Department of Communication Studies at SHSU

Giving back is at the heart of what we do. 💙
A heartfelt thank you to the Conroe ISD Community Outreach Coordinators for welcoming Lambda Pi Eta as we delivered donations of food and school supplies to support local students and families.
We are grateful for opportunities to connect service, scholarship, and community, and are proud to see our students making a meaningful impact beyond the classroom!

Our hearts are heavy as we grieve the loss of Will Davis. As members of the Sam Houston State community, we share in the sadness felt across campus and extend our deepest support to his loved ones, teammates, classmates, and all who are mourning. We honor his memory and stand with everyone affected by this profound loss.

Inst. Suzi Honeywell and her Communication for Business and the Professions class organized an afternoon of games, treats, and fun for the residents at the Carriage Inn in Huntsville! This event was part of an Academic Community Engagement (ACE) experience.

Last Wednesday, we hosted the Health and Communication Research Panel! It was a great afternoon full of discussion as we learned more about the research being done by faculty in different areas of health and communication. If you missed the event, you can watch a recording of the panel on our YouTube!
Many thanks to our panelists for sharing their time and research with us. Pictured left-to-right:
🐾Andrea Smith, PhD, RN, EBP-CH; Associate Professor, School of Nursing; “Sleep Hygiene Intervention in Hospitalized Antepartum Women”
🐾Sandra Wood, PhD; Lecturer, Dept. of Communication Studies; “Unveiling the Silent Suffering: Examining the Complexities of Disclosure and Concealment Strategies in Women Living with Obstetric Fistula”
🐾Monika Sawhney, PhD; Associate Professor, Dept. of Public Health; “Bridging the Gap: The Role of Strategic Communication in Shaping Global Public Health Behaviors”
🐾Peggy Taylor, MD; Assistant Professor, College of Osteopathic Medicine; “An Interdisciplinary Approach to Improving Prenatal Care Experiences in High- and Low-Risk Pregnancies”
🐾Praphul Joshi, PhD; Professor, Dept. of Public Health & Assistant Director for the Center of Research Excellence and Innovation; “Addressing Health Disparities in East Texas Using CBPR Model”
Additional thanks to Dr. Anya Lu (Assistant Professor) and Dr. Cindy Chen (Associate Professor) for hosting the panel; Dr. Frances Brandau (Professor, Department Chair) for her support and encouragement for interdisciplinary events; Dr. Akansha Sirohi (Visiting Professor) for helping manage the stream; and all of the guests who helped make the discussion wonderful.🧡

Dr. Sandra Wood presented her research “Health as a Human Right Through a Cultural Lens: African Immigrants’ Perspectives on Telehealth” earlier this month at the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication!

Dr. Wood’s research discovered several themes in participants’ perceptions of and experiences with Telehealth, including views of Telehealth enhancing access to providers and difficulties navigating the technology. Dr. Wood and her co-authors plan to further research the factors that influence these perceptions. Swipe to the end to view her poster!

Hello from Birmingham! This past weekend, our Department Chair Dr. Frances Brandau and alum Kami Jackson represented our program at the 36th Annual Theodore Clevenger, Jr. Undergraduate Honore Conference during the 96th Annual Southern States Communication Association Conference. Dr. Brandau also spoke to the students as the Executive Director of SSCA. Hoping to see some of you again as one of our Bearkats!

In Dr. Hubbards Pop Culture course, students worked on evaluating research questions within pop culture, as well as evaluating each others questions and topics to explore ideas for their final project.

Check Out a Story on Kats Shelf!
Ever wish you could sit down with someone and hear their story—real experiences, real talk about health and healthcare? That’s exactly what Kats Shelf is all about. This project brings together students from Community Applied Communication (Dena Horne) and Multicultural Health Issues (Adannaa Alexander), in partnership with Newton Gresham Library, to create an interactive storytelling experience.
Here’s how it works: selected faculty and staff have volunteered to become Storytellers. You can “check them out” for a 20-minute, one-on-one conversation about their health-related experiences. You can also come in groups of up to three and share the experience together. It’s a chance to listen, ask questions, and connect in a friendly, respectful space.
Kats Shelf kicks off Tuesday, April 21, and Wednesday, April 22, from 10 AM to 2 PM at Newton Gresham Library. Come by, check out a story, and see what connections you can make!