Randall-Griffiths Publishes Chapter in Health Comm Book

​Dr. Deleasa Randall-Griffiths, associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies, had a chapter published in Rachel Silverman and Jay Baglia’s book Communicating Pregnancy Loss: Narrative as a Method for Change. This volume is part of a health communication series edited by Gary L. Kreps.

Avtgis Honored with Academic Mentor Award

Each year, students are invited to nominate Ashland University faculty members for a prestigious Academic Mentor Award. Faculty members who are nominated have served as mentors to their students and have provided a track of excellent educational experiences for their students that include guidance, challenges, and opportunities above and beyond the classroom. These mentors have helped students to achieve not only academic excellence, but have been counselors to these students throughout their years at Ashland University. This year, senior Nell Cronin nominated Dr. Theodore Avtgis, chair and professor of communication studies, as her mentor.

Avtgis was one of eight faculty mentors honored at the 29th Annual Academic Mentor Awards recognition luncheon held on January 30 at the John C. Myers Convocation Center.
 
 "It truly is an honor to be nominated and selected for the Ashland University Academic Mentor Award by Nell. Nell was the first student I recruited to AU. Over the last four years we have worked on many projects and I consider her my academic daughter. To see how far she has come in that time is the biggest reward. The fact that she attributes even a small amount of her success to my influence is truly humbling," says Avtgis.

Nell Cronin is from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a senior double majoring in public relations and strategic communication and health and risk communication.
She presented Avtgis with an engraved silver plate and her nomination letter during the luncheon.

Avtgis, who came to AU in 2011, received his Ph.D. from Kent State University in 1999 and has assisted on the faculty of St. John’s University, West Virginia University, and the University of Akron. He has presented over 115 conference papers and has had the opportunity of publishing over 55 peer-reviewed book chapters and articles.

Concussions Causing Serious Concerns

by Halee Heironimus

Would you believe that sports are the third leading cause of concussions?  Believe it, because over the past three years, concussions have reached a more serious level that could consequently affect the future of sports.

Coaches and officials are beginning to experience the challenges that concussions bring to sports. Head football coach Lee Owens expressed his concern for football.

“The future of the game is in danger because of head injuries,” he said.

On Monday, March 24, Secretary of the Sport Communication Club Megan Salatino held a forum regarding concussions. Students and faculty gathered in the Student Center Auditorium to receive information and get their questions answered from six panelists: Owens, Mark Hamilton, Dariela Rodriguez, Melissa Snyder, Dennis Gruber and Mike Millward.

Questions included the myths, treatments, and studies of concussions over the years. The myth concerning how concussions happen is well-known; one has to be hit in the head to be concussed. That’s proven not always true, though; concussions can also occur by a severe jolt of the body.  

Another myth about treatments is that people shouldn't rest, that they should awake every four hours.  Panelists disagreed with that myth. It’s suggested that one must rest in a dark room for at least 24 hours with no phone, television or exciting music. Any activity that raises one’s blood pressure and heart rate raises symptoms.

Rodriguez, an assistant professor of Communication Studies, compared concussion symptoms as a “grey area” because every individual’s reaction is different.

One certainty, though, is the signs of concussions: dizziness, nausea, headache and the biggest sign, emotion instability.

Millward and Gruber, Director of Athletic Training, stated the impact concussions have on emotions.

“Players will say ‘My headache is gone, but I don’t feel like myself,’” Millward said.

Dr. Gruber said, “Emotion is the last sign to resolve.”

So how many concussions are too many? When is it time to quit? Again, it’s individualized, depending on the severity and recovery.

Panelists’ stated that each concussion you have, you are more likely to have a second one. Concussions tend to get worse after the first, and symptoms last longer. Multiple concussions, or even one severe, cause the brain to deteriorate, resulting long-term consequences such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, hearing loss, behavioral issues and even death.

Thankfully, the awareness of the severity with concussions has spread over the past few years. People are beginning to realize the long-term consequences and taking “the bell was rung” more seriously. For Ashland University, staff members conduct computer testing, also known as a neurocognitive test, a balance test, an impact test and a question test on all athletes.

“We now have a better understanding of what we need to do on our end,” said Gruber.

As for Coach Owens, he’s struggling with the progress. He reflected on how the game has changed over the last two to three years in order to prevent injuries, including limited contact during practice.

“It feels like we’re taking the physical part of the game away,” he said, “But if we don’t be proactive, we will lose the game completely.”

Millward compares the progress from a different perspective.

“It’s like warriors went to battle and got betrayed for what they went to battle for,” he said.

When it comes to concussions, many factors come into play. One thing is for certain, though, and that’s to take care of head injuries right away.

Faculty and Students Present Research at Conference

Several of the D.O.C.S. faculty and students presented research at the 104 annual meeting of the Eastern Communication Association annual convention held in Pittsburgh, PA. Senior Megan Wise of North Canton, OH, presented her work Detecting Deceptive Communication through Computer Mediated Technology: Applying Interpersonal Deception Theory to Texting Behavior.
“Presenting at the Eastern Communication Association Conference was an incredible experience for me both as a student and a professional,” Wise said. “I had the opportunity to present my research on a regional platform and I was also able to network with individuals in the communications field. I had a great time presenting my research on deceptive communication via text messaging and I enjoyed engaging in conversation with professionals who provided me with ideas to further my research.”

Senior Christina Miadich of Garfield Heights, OH, presented her work titled The Theory of Interpersonal Communication Motives: A Review of Literature. “Being able to present at the Eastern Communication Conference was a remarkable opportunity and great way to end my senior year,” Miadich said. “I am fortunate that the Department of Communication Studies at Ashland University is motivating students to complete their own research and encouraging them to present their research at conferences because it is a wonderful chance to grow as a student.”

Drs. Dariela Rodriguez and Theodore Avtgis also presented research at the conference.  Dr. Rodriguez participated in a round table discussion titled The Organizational Confluence of Health Care and Communication. Dr. Avtgis presented the following papers: 1. Communicating from the field of crisis: First responder communication; 2. Assessing the accuracy of trauma patient prioritization: Assessing the efficiency of the M.I.S.E.R. categorization and communication channel in crisis communication; 3. The longitudinal efficacy of communication instruction in a surgical residency program: Preliminary data; 4. Round table participant: The organizational confluence of health care and communication

Professor Rodriguez Receives Certification in Risk Management

Dr. Dariela Rodriguez recently received a certification in Risk Communication from the Harvard University School of Public Health.  Dr. Rodriguez attended the 4-day training taught by instructors from Harvard University, George Washington University, Kings College in London, and Newgate Communication, LLC.  Participants in the training included members of the Pentagon Joint Chiefs of Staff Risk Department, Shell Oil, Exxon Mobile, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the International Monetary Fund.  Dr. Rodriguez reported that she has made some invaluable connections that will assist our students greatly in the future.  This certification will also be of great value as the Department of Communication Studies gets ready to launch its new major in Health and Risk Communication.

Professor Publishes Article on Texting and Driving

Theodore A. Avtgis published the article "WR U TXTING B4 U CRASHED." Avtgis and a team of physicians from the West Virginia School of Medicine assessed the proclivity of teenagers to utilize computer mediated communication while driving and their perceptions of the practice regarding risk to self and others.  This article was published in the West Virginia Medical Journal.

FACULTY PRESENT MEDICAL COMMUNICATION RESEARCH INTERNATIONALLY

Dr. Rodrigues traveled to Toronto, Canada, to present research at the international conference titled, “Comics & Medicine: Navigating the margins.” The paper was co-authored with Dr. O’Rourke, our department’s primary scholar of comic book studies. Their paper was titled, “A Symbolic Bridge of Words and Images: The “Silver Scorpion” and Medical Communication” and focused on the specific context of intercultural understanding within the health care setting. The paper drew from theories of storytelling, visual literacy, narrative analysis and popular culture to emphasize the potential of comics to help overcome some of the barriers presented by an intercultural situation within the health care setting. Comic books are appropriately equipped to overcome these barriers since comic books bring together the benefits of multiple components such as sequential art (complex combination of visual and text), storytelling, and an overall familiarity across the world with the genre of comic books. 

The comic book “The Silver Scorpion” has an interesting back story since it was created by 13 Syrian students with disabilities and 10 American counterparts who came together at an international disability summit in 2010, learned about each other and discussed strategies for improving the rights and freedoms of the disabled. Dr. O’Rourke became aware of the comic, was fascinated by its origins, and saw its relevance to intercultural communication and the graphic medicine conference. He then collaborated with Dr. Rodrigues, our resident intercultural communication scholar, to develop the paper that was presented at the conference.

The conference drew presentations from medical practitioners and scholars from multiple disciplines including biomedicine, psychology, nursing, and counseling. Dr. Rodrigues found it particularly reaffirming to mark that the one recurring theme across all the presentations was the critical role communication played in the effective delivery of health services. Scholars in the discipline of communication studies have long been aware of this truth. It was gratifying to witness communication receiving its due significance at a conference that has been established by medical professionals.

PROFESSOR AVTGIS NAMED RESEARCH FELLOW

Dr. Theodore Avtgis was recognized as a Research Fellow at the annual conference of the Eastern Communication Association (ECA) held in Boston (April 24-29). The Research Fellow is the most distinguished research honor of the association and is representative of significant scholarly contribution of research and theory to the field of Communication Studies throughout one's career. ECA is the oldest communication association in the United States. At that same conference, Avtgis presented six papers on a variety of topics including physiological measurement techniques for aggressive communication, communication competence, humor communication in medicine, and positive communication structures in healthcare.    

Faculty Research Updates

Professor Dan O'Rourke and his son, Morgan B. O'Rourke, a sophomore at Ohio Wesleyan University, published the essay "It's Morning Again in America: Re-Imaging Superman for the 1980s" in The Ages of Superman: Essays on the Man of Steel in Changing Times. edited by Joseph Darowski. The essay examines a retelling of the Superman origin as a form of epideictic rhetoric and compares it to the famous Reagan advertising campaign of 1984.  Dr. O'Rourke also participated on a panel discussing "Hazing and Fraternities" for the Tau Kappa Epsilon.


 





Dr. Theodore Avtgis participated on a panel for an international teleconference that brought Editors from academic journals together to discuss the current state of publishing and offer advice to scholars trying to get work published in academic peer-reviewed journals.  The session, How to get published: Turning your convention papers into a publication, was presented by the National Communication Association and drew over 100 people.   Dr. Avtgis also was co-author of the paper Assessing effects of affirming communication education on surgical residents, which is a longitudinal effort of communication training and assessment of surgical residents targeted at increasing their overall communication competencies as well as meet the core competencies put forth by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (organization which oversees the post-MD medical training programs within the United States).

Faculty Research Updates

The faculty of the Department of Communication Studies have been busy traveling around presenting research, being elected to leadership positions, publishing, and acquiring needed materials for upcoming research studies.  Here are some highlights from October, 2011. 

Dr. Deleasa Randall-Griffiths has been busy listening to and telling stories this October.  The first weekend of the month she attended the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN where she enjoyed listening to some of the top-rated storytellers from around the world.  This year marked the 20^th anniversary of her first attendance in Jonesborough.  Later in the month she attended a workshop at Akron City Hospital presented by The Palette of Faith and the Summit 2010 Quality of Life Project  titled “Honoring the Stories: Enriching Meaning at the End of Life.”  The workshop focused on finding meaning in the end of life journey by harnessing the power of storytelling and listening as tools for grief and healing.  Dr. Randall-Griffiths also spent her fall break telling folktales to over 80 fourth-graders at Hillsdale Elementary School.  And, for the third year in a row she was the featured storyteller telling ghost stories for Ashland’s downtown Costume Capers event.   While she loves October and all the storytelling events it brings, Deleasa wants to remind everyone that “Any day is a good day to tell a story!”

Dr. Theodore A. Avtgis has been doing a bit of traveling. He presented a paper titled "Assessing the Effects of Affirming Communication Education on Surgical Residents"at the joint conference of the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare and the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare held in Chicago, Ill. The paper traces an ongoing longitudinal effort targeted at assessing surgical resident communication competency with both patients and members of the surgical team. The results of this study aretargeted at documenting compliance for ACGME core communication competencies required of all medical residents in the United States. The abstract for this paper was published in the journal Medical Encounter.  Avtgis believes that the contribution that communication scholars have a lot to offer the medical community and believes that "the possibilities for communication in the everyday practice of medicine are limitless should we choose to realize them."  He also traveled to the University of Findlay to the Ohio Communication Association annual meeting where he participated in a panel of journal editors on how to get published in communication peer-reviewed journals.  This panel was targeted at giving younger scholars advice on how to navigate the world of academic publishing.  He is the Editor-in Chief of the journal Communication Research Reports.  Avtgis was also elected to serve on the Executive Council of the Ohio Communication Association.

Dr. Ric Jensen wrote several articles related to sports media that recently appeared in The Encyclopedia of Sports Management and Marketing, which was published in September 2011 by Sage Press.

The articles Jensen wrote describe such issues as the ways in which national and sport-specific sports festivals are promoted and marketed; the need for sports organizations to market their teams to specific segments of fans; the growing strategic role of websites and new media by sports organizations; and the diverse ways that sports-related organizations market themselves to other businesses and trade associations.

The Encyclopedia was edited by Linda Swayne of and Mark Dodds of The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Mark Dodds of the State University of New York at Cortland. The web address for the encyclopedia is http://www.sagepub.com/books/Book230738?siteId=sage-us&prodTypes=any&q=encyclopedia+of+sports+management+and+marketing&fs=1

Dr. Rodrigues has been busy...

 Dr. Pravin Rodrigues recently published a case study entitled "Resistance to Change: Assessing Readiness for the Implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System at Meddev Inc." The case was published in the 2011 book, Cases and Exercises in Organization Development and Change, edited by Donald L. Anderson (SAGE publications). The case referred to the implementation of an ERP system at the North American location of a global manufacturing company.

Dr . Rodrigues also traveled to South America  and presented a keynote paper entitled, "Popular culture at and across Borders: Hazards and opportunities in a new information landscape" that opened the International Popular Culture Association Conference held in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Great Job Dr. Rodrigues!!