoric and Religiosity
    —Role: Co-Investigator [PI: Dr. Lucinda L. Austin]
    —Starting and Ending Dates: August 2019 to August 2021
  • 2019 Competitive Eli A. and Minnie S. Rubinstein Research Award, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    —Awarded a $1,200 award for the research project: The Networked Devotional-Promotional Engagement Model: An Examination into Congregant Engagement and Religious Public Relations
    —Role: Principal Investigator
    —Starting and Ending Dates: April 2019 to April 2020
  • 2018 Summer Research Fellowship, The Graduate School at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    —Awarded a $5,000 award for the research project: The Networked Devotional-Promotional Engagement Model
    —Role: Principal Investigator
    —Starting and Ending Dates: May 2018 to August 2018
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