Graduate Programs in Communication and Information | The Graduate Program in Communication

Welcome and thank you for your interest in pursuing a graduate degree in communication at the University of Kentucky. Our college offers a PhD, MA, and an array of certificate programs where students have the opportunity to learn from and conduct research with renowned faculty. We have a collaborative culture and our students benefit tremendously from the diversity of interests of our faculty and colleagues across related areas of study. Regardless of whether your interests are scholarly or professional in nature, our program is here to serve you in the pursuit of your goals. I am enthusiastic about representing this prestigious program and welcome you to apply today!

Anthony M. Limperos, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Graduate Programs in Communication

For More Information Contact : GradComm@uky.edu

Application Deadline : January 5, 2020

Application Information

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Liz Spencer has been awarded the 2018-2019 Dissertation Year Award.

Elizabeth Spencer (M.A., Pittsburg State University; B.S., Missouri Southern State University) is a doctoral candidate researching interpersonal, family, and health communication. Liz has been actively engaged in multiple research projects while at the University of Kentucky. Her dissertation will examine the influence of conversation goals and communication quality on family relational dynamics while navigating Alzheimer’s disease. Her scholarship includes several conference presentations, refereed publications, and book chapters investigating interpersonal communication issues and media messages in relation to Alzheimer’s disease, dementia patients, their caregivers, dementia care facilities, as well as media coverage of health issues. Liz has been the instructor of record for 11 different courses, including health, interpersonal, and organization communication, and persuasive speaking courses.

Erin Hester has been awarded the 2018-2019 R. Lewis Donohew Graduate Fellowship.

Erin is a PhD student committed to strategic and mass communication. She joined our program this year after working for the Kentucky Department for Public Health on several statewide health and risk prevention campaigns. Erin is currently working on a number of projects with Drs. Bobi Ivanov and Kimberly Parker involving inoculation theory and is leading a project focused on the prevention and mitigation of poor outcomes associated with college shootings. Her research interests include persuasion, message design, social entrepreneurism, and moral decision making. When she isn’t reading for class or catching up on lesson planning, she is working with Sarah to edit chapters for Drs. Dan and Mary John O’Hair’s forthcoming Handbook of Applied Communication Research.

Sarah Bell has been awarded the 2018-2019 Martha and Howard Sypher Memorial Graduate Scholarship.

Sarah is a second year master's student studying health communication. During her time in the department of communication she has been a part of multiple research initiatives. Including, work with Dr. Kevin Real on the Interprofessional Teamwork Innovation Model (ITIM) that is used in UK Healthcare hospitals. Support and development of patient, provider, and family resources on the FindHelpNowKY.org website. This website aims to help people with substance use disorders (SUDs) quickly find recovery and rehab centers across Kentucky. Further, Sarah created a YouTube channel called KeepingItCom which promotes communication research in an easy to understand format for the general public. So far, the publication has 2 videos, and is set to release 3 more this spring. Finally, Sarah's thesis focuses on non-professional health influencers in the ostomy community on YouTube. She is aiming to better describe these communities as a source of online social support and connection for people with ostomies. Sarah will be graduating this May with her master's and has plans to purse a PhD in communication.

Sarah Geegan has been awarded the 2018-2019 Bruce H. Westley Memorial Scholarship.

Sarah is a second-year PhD student. She received her B.A. and M.A. from UK, where she works full-time as an executive communication specialist reporting to UK’s Chief Communication Officer. She has, for five years, taught in the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication both in Lexington and internationally, through UK Education Abroad. Sarah’s research interests include strategic communication, persuasion, social influence, and social marketing. She currently is working on a variety of projects involving inoculation theory with Drs. Bobi Ivanov and Kimberly Parker, as well as a social marketing research project with her fellow PhD student, Erin Hester. Sarah also serves as an editorial assistant to Drs. Dan and Mary John O’Hair for their forthcoming Handbook of Applied Communication Research.

Kaylee Lukacena-Buzzetta has been awarded the 2018-2019 Palmgreen Fellowship Fund.

Kaylee M. Lukacena-Buzzetta is a third-year doctoral student and instructor in the College of Communication and Information. Kaylee is invested in researching the intersection of health campaigns and interpersonal communication. Her recent research explores the perceptions survivors of intimate partner violence hold in regard to the supportive messages they receive from friends and family. At UK, Kaylee has taught a variety of interpersonal and organizational communication courses. She is currently teaching COM 325, Introduction to Organizational Communication, and COM 352, Interpersonal Communication and Social Media. Kaylee also serves as the Event Coordinator for the Communication Graduate Student Association. Kaylee enjoys hiking the Kentucky mountains with her husband, Vinny, and their two dogs, Stormy and Yuengling.

Lauren Roberson has been awarded the 2018-2019 Carozza Graduate Fund for Excellence in Health Communication.

Lauren Roberson is a teaching assistant in the department of Communication. She is also a second-year doctoral student studying health and strategic communication. Lauren has a background in nutrition, receiving both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky. Lauren’s research interests include: health interventions, nutrition and aging, diabetes education and self-management, health campaigns and malnutrition to name a few. In her free time, Lauren enjoys playing with her pug and chug at the dog park, landscaping and listening to oldies with her husband, James.

Will Silberman has been awarded the 2018-2018 Dorothy M. Carozza Memorial Fellowship.

Will is a PhD student originally from Los Angeles, CA. Will received his B.A. from the University of La Verne in Speech Communications in 2014. He received his his M.A. from San Diego State University in Communication in 2017, where he worked with Drs. Brian Spitzberg, Rachael A. Record, and Lourdes S. Martinez on various mixed-method research projects on anonymous social media (Reddit, Yik Yak) use, strategic persuasive communication strategies, threat assessment, and stalking analyses. Here at UK, Will works with his advisor, Dr. Anthony Limperos, on privacy theory development, experimental methods and video game research, as well as the dark side of mass media. Will's current research interests include the dark side of computer-mediated communication, privacy, health communication, media abuse, and privacy violations. He is also an avid coffee drinker.

Application Deadline : January 5, 2020

CONGRATULATIONS!

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