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PRSSA shines with Star Chapter, Gold Key awards

Mississippi State University’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter is earning national recognition for its excellence in leadership, service and professional development, and one of its own is receiving a top individual honor.

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From the classroom to the West Wing: Carter invited for exclusive White House Tour

Mississippi State Assistant Professor Gil Carter recently experienced a rare, behind-the-scenes visit to the White House and cultivated the opportunity to speak with lawmakers about his work and the importance of political communication.

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CO Connection: Brandon Langlois

Mississippi State University Department of Communication, Media & Theatre Head, Dr. Terry Likes, interviews Brandon Langlois, MSU’s Senior Associate Athletics Director for Communication and Content. Langlois is a CO alumnus, who specialized in Public Relations and Broadcasting. After graduation, he took a job at the University of Arkansas. He came back to MSU in 2018 as Associate Director of Communication. In this interview, Langlois discusses his current role in how his office handles the media coverage for all things MSU Athletics. He also delves into the fact that athletics in the SEC does not have an off-season, State’s recent hiring of a new baseball coach, renovations to Davis-Wade stadium and more. His team recently won a ChangeMaker Innovation award.

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Campbell named PRAM Student of the Year

Mississippi State spring summa cum laude communication graduate Rileigh Campbell of Caledonia is the Public Relations Association of Mississippi’s Student of the Year. Chosen for the honor based on her academic achievements, public relations experience and involvement on campus and in the community, Campbell’s selection was announced during the organization’s recent annual conference in Biloxi.

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MSU’s newly renamed Department of Communication, Media and Theatre earns national accreditation

Mississippi State University’s newly renamed Department of Communication, Media and Theatre is now nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications for its undergraduate programs in broadcast and digital journalism, public relations and print and digital journalism.

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CO Connection: Josh Foreman

Mississippi State University Department of Communication, Media & Theatre Head, Dr. Terry Likes, interviews Josh Foreman, Instructor II, in the Print & Digital Journalism concentration. Foreman discusses the sixth edition of his non-fiction series of books, by delving into the Hidden History of Vicksburg and the Vicksburg gamblers. He also notes his Hidden History of Jackson and Hidden History of New Orleans books. This Hidden History series is branching out into audio books and a new series on YouTube is in development.

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Hernandez receives MSU Excellence in Advising Award

Dr. Terri Hernandez, a professor in Public Relations, was named the 2025 faculty recipient of the Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Award. Hernandez was evaluated on effective advising practices, including availability to advisees, meeting advisees in informal settings, perception by colleagues of nominee's advising skills, evidence of student success in the academic arena, frequency of contact with advisees, mastery of institutional regulations, policies, and procedures, monitoring of student progress toward academic and career goals, among other qualities.

Image Alternative Text: Communication Faculty Award Winners, Edmonds, Williams, and Gordon

Department honors Williams, Rudrow, Gordon, Edmonds with annual awards

The Department of Communication at Mississippi State University recently announced the winners of faculty awards for 2025 recognizing excellence in teaching, research and service as well as outstanding lecturer. During the department end-of-year award ceremony in April Kevin Williams, Keven Rudrow, Meaghan Gordon and Khristi Edmonds were honored for their contributions to the department.

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New era, new name: MSU announces the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre

Mississippi State University’s Department of Communication Tuesday [April 29] unveiled its name transformation to better reflect its evolving curriculum and industry alignment. “To meet the needs of this department, the change in name to ‘Communication, Media and Theatre’ is the next logical step,” said Department Head Terry Likes. “It is important to use terminology prospective students will understand and pursue.”

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MSU’s Take 30 News takes top honors for journalism awards

Mississippi State University’s Department of Communication student-produced newscast, Take 30 News, earned top honors this spring at the Society of Professional Journalists Region 12 Mark of Excellence Awards, winning Best All-Around Television Newscast—one of the contest’s most prestigious categories.

Image Alternative Text: Reflector student group photo with awards at MPA.

MSU student journalists at The Reflector win big at 2025 MPA summit

The Reflector student journalists took home three first-place awards this spring at the Mississippi Press Association’s O.C. McDavid Journalism Summit––walking away with a dozen top awards. The Reflector’s Editor-in-Chief Ivy Rose Ball, a senior communication major from Muscle Shoals, won multiple awards for a three-part investigation she conducted on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at MSU.

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CO Connection: Dr. Larry Strout

Mississippi State University Department of Communication, Media & Theatre Head, Dr. Terry Likes, interviews associate professor, Dr. Larry Strout, who will retire August 2025. Strout spent many years working in professional media before spending his final 18 years in teaching Media Law, and Media Wrriting at Mississippi State. Strout discusses what has made him most proud over his distinguished career, his time working in the media, and why he went back to school to earn additional credentials.

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.

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Seitz publishes chapter in handbook

Dr. Holli Seitz, an associate professor in Communication & Media Studies, recently published a practitioner reflection, "Using communication science to inform responsible crisis communication," in The Routledge Handbook on Crisis, Polycrisis, and Public Administration. Based on Dr. Seitz's experience with public health crises, this brief chapter provides evidence-based recommendations for communicators and public officials managing a crisis response.

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Bulldog PRism Awards celebrate MSU public relations excellence, honor longtime PR Professor John Forde

The recent Bulldog PRism Awards honored local and Mississippi State communications professionals in a big way this past month. Hosted by the Starkville-MSU Chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, or PRAM, the event included the announcement of the inaugural John E. Forde Mentorship and Service Award.