Neena is an upcoming Senior Communication student. Her pronouns are she/her. Neena entered UCSB as a transfer student in her Junior year and quickly fell in love with the Communication program. In addition to being a peer advisor, Neena is co-president of Writer's Room and Social Media and Marketing Chair for Reality. In between classes, you can find her at the beach, collaging in the library, or studying at a café.
Ruth is an upcoming 3rd-year Communication and Sociology major. Her pronouns are she/her. In communication, she is interested in interpersonal/intergroup and organizational communication. After UCSB, she hopes to continue her education and obtain her Master’s in Social Work. In her free time, Ruth likes reading (mostly fiction), spending time with friends, and enjoying the beautiful beaches. She’s passionate about connecting with people and would love to talk about double majors, being first generation, navigating the major/pre-major, or any other questions!
Kendra Martinez is a second-year Communication and Statistics and Data Science double-major from Los Angeles, California, expecting to graduate in 2027. In addition to being a Peer Advisor for the Department of Communication, Kendra is the assistant editor for the arts and culture section of UCSB's independent, student-run newspaper, The Daily Nexus. In her free time, Kendra enjoys going to concerts, taking long walks along the beach, and climbing with her friends.
Veronica Wilson was acknowledged with the 2024 GSA Excellence in Teaching Award. The GSA Excellence in Teaching Award (ETA) recognizes graduate students who have shown excellence and gone above and beyond as teaching assistants or teaching associates at UC Santa Barbara.
Veronica Wilson is the recipient of the 2024 Dixon-Levy Graduate Student Association Service Award. “This prestigious award will be given to outstanding members of the university community who have unselfishly devoted themselves to the improvement of graduate student life. Contributions to graduate life should extend beyond what is deemed appropriate to everyday work or civic service responsibilities.” https://gsa.ucsb.edu/awards/dixon-levy-gsa-service-award
Also, Veronica’s Mental Health First Aid team won the 2024 William J. Villa Service to Students Award this year, co-sponsored by Housing and Residential Services, and Student Affairs. This year she personally hosted a total of 4 trainings for the team and certified 88 students (undergrad and grad), staff and faculty on campus in Mental Heath First Aid. “The Villa Award is intended to recognize a department/unit that consistently strives for excellence in its support for students and displays approachability, flexibility, availability, openness to innovation, and teamwork.” https://www.sa.ucsb.edu/getman/VillaApplication.aspx
In Academic Year 2022-2023, Dr. Jennifer Kam’s project, "Communication in Support of Separated Latina/o/x Families: From Research to Policy and Practical Implications" was awarded the UCSB Division of Social Science's Pahl Initiative for the Study of Critical Issues Research Grant. As part of that, two of the "Pahl Scholars" were selected to do a follow-up set of public-facing short videos. Jennifer was one of those two and the videos are now available for distribution. The videos can be viewed here:
Chapter 1: The Idea
Skylar Sorkin is an Account Executive at Influential and Founder and Podcast Host "Regardless". LinkedIn Known by her audience as the go-to voice of her generation, Skylar fearlessly tackles the nitty-gritty of relationships, careers, and life's toughest questions with relevant guests. Driven by a relentless pursuit of growth, Skylar's podcast isn't just talk—it's a catalyst for change. With a mission to uncover the answers to overlooked questions, Skylar created "Regardless" as a platform for raw conversations and eye-opening advice, empowering her audience to cut through the noise, gain clarity on their goals, and step boldly into their potential. At 26, Skylar wears many hats: podcast host, Account Executive at Influential, and speaker. From Los Angeles to nationwide stages, she's making waves with her down-to-earth approach and unwavering passion for personal development. Skylar’s contagious enthusiasm for growth permeates not only in her podcast but also through her personal style and self-expression, inspiring others to fiercely be themselves.
Register for free HERE today to receive the Zoom link!
Virtual Career Series events are recorded and uploaded to the Department of Communication YouTube Channel within a few days of the event. Click here to watch past event recordings.
See https://www.comm.ucsb.edu/alumni/involvement/resources for more information.
Jade Salmon has been selected to receive the 2024 ICA Interpersonal Communication Division's Outstanding Thesis Award. Their MA thesis was entitled “Caught Within the Family System: An Examination of Emerging Adults’ Dilemmas in Navigating Sibling Depression." The committe chair was Tammy Afifi and members were Walid Afifi and Andy Merolla.
Chantel Haughton has been selected to receive the 2024 ICA Interpersonal Communication Division's Outstanding Dissertation Award. Her dissertation was entitled “Exploring the Process of Parent-Young Adult Child Mental Health Conversations: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model Approach.” The committee chair was Tammy Afifi and members were Jennifer Kam and Andy Merolla.
Walid Afifi has been awarded the 2024 Boase Prize. Named in Honor of Paul Boase, former Director of the School of Interpersonal Communication (now the School of Communication Studies) at Ohio University, this award honors distinguished scholarship in the field of communication. The Boase Prize honors scholars who have made an outstanding contribution to the discipline through scholarship that has had a major influence on the direction of scholarship within the field. The award is given to a person whose scholarship demonstrates a commitment to the field in ways that honor the spirit of Paul Boase – his dedication to others, his dedication to making a difference, and his love of learning. The recipient of the Paul Boase Prize receives a $2,000 honorarium and gives a presentation in their department next Spring.