Image Alternative Text: Photo of Amy Knight Winning A&S Outstanding Teacher in Humanities 2025

Knight wins A&S outstanding teacher in humanities

The College of Arts & Sciences announced the 2025 award winners for outstanding teaching at its March general faculty meeting. Amy Knight, Communication & Media Studies instructor II, was awarded the 2025 A&S outstanding teacher in the humanities for her inspiring work transforming the lives of students.

Image Alternative Text: Carrie McCormick and Gil Carter show off awards from MCA conference

Two CMST faculty members win MCA awards

Two Communication faculty members were recognized for teaching and research excellence at the annual Mississippi Communication Association Conference. Gil Carter and Carrie McCormick earned top awards for their papers and presentations, respectively.

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CO Connection: Dr. Pete Smith

Mississippi State University Department of Communication Head, Dr. Terry Likes, interviews associate professor, Dr. Pete Smith. Smith discusses his new book, “Birddogs and Tough Old Broads: Women Journalists of Mississippi and a Century of State Politics, 1880s-1980s (Women in American Political History).” The evolution of the modern-day political journalist can be seen in the struggles and accomplishments of these women. Smith is a past president of the American Journalism Historians Association. He was named MSU’s 2023 Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year and was a 2021 recipient of MSU’s inaugural Humanities Fellowship Award from the Institute for the Humanities.

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‘Birddogs and Tough Old Broads’ book by MSU author highlights women journalists in Mississippi

Mississippi State faculty member Pete Smith showcases the experiences of women journalists throughout the course of a century in his new book “Birddogs and Tough Old Broads: Women Journalists of Mississippi and a Century of State Politics, 1880s-1980s.”

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EXCITE grant furthers adult vaccine education

Mississippi adults will continue to be offered science-based vaccine information by the Mississippi State University Extension Service with help from a national grant. MSU Extension received the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement, or EXCITE, grant to provide adult vaccine education in Mississippi. MSU was one of 37 institutions chosen for this award.

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Seitz presents research at ICA

Dr. Holli Seitz, an associate professor in Communication & Media Studies, attended the International Communication Association annual conference in May. She shares, “I was able to give an oral presentation of my research, co-authored with recent graduate Sarah Rendon, ‘Effects of Community-Engaged Learning on Student Perceptions and Outcomes’ and received excellent feedback.”

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CO Connection: Jessica Collier

Mississippi State University's Department of Communication Head Dr. Terry Likes interviews Dr. Jessica Collier, an assistant professor in Communication and Media Studies. Collier discusses her recent publications on the topic of fake news. Collier also specializes in political communication and has conducted research on the impact of news trust, scandal, and political efficacy. Her publication in the Center for Media Engagement is entitled, “Even in “news deserts,” people still get news.” Finally, Collier, who teaches courses in Communication Leadership, Elements of Persuasion, and Political Communication, offers advice for students.

Image Alternative Text: Dr. Holli Seitz

Dr. Holli Seitz & co-authors publish article in Health Promotion Practice

Associate Professor Holli Seitz and colleagues Antonio Gardner and Leah Pylate recently published a scholarly article on formative research they conducted with MSU students and parents to inform COVID-19 health communication efforts. The article, "Formative Research to Inform College Health Communication Campaigns About COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors," was published in Health Promotion Practice.

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Dr. Holli Seitz presents at 2023 Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators Conference

Dr. Seitz and colleagues from the HappyHealthy project (Dr. Laura Downey, Dr. Sylvia Byrd, and Drew Cole) presented results from an evaluation of the HappyHealthy social marketing campaign at the 2023 Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators (ASNNA) Conference. This virtual oral presentation, "Effects of a social marketing campaign (SMC) on campaign awareness, fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic," highlighted self-reported effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity and nutrition among Mississippians eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

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Dr. John Nicholson presents keynote for MCA

Associate Communication Professor Dr. John Nicholson presented "Engaged Learning and the Future of Communication" as the keynote address at the Mississippi Communication Association 96th Annual Convention in Jackson in February.

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Dr. Holli Seitz presents at 2023 AAC&U Conference

Associate Professor Dr. Holli Seitz and Department of Communication student Sarah Rendon presented their collaborative research on community-engaged learning at the 2023 American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Conference on General Education, Pedagogy, and Assessment. Their work, titled "Transforming health communication pedagogy through community engagement and experiential learning," reports on results from a recent implementation of community-engaged learning in Dr. Seitz's Health Communication course.

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Smith named MSU’s Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year

Pete Smith, an associate professor of communication at Mississippi State University, is MSU’s 2023 Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year. Smith will receive his award at the MHC’s annual ceremony in Jackson on March 24. Approximately 30 awards will be given to Mississippians whose work is recognized for bringing insights of the humanities to public audiences.

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CO Connection: Carrie McCormick

Mississippi State University's Department of Communication Head Dr. Terry Likes interviews Carrie McCormick. Carrie graduated from State, went on to earn a graduate degree, law degree and teach internationally. She is an Instructor in the Communication and Media Studies concentration teaching Communication Theory, Elements of Persuasion, Intro to Communication, Media Law and more.

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Knight named MSU’s first Luckyday Scholars Program Faculty Fellow

Mississippi State Department of Communication Instructor Amy Knight is the university’s first Luckyday Scholars Program Faculty Fellow. Knight’s career has deep roots with the Luckyday Program, having begun her service with the initiative in 2004 as a graduate assistant and then as assistant director in 2006 for two years at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Image Alternative Text: Carrie McCormick

Carrie McCormick presents at writing symposium

Carrie McCormick presented, ""Hey Y'all, Let's Talk About Dialect!," to educators from across Mississippi at the University of Mississippi's Transitioning to College Writing Symposium, providing an interactive workshop focused on integrating dialect into speaking and writing assignments.