School of Communications students dive into SURF

More than 30 School of Communications students will make presentations at Elon's Student Undergraduate Research Forum April 10. Faculty members mentoring this year's research include Connie Book, Jessica Gisclair, George Padgett, Brooke Barnett, Betty Hatch and Janna Anderson. Most of the school's faculty members will also be participating in SURF as moderators and/or respondents.

A record number of Elon students applied to present at SURF this year. The 2002 event involves 150 students and 70 faculty mentors at 100 events. Members of the Undergraduate Research Advisory Committee reviewed abstracts from students interested in participating in the event and singled out only the finest.

The SURF presentations will take place from noon to 6:30 p.m. at locations all over campus. Following is the schedule of communications participants.

Session I - 12-12:50 p.m. - McEwen 011, McMichael 115, Moseley 215

"Mission America 2002." McEwen 011. Mary Taylor (with Cheryl Burckle, Abby Neville). Faculty mentor: Michael Frontani.

"An Ethnographical Study of Corporate Culture." McMichael 115. Katie Beaver, Ellen Foust, Megan Livengood and Jana Southworth. Faculty mentor: Betty Hatch.

"The Open Access Debate." Moseley 215. Melissa Dodge, Holly Edwards, Lindsay Molnar and Audrey Seagraves. Faculty mentor: George Padgett.

Session II - 1-1:50 p.m. - McEwen 011

Communications Panel on the Impact of 9/11: "Effects on Mass Media from 9-11-01," Janel Boyd. Faculty mentor: Connie Book. "The Impact of the Events of September 11th on the Wireless Telephone Industry," Tara Chavez and Brette DeSessa. Faculty mentor: Connie Book. "Advertising During Tragedy: Where a Company's Loyalty Lies," Elizabeth Snavely. Faculty mentor: Jessica Gisclair. "Ethics and News Reporting of the September 11 Attacks and Aftermath: The Fourth Estate of Fourth Branch of Government," Erica Stanley. Faculty mentor: Jessica Gisclair. "The Changing Role of the Journalist: September 11, 2001," Allison Deiboldt. Faculty mentor: Brooke Barnett.

Session III - 2:30-3:15 p.m. - McMichael 115

Ethnography and Media Analysis Session: McMichael 115. "Media Coverage of NASCAR Following Driver Deaths," Guillermo Furlan. Faculty mentor: Connie Book. "Sex and the City: Images of Women on Cable Television," Taresa LaRock. Faculty mentor: Connie Book.

Session III - 2:50-3:50 p.m. - McMichael 102

"The Impact of College Media: A Look at Past Pendulum Editors and How the Newspaper Changed Their Lives." McMichael 102. Katie Beaver, Jennifer Guarino, Samiha Khanna, Lindsay Porter, Annette Randall, Elizabeth Sudduth and Jessica Vitak. Faculty mentor: Janna Anderson.

Poster Session & College Coffee - 3:30-5 p.m. - Koury Concourse

"Stereotypes and Gender Roles: An Analysis of the Top Ten Selling Video Games," Shelby Brown and Liz Burris. Faculty mentor: Connie Book. "The Portrayal of Females in Teen Magazine Advertisements," Brette DeSessa. Faculty mentor: Connie Book. "Ethics and Execution - Media Hype of McVeigh," Allison Deiboldt. Faculty mentor: Jessica Gisclair.

Session IV - 4:30-6:30 p.m. - McMichael 102

Communications Sessions: "Logging on and Grabbing the Remote: Reality Television and the Internet," Jennifer Koch and Liane Champagne. Faculty mentor: Connie Book. "Communications Collision: Media Convergence in the 21st Century," Jason Diebler, Melissa Dodge, Samiha Khanna, Carmen Phillips and Lauren Vilis. Faculty mentor: Michael Frontani. "Perspectives on China: Self-Reported Media Ownership and Use Among Chinese College Students," Jessica Vitak and Taresa LaRock. Faculty mentor: Connie Book. "Investigating America's War on Drugs," Jessica Vitak. Faculty Mentor: Connie Book. "Instant Messaging. Changing the Face of Communication," Kevin Burrows. Faculty mentor: Connie Book.