Mass Media and Communication Doctoral Program
MM&C Other News
Recently Defended Dissertations
Congratulations to Guillermo Avila-Saavedra, who successfully defended his dissertation on April 17, 2008. His dissertation is titled, "The Latino Trend: Identity, Influence, and Transformations in U.S. Television," and the members of his dissertation examination committee were Carolyn Kitch (Dissertation Chair), Fabienne Darling-Wolf, Nancy Morris and Carolina Acosto-Alzura (University of Georgia, outside reader).
Congratulations to Leanne Chang, who successfully defended her dissertation on April 24, 2007. The title of her dissertation is "Measuring Participation as Communicative Action: A Case Study of Citizen Involvement in and Assessment of a City's Smoking Cessation Policy-Making Process." The members of her dissertation examination committee were Thomas Jacobson (Dissertation Chair), Nancy Morris, Priscilla Murphy, and Douglas Storey (Johns Hopkins University; outside reader).
Congratulations to Dawn Gilpin, who successfully defended her dissertation on May 8, 2008. The title of her dissertation is "Organically Grown: Emergent Power and Influence in Complex Issue Networks." The members of her dissertation examination committee were Priscilla Murphy (Chair), Carolyn Kitch, Nancy Morris and David McKie (Waikato University in New Zealand; outside reader).
Congratulations to Rebecca Hains, who successfully defended her dissertation on May 10, 2007. The title of her dissertation is "Negotiating Girl Power: Girlhood on Screen and in Everyday Life." The members of her dissertation examination committee were Carolyn Kitch (Dissertation Chair), Renee Hobbs, Fabienne Darling-Wolf, and Sharon Mazzarella (Clemson University; outside reader).
Congratulations to Matthew T. Jones, who successfully defended his dissertation on April 16, 2008. His dissertation is titled, "Found in Translation: Structural and Cognitive Aspects of the Adaptation of Comic Art to Film," and the members of his dissertation examination committee were Matthew Lombard (Dissertation Chair), Michael Maynard, John Lent and Cheryl Campanella Bracken (Cleveland State University, outside reader).
Congratulations to Sueen Noh, who successfully defended her dissertation on April 16, 2008. Her dissertation is titled, "Negotiating Gender and Culture: Korean Women's Reading Japanese Girls' Comics," and the members of her dissertation examination committee were Fabienne Darling-Wolf (Dissertation Chair), Nancy Morris, John Lent, and Kathleen Uno (History Department, outside reader).
Congratulations to Pamela Poe, who successfully defended her dissertation on February 23, 2007. The title of her dissertation is "'Health-Media Literacy' for the Elderly: How Do Older Persons Perceive Health Information and Marketing Messages in Print and Televised Drug Advertisements?" The members of her dissertation examination committee were Jan Fernback (Dissertation Chair), Fabienne Darling-Wolf, Sheryl Ruzek (Department of Public Health) and Gary Kreps (George Mason University; outside reader).
Congratulations to Rick Popp, who successfully defended his dissertation on April 17, 2008. His dissertation is titled, "Magazines, Marketing, and the Construction of Travel in the Postwar United States," and the members of his dissertation examination committee were Carolyn Kitch (Dissertation Chair), Nancy Morris, Andrew Mendelson and Kenneth Kusmer (History Department, outside reader).
Congratulations to Holly (Yunhe) Shi, who successfully defended her dissertation on July 17, 2007. The title of her dissertation is "Framing Corporate Reputation: A Comparative Study of the Images of Canary Wharf in the Media." The members of her dissertation examination committee were Michael Maynard (Dissertation Chair), Cornelius Pratt, James Hunt (Department of Marketing) and Shanyang Zhao (Department of Sociology; outside reader).
The MM&C students listed here have successfully defended their dissertation proposal and are conducting the research project under the supervision of the committee members listed.
Irene Berkowitz
Committee: Concetta Stewart (Chair), Jan Fernback, Evelyn Tribble and Thomas Gordon
Dissertation Title: And the Debate Goes On: An Exploratory Study of the Impact of New Communication Technologies on Academic Research
Dianne Garyantes
Committee: Nancy Morris (Chair), Andrew Mendelson, and Fabienne Darling-Wolf
Dissertation Title: Culturally Competent Journalists: Toward a New Norm of Understanding
Rebecca Kern
Committee: Fabienne Darling-Wolf (Chair), Carolyn Kitch, and Bonnie Brennen
Dissertation Title: Queer Female Representation and Meaning Making: Reading and Reception of The L-Word
Melissa Lenos
Committee: Carolyn Kitch (Chair), Fabienne Darling-Wolf and Noel Carroll (Philosophy Department)
Dissertation Title: Deja View: Cultural Functions of Hollywood Remakes
Suman Mishra
Committee: Matthew Lombard (Chair), Nancy Morris and Michael Maynard
Dissertation Title: Party Portrayals and their Influence in Alcohol Consumption and Outrageous Behavior Among College Women
Heather Muse
Committee: Jan Fernback (Chair), Nancy Morris, and Carolyn Kitch
Dissertation Title: Believe: Mythology, Ritual and Identity in Media Portrayals of the 2004 Boston Red Sox and Red Sox Nation
James O'Connor
Committee: Andrew Mendelson (Chair), Carolyn Kitch, and Bonnie Brennen
Dissertation Title: Resisting the Melting Pot Through Ethnic Newspapers: History and Function of the "Irish Echo"
Margaret Rakus
Committee: Carolyn Kitch (Chair), Nancy Morris, and Andy Mendelson
Dissertation Title: Magazine Representations of American Celebrity Mothers, 1990-2005
Melissa Retano
Committee: Jan Fernback (Chair), Fabienne Darling-Wolf, and Andrew Mendelson
Dissertation Title: Constructing Gay Adoption: The Discursive Struggle Between Interest Groups, Politicians, and Celebrities
Gwen Shaffer
Committee: Jan Fernback (chair), Concetta Stewart, and Zizi Papacharissi
Dissertation Title: Peer-to-Peer Pressure: How Wireless Signal Sharing is Impacting Digital Inclusion Efforts
Committee: Carolyn Kitch (chair), Nancy Morris, and Andrew Mendelson
Dissertation Title: American Ideal: How American Idol Constructs Celebrity, Collective Identity, and American Themes
Lydia Reeves Timmins
Committee: Matthew Lombard (Chair), Andy Mendelson, and Ed Trayes
Dissertation Title: Local TV News: Reconditioning the Media and their Audience
Jiwon Yoon
Committee: Renee Hobbs (Chair), Fabienne Darling-Wolf, and John Lent
Dissertation Title: Media Literacy Education to Promote Cultural Competence and Adaptation among Diverse Students: A Case Study of North Korean Refugees in South Korea
Current Approved Dissertation Committees
The MM&C students listed here have formed their preliminary examination and dissertation advisory committees and are preparing to take their exams and defend their dissertation proposal.
Jennifer Mintzer
Committee: Carolyn Kitch (Chair), Andrew Mendelson and Paul Swann (Film & Media Arts)
Dissertation Proposal Title: Gender Portrayals in U.S.-Issued Film Posters
Megan Scala
Committee: Michael Maynard (Chair), Zizi Papacharissi, and Renee Hobbs
Dissertation Proposal Title: Framing The Fat City: A Study Of Obesity Coverage In Philadelphia And Effectiveness Of The City's "Fun, Fit & Free" Campaign
Congratulations to MM&C student Banu Akdenizli and her husband Derya. Their son, Deniz, was born April 14th, 2003. He weighed 8 pounds and 2 ounces (3.7 kg.) and was 21 1/4 inches (54 cm.) long.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Cheryl Bracken and her husband Enda. Their daughter, Siobhan Irene (pronounced Sha-von), was born on December 20, 2003. She weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long.
Congratulations to MM&C student Su Hi Choi, who married Benjamin Clanton on Sunday, December 22, 2002.
Congratulations to Professor Fabienne Darling-Wolf and her husband John. Their daughter Mai was born on Thursday January 8, 2004; she weighed 8 pounds.
Congratulations to MM&C student Melissa Garrison, now Melissa Retano, who married Jon Retano on October 18, 2003 in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania. Melissa and Jon welcomed a baby boy, Jake Thomas Retano, on November 17, 2006. He weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Rebecca Hains and her husband Tyler, on the birth of their baby Theodore. Theo was born on September 20, 2008, weighing 7 lbs 11 oz and measuring 20 long.
MM&C alum Rebecca Hains has a 'second career' as a singer. In December 2005, she was a featured soloist in a performance with the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival at The American Theatre of Actors-Chernuchin Theatre in New York, and she appeared as soprano soloist in Handel's "Messiah" with the Broomall Stake Choir and Orchestra. Rebecca and her husband Tyler frequently appear in Gilbert & Sullivan operas in the Philadelphia area. Rebecca has also performed internationally: In summer 2005, at the 12th International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in Buxton, England, she played the principal soprano roles in Utopia, Limited and Iolanthe (the latter took third prize in the festival). Some photos from these productions are online here. The previous summer, she played the role of Mabel in "The Pirates of Penzance" at the 11th International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival. She was cast from an international pool of candidates who auditioned via videotape. The cast rehearsed together for 10 days prior to the performance.
Congratulations to MM&C student Alina Hogea and her husband Matthias Thiemann on the birth of their son Karl Andrei on Saturday, September 27, 2008. Karl Andrei was 8.6 pounds and 21 inches.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Lisa Holderman and her husband John Faye. Their son Sean Holderman Faye was born on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 at 10:44am, weighing in at 8 pounds 15 ounces, and measuring 21.5 inches in length. Their daughter, Natalie Kim Faye, was born on Friday August 3, 2001 and weighed 7 pounds and 13 ounces and was 24.5 inches long (in heels).
Congratulations to MM&C student Karl Horvath and his wife Diane. Their new baby boy, Mark Christian Horvath, was born on Thanksgiving, Thursday November 22, 2001, at 8:45 a.m. He weighed 7 pounds and 4 ounces.
Congratulations to MM&C student Matthew Jones and his wife Liz, who were married on October 18, 2003 in New Jersey.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Susan Kahlenberg and her husband Wayne. Susan gave birth to TWINS on Saturday August 24, 2002. They were 6 weeks early, but Little Bram (Abraham) and Emma are healthy.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Warat Sudjai Karuchit and his wife Arada. Their daughter Ninarin was born on Sunday, November 16, 2003 and their second child was born November 21, 2006. Matawin (nickname: Knack) weighed 8.2 pounds and Warat reports that "He seems to be an easy, but hungry, boy. Mommy and baby are doing well. Neen [sister Ninarin] loves his little brother very much and tries to help all the time!"
Congratulations to former MM&C student Ki Jung Lee, who wed Sang Eun Kim on October 1, 2003 in Seoul, South Korea.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Arthur Lizie and his wife Susan Levasseur. Their son, Orson Reymond Lizie, was born October 3, 2007. They also have a daughter, Eloise Marguerite Lizie, born on May 28, 2004 (weighing 7 pounds and 4 ounces, 21 inches long, with long fingers, long feet and a full head of hair).
Congratulations to MM&C alum Dandan Liu and her husband, Zhili Wang, on the birth of their baby girl, Yao Wang. Yao was born on April 23, 2007, weighing 7 pounds 15 ounces, and measuring 20 inches.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Jodi Linder Radosh and her husband Lee. Their second child, Danielle Hannah, was born on March 5, 2005, weighing in at 7 pounds 10 ounces. Their first child, Rachel Lily, was born on July 21, 2002.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Jennifer Snyder-Duch and her husband Joe. Their daughter Gabriella Rose (Ella) was born on Friday July 2, 2004; she weighed 7 lbs 12 oz and was 20.5 inches long.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Yan Tian, who wed Huiwu Wang on August 28, 2003 in Beijing, China.
Congratulations to MM&C student Lydia Timmins and her husband Steve. Their daughter, Phoebe Reeves Timmins, was born on April 21, 2008. She weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 21 3/4 inches long. Mom and child are healthy and happy.
Congratulations to MM&C alum Olga Vilceanu and her husband Stefan, whose second daughter Ilinca was born Wednesday November 5, 2003. Ilinca weighed 8 pounds and was 20 inches long.
Congratulations to MM&C student Anna Zaks, who wed Igor Zuckerman on March 25, 2004 on the island of Maui, Hawaii.