UConn Today – February 25, 2025

Harvey Ronald Gilbert, Professor Emeritus and former head of the Department of Communication Sciences, passed away on Feb. 8, 2025, at his home in State College, Pennsylvania. 

Gilbert joined the University in 1990 and served as the head of the Department of Communication Sciences until 2005. After his retirement, the field of communication sciences split into the Department of Communication and the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. His influence as an administrator, educator, and researcher continues to shape our Department of Communication today.

Gilbert had a reputation for leading with integrity and fairness, as well as supporting junior faculty. Read more about Harvey Gilbert on UConn Today.

The Conversation – February 14, 2025

The last time you scrolled through the “For You” page on TikTok, did you come across a video about current events? Politics? Breaking news?

Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch is an associate professor of communication technology and explains three crucial things to know about the news you see on TikTok: What videos count as news, how they got to you, and what you should do when you see them.

It is important to know the source of your news and information, especially in our technologically advanced world. “Unlike in the past, when more of our news came from mainstream media – such as reading the same city newspaper or watching the same local news – now we may not know what news someone else is getting. If you see a lot of content about the same topic, that’s likely because of the algorithm customizing your feed, not necessarily because it’s the most important topic in the news.” Oeldorf-Hirsch says.

Read more about Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch’s research and insight on The Conversation.

UConn Today – November 13, 2024

Anna Heqimi ’25 (CLAS) and Jahon Boothe ’25 (CLAS) have been selected as Fall 2024 Media Fellows by the Washington Media Scholars Foundation. 

Heqimi, a journalism and communication major, and Boothe, a communication major at the Stamford campus, are the first students from UConn and the first in Connecticut to receive this scholarship. They are among only 65 students selected nationwide. 

“I feel very honored and privileged to have won it, and to have the opportunity to meet new people and network with professionals as well as other students who won this award,” Heqimi says. 

The scholarship is sponsored by media industry leaders, including Gray Television and The Washington Post, and was established to recognize and support outstanding students pursuing careers in media-related fields. 

“Honestly, it feels pretty great to get it,” Boothe says. “I honestly did not think that anyone in Connecticut knew about the scholarship. It was pretty good to know that I made an impact.”  

Learn more about the Media Fellows and their post-graduation plans on UConn Today.

UConn Today – November 5, 2024

Amanda Cooper, assistant professor of communication, studies interpersonal communication. Cooper’s research is at the intersection of interpersonal, family, and health communication. 

Research indicates that an increasing number of college students are experiencing loneliness. According to a May 2024 report by the virtual college healthcare provider TimelyCare, in partnership with youth mental health nonprofit Active Minds, nearly 65% of college students reported feeling lonely, with 28.4% reporting often feeling isolated, 23.1% being left out, and 21% lacking companionship.

Cooper provides guidance on navigating feelings of loneliness and offers ways for students to address them.  

“My recommendation for anyone feeling isolated is to start practicing the art of conversation…Building communication skills is important, and simply starting a conversation can go a long way.” Cooper shares.

Learn more about Amanda Cooper’s research and insight on UConn Today.

UConn Today – August 27, 2024

Professor of Communication Carolyn Lin was inducted as a Fellow of the International Communication Association (ICA). 

The ICA has over 7,000 members across more than 85 countries. Since 2003, the organization has been officially associated with the United Nations as a nongovernmental organization.  

Fellows are selected for their distinguished scholarly contributions to the broad field of communication.  Lin’s research and teaching interests focus on strategic, risk, and science communication in the contexts of marketing, public health, climate change, public opinion, intercultural competence, and human-computer interaction. 

Read the story on UConn Today.