Research and Creative Activities

My professional vision statement is to empower others through communication to quest for knowledge, believe in their ability to change, and foster accountability systems. My research agenda and creative activities support my professional vision by studying communication technologies, critiquing public discourse, and creating content related to my work.

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Creative Activities and Service to Campus

I have leveraged my video production skills, which were largely self-taught, to create content for my staff role as Professional Practice Specialist and Academic Review Coordinator.

Wrote, produced, and edited videos for first-time and transfer students in collaboration with Admissions, Orientation, and the Registrar.
- Video informs students about Liberal Arts Curriculum
- Video informs students about Holds
Developed the Advising Hub for UNC by designing, building, and writing all the copy across multiple web pages using OU Campus for web development: www.unco.edu/advising and www.unco.edu/student-acdemic-success
Created video for technical writing courses, including a guest lecture on networking, and podcast lectures for my hybrid course.
Partnered with the Center for Teaching and Learning on advising topics to support faculty at the University of Northern Colorado: a blog post, advising presentations, general education (Liberal Arts Curriculum) advising.

I plan to continue improving my video and web skills by creating content for my courses and beginning a blog/vlog to share transition and study tips (similar to my work for @unco_success) targeted towards students looking for more support and open to transferring institutions.

Presentation, Publication, & Research Agenda

I focus my discipline research efforts on communication technologies and media criticism. Professionally, my projects relate to academic advising and professional development practice. Both agendas demonstrate my ability to interact and communicate professionally within fields needed university contributions.

I have presented at several Communication-field conferences while a graduate student.

International Communication Association | May. 2019
- Presenting Wakanda Forever or America First? Racial Discourse in Online Responses to Black Panther
Western States Communication Association Conference
- Feb. 2019 | Presented Working on My Hair: Televised Representations of Black Women in Fictional Workplaces
- Feb. 2017 | Presented More than a Bad Hair Day: Problematic Framing of Natural Hair in ABC’s Scandal

I won the Graduate Student Council Research Top Scholar Award in 2017 for my thesis work at Colorado State University. Then, in the Fall of 2018, I worked with Dr. David J. Wolfgang as a research assistant to interview journalists and conduct discourse analysis for themes on comment moderation perceptions and activities. This work produced two articles published in 2020.

Wolfgang, J. D., McConnell, S., & Blackburn, H. (2020). Commenters as a Threat to Journalism? How Comment Moderators Perceive the Role of the Audience, Digital Journalism, 8:7, 925-944, DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2020.1802319
Wolfgang, J. D., Blackburn, H., & McConnell, S. (2020). Keepers of the comments: How comment moderators handle audience contributions. Newspaper Research Journal, 41(4), 433–454. DOI:10.1177/0739532920968338

The work with Dr. Wolfgang exposed me to Media Sociology, which became the framework for my dissertation research on podcast cultures. My research agenda further explores audio and audio/visual communication cultures to unpack the influences of discourse. I can take that disciplinary foundation into advising, student success, and professional development projects.

Audience Reception to types of podcasts (entertainment, education, professional development) how to help educators create engaging course information via audio/visual technologies

Persona Studies for the hosts of various podcasts and how to help educators build online brands for their work
Collective Memory with audio/visual technology and how we memorialize cultural moments with applications for campus events

I am currently working on a submission to NACADA (the National Professional Advising Association) on how I constructed self-paced professional development through the Canvas Learning System based on the Advising Core Competencies. The work is being completed over the Spring 2022 semester after pilot testing in Fall 2021.

Campus Involvement

My role extends far beyond the classroom walls.

Mentorship and Recruitment

On Going

Ongoing support and assistance for incoming graduate students to the department | Present
Answered questions and provided guidance for prospective graduate students | Present
Aided international student with housing, registration, shopping, and transition to U.S. | Summer 2017

Panel Seats

On Going

Discussion on the Graduate Student Showcase and presenting at conferences | Oct. 17, 2017
Using Canvas for a Digital Classroom for Incoming GTAs | Sept. 5 2017
Discussion about graduate school with the Black/African American Cultural Center | Apr. 2017

Undergraduate Support

On Going

Multicultural Undergraduate Research, Arts, and Leadership Symposium | Spring 2016/2017/2018

Committee member to develop rubric and evaluate presentations at the event

Celebrate Undergraduate Research and Creativity | Spring 2017

Judged oral presentations of research and student projects

CSU Homecoming Parade Volunteer | Sept. 17, 2014

Monitored parade route for safety and interacted with the public

RamWelcome Leader |Aug. 21-24, 2014

Led groups of freshman and international students through community building activities, campus orientation events, and welcomed them to Fort Collins and Colorado State University

Keynote Speaker for Reach Your Summit

October 23, 2019

The Reach Your Summit event provided graduate school preparation, career and post-degree preparation, identity-based roundtable discussions, and networking opportunities to UNC Undergraduate students with multiple intersecting identities.