Michigan State University Communication Department

Last week, our COMMunity proudly celebrated 10 exceptional students who were awarded college‑level scholarships for the 2026–2027 academic year! Their hard work, dedication, and achievements truly shine—please join us in congratulating this outstanding group!

Scholarship Recipients (as pictured):�

Front row (left to right): Nora Robertson, Kamron Beal, Autumn Cottrell, Crystal Davis; Back row (left to right): Hamin Kwon, Leah Willingham, Zachary Mullins, Isabelle Bocian; Not pictured: Gloria Lee

Our COMMunity is proud to congratulate Health and Risk MA (2018) and Communication PhD (2023) alum Youjin Jang on receiving the Top Early Career Scholar‑led Paper Award at the 2026 Kentucky Conference on Health Communication. Her award‑winning research highlights the power of interactive, text‑based va**ng prevention programs to spark meaningful and positive conversations among youth.

Our COMMunity congratulates Monique Turner, Department Chair, on being named Michigan State University's 2026 recipient of the Simmons Chivukula Award for Academic Leadership!

This prestigious university award recognizes Monique's leadership and honors her outstanding commitment to foster effective, equitable, and inclusive academic communities. This is the 2nd year in a row that faculty leaders from Michigan State University College of Communication Arts & Sciences have received this honor!

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

We are very proud to celebrate the recognition of Jong In Lim from our COMMunity who is one of two individuals from Michigan State University College of Communication Arts & Sciences who received Michigan State University's 2026 Excellence in Teaching Citation Award!!

The Excellence-in-Teaching Citation is a distinction given to graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate exceptional care, skill, and dedication in the classroom. This honor highlights the vital contributions graduate instructors make to the undergraduate experience.

Congratulations Jong on this well-deserved recognition!

🎉 Big congratulations to Spartan standout Casmiera A. Thorman! 🎉

Casmiera is a Masters student in the Department of Communication’s Health & Risk Communication program at MSU has been named a 2026 scholarship recipient by The LAGRANT Foundation! She was selected as one of just 55 students nationwide, earning the Healthcare Marketing & Communications Scholarship.

We’re so proud to see our Communication students making waves and representing MSU in such a big way—way to go, Casmiera! 💚🤍

For more information about The Largent Foundation, visit their website: https://lagrantfoundation.org/

🎉 Congratulations to Hee Jung Cho!

We are proud to celebrate the successful completion of her Preliminary Defense. Her research, “Emotional Shift Dynamics and Persuasive Outcomes: A Look at Nostalgia and Regret Appeals,” offers valuable insights into emotional messaging and persuasion. Well done, Hee Jung—an outstanding milestone! 👏