Incoming Class, 2008-09
Ph.D. Students
Katharine Allen earned a bachelor's degree from the College of William & Mary and J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law. She has spent her last year of law school as a visiting scholar at Washington and Lee University School of Law. She practiced criminal defense, juvenile justice and civil litigation in Virginia for five years and then moved to State College with her family. Katharine continues to practice law while pursuing a Ph.D. in the law and policy track. She plans to pursue a research agenda focused on comparative constitutional law, specifically the role of freedom of the press in democratizing nations. 
Jesse Clark has earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree in media studies from Penn State. His research interests deal with the overlap between law and policy, technology, and the establishment of democratic institutions that benefit the public. While earning the master‚s degree, he studied copyright law and alternatives to traditional copyrights. Jesse is also interested in studying telecommunications policy.
Michelle Dangiuro has earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in communications from Shippensburg University. For eight years, she was a professor of communications and general studies at Central Pennsylvania College in Summerdale, Pa., before working for a brief time as the assistant editor of Bucknell University's alumni publication, Bucknell Magazine. At
Penn State, Michelle plans to research communications issues related to terrorism, including public understanding of terrorism, new media impact on the proliferation of terrorist cells and sympathizers, and communications and national security. 
Daniel Halpern earned his bachelor's degree in journalism and his master's degree in political science from Catholic University of Chile. He has directed two documentary films and he is the author of El Pecado de el Rucio (2006, Catalonia) and his next book is to be released soon. His research has been published in different Latin American journals. He is a faculty member in the College of Communications at Catholic University of Chile. At Penn State, Daniel plans to research communication issues related to strategic communications and TI.
Rafael Diaz Torres has earned a master's degree in geography from Penn State and in recent months taught undergraduate geography courses at the University of Puerto Rico while also leading writing workshops for elementary, middle and high school students. Along with formal academic preparation in geography, an interest in mass communication has played an important part of his development as a scholar. Previous research focuses on the production of space and portrayal of places in the U.S. version of professional wrestling˜work that linked both mass media studies and cultural geography. At Penn State, he plans to continue with similar research by focusing on the gender dimensions that professional wrestling and other sports entertainment products contribute to the debates about human agency and bodily representations in mass media. Rafael is a native of Puerto Rico.
Kirstie Hettinga has earned her bachelor's degree in both mass communication-print journalism and theatre arts from California State University-Fresno in 2006. She earned her master's degree in mass communication from Fresno State in 2007. Kirstie's research focused primarily on the acceptance of convergence in newspaper newsrooms as well as the implications of blogging. Upon the completion of her master's degree, she stayed at Fresno State to teach a course in media ethics for the spring 2008 semester. Kirstie is originally from the central coast of California.
Brian Holland earned his bachelor's degree in English from Tufts University, his J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University and a LL.M. (master's of law) from Columbia University School of Law. Brian's carrer has included seven years as an art director, clerking for a federal court, litigating for a large law firm, and now teaching. He is currently a visiting professor at the Dickinson School of Law at Penn State, where he teaches cyberlaw, intellectual property and constitutional law. Brain's research focuses on Internet governance and social norms, with a particular interest in computer-mediated social networks. His life focuses on his wife, two kids, two dogs, a cat and fish.
Haiyan Jia earned her bachelor's degree in atmospheric sciences from Peking University in Beijing. Prior to graduation, she has 10 years experience of media practice, including work as the student journalist of China Youth Post and Heilongjiang TV station, where, she gained an interest in China's communications law and policy. As an international student from China, she intends to study information policies in the United States, hoping to understand the impact of China's media and communication policies on its soaring economy and transforming society.
Shannon Kennan earned her undergraduate degree in early childhood education from the University of Richmond. Following five years of work in the fields of psychology and education as a teacher, student affairs administrator and counselor, she pursued a master's degree in counseling psychology and student personnel administration at James Madison University. Shannon worked as an administrator and instructor at JMU for 10 years as well as an in-home family therapist for children at risk of being removed from the home. Shannon plans to study the convergence of technology, psychology and education in the media effects track of the Mass Communications program.
Guan-Soon Khoo earned his degrees in physics and mathematics at Susquehanna University before attending graduate school for mechanical engineering at Lehigh University. He enjoys narrative movies, with graduate work at Penn State as the prescription for that obsession. He intends to focus his research on movie media cognition and spectator emotions--just imagine the scene in a Kubrick film involving lidlocks, probes, white robes, and a boy named Alex and you'll get the picture. Like vinyl records and old typewriters. Gruan was born in the Peninsula of Malaysia.
Ryan Lizardi earned his bachelor's degree from Penn State in film-video in 2003. He then spent three years working at a post production house in Burbank, Calif., as a tape operator and telecine edit assist for shows like "Smallville," "The O.C." and many feature-length films. After spending a year in the media studies master's degree program at Penn State, he is starting the mass communications Ph.D. program with a plan to concentrate on cultural studies, film theory and new media studies.
Nadia Martinez-Carrillo holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in marketing and international business from the Universidad de las Américas, Puebla in Mexico. She has been working in public relations for the past seven years. Naida has served as the head of the Department of Research Management at the Universidad de las Américas, Puebla in Mexico. After that, she managed the relations with donors and other institutions at a governmental organization focused on vulnerable populations At Penn State, Nadia plans to conduct research to identify the role of public relations in Mexico´s transition to democracy. She was born in Xalapa, the capital of the state of Veracruz, Mexico.
Alexandra Nutter earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as a certificate in Environmental Social Science from their Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. She chose the Political Science Department at Colorado State University for her master's degree because of their commitment to environmental issues. While there, she focused on normative environmental political theory and cultural communication. As a Ph.D. student she looks forward to continuing her study of political & cultural communication theory with regard to the environmental movement, with particular attention to the role of the reader and the interaction between media consumers and media texts. Alex's ultimate career objective is to be a professor. 
Sharon Santus is a tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Mass Communications at Bloomsburg University. She has worked as a reporter, projects editor and writing coach for newspapers in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri and Germany. She earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a master's degree in journalism with an international affairs concentration from Columbia University in New York. While working as projects editor at the Columbia (Mo.) Tribune from 2003 to 2007, she was a member of the adjunct faculty at the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. As a reporter, Sharon won nearly 40 awards in deadline reporting, commentary, feature writing and investigative reporting. Her specialty is developing and producing in-depth reports and investigative journalism on social issues including the millions of Americans without health insurance, racial profiling, injustice inside America's courtrooms and the death penalty. She is a former president of the Pennsylvania Women's Press Association. She served on the board of directors of the Bloomsburg Women's Center, a shelter for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
Master's Students
Erin Ash earned a bachelor's degree in communication with a concentration in media studies from the College of Charleston where she was a staff writer for the student newspaper, the George Street Observer. Her coursework and personal experience, has led to a passion for the examination of the portrayal of race in the media. During her senior year, she completed a research project exploring the effects of the portrayals of race and criminality in local newscasts. Erin plans to continue researching race in news and entertainment media at Penn State. She is a native of Charleston, S.C., and a single mother of a 3-year-old daughter, Keely.
India Brown earned her bachelor's degree in mass communication from Dillard University in New Orleans. She participated in the 2007 Summer Research Opportunities Program at Penn State, researching how media affects international students‚ views of life in America, under the mentoring of Professor Anthony Olorunnisola. India completed internships with a marketing firm and two news stations, one in New Orleans and another in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At Penn State, she would like to study how American media affects foreign cultures and societies along with the effects on individuals‚ perception of themselves and values of life. As a Spanish minor, she would like to focus on Spanish-speaking countries for her
research. India is a native of Memphis, Tenn.
Audrey Fiske earned her bachelor‚s degree in communication at Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 2007 and spent the following year working on a documentary of the tour of a local museum. She also served in the AmeriCorps program, working for a health education agency doing graphic and publication design, advertising, program coordination and task force meeting facilitation. At Penn State, she intends to focus on issues of social justice in film. Audrey is a native of New Berlin, Pa.
Ashanti Ishakarah earned her bachelor's degree in mass communication and journalism with a minor in marketing from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her undergraduate research focused on print media's role in perpetuating stereotypical characterization of Mississippians. (The project was conducted under the mentorship of Professor Kevin Hagopian during the
2007 Summer Research Opportunities Program at Penn State.) Aside from academic studies, she has experience in television production, specifically as a technical director of news broadcast. Ashanti is a native of Jackson, Miss.
Andrew Kegerise earned his bachelor‚s degree in psychology from Lebanon Valley College in 2007. Before that, he completed a few semesters at the University of the Arts and Temple University in Philadelphia before taking an academic hiatus and spending three years touring and recording as drummer for Armsbendback (Trustkill Records). His undergraduate research interests focused mainly on whether playing violent video games leads to more aggressive cognitions. Andrew spent one year after graduation working as a counselor at a residential treatment facility for adolescents with a range of psychological disorders. At Penn State, he plan to focus on the psychological effects˜both positive and negative˜of video games, as well as studying the interpersonal dynamics, uses and gratifications of playing video games. Andrew is a native of Reading, Pa.
Chenjerai Kumanyika earned his bachelor's degree in African-American studies from Penn State in 1995. In 1999, after completing some graduate coursework in public health (University of Illinois at Chicago), he spent several years recording and touring with an eclectic hip-hop group "Spooks." That experience led to an interest in the cultural industries. In 2003, he began working with community organization (www.streetpoetsinc.com) creating and implementing curricula around music and media literacy. Chenjerai is enthusiastically returning to Penn State to pursue a master's degree in media studies. He is looking forward to absorbing and participating in the exchange of old and new ideas and information.
Jamie Paton graduated summa cum laude from William Paterson University of New Jersey with a bachelor‚s degree in communications and a minor in English literature. While at William Paterson, she participated in the study abroad program and spent a semester at Bond University in Australia taking courses in both TV and film. For the past two summers Jamie has worked in guest relations at Six Flags Great Adventure.
Andrew Peeling earned his bachelor's degree in radio and television news from Palm Beach Atlantic University in 2006. While in school, he worked as a Web producer at The Palm Beach Post and could be heard on the morning and afternoon shows of a West Palm Beach-based radio station. His career then led to internet broadcasting and WPBF-TV as managing editor of their Web site, WPBF.com. His free time is spent traveling, playing guitar and enjoying the sunshine with his wife and family in south Florida. He is hoping to continue studies in journalism and Web design at Penn State.
Alexandra Petri, from Brooklyn, N.Y., is entering her senior year at Penn State. She is a journalism major with an international studies minor and would like to freelance as a foreign correspondent. After taking a class with PSU professor Michael Elavsky, she became invested in studying the effects of global journalism in the media. She is enrolled in the integrated undergraduate/graduate program and will be taking credits toward her master's degree while finishing her senior year of college. She is expected to graduate in May 2009 from Penn State's College of Communications.
