Communication Studies, University of Minnesota

10/26/2026

Do you find it difficult to talk about politics with family and friends, especially as Election Day approaches?

Dr. David Cram Helwich, Senior Lecturer in our Department of Communication Studies and coach of the University of Minnesota Forensics Team, recently spoke with FOX 9 about political debates, persuasion, and effective communication.

His advice? Find common ground, listen to understand, and approach disagreements with an open mind.

Drawing on nearly two decades of coaching experience, David reminds us that effective persuasion isn't simply about winning arguments. It's about understanding others' perspectives and identifying shared values.

👏 Great to see our COMM expertise contributing to important public conversations!

📺 Check out the FOX 9 interview below!
https://www.fox9.com/news/how-talk-politics-family-minnesota-debate-coach-shares-tips

A University of Minnesota debate coach is sharing advice on navigating political disagreements ahead of Election Day. He explains winning the argument isn't necessarily the goal of a political debate.

10/18/2026

How do we talk about vaccines when health decisions become tied to political identity and distrust of institutions?

In a recent Minnesota Daily article on vaccination rates, Dr. Elaine Hsieh shares insights into how trust, identity, and political polarization shape health decisions. Drawing on her expertise in health communication, Dr. Hsieh emphasizes the importance of moving beyond political divisions and finding common ground through shared identities, relationships, and community concerns.

Her comments highlight how communication research can help us better understand public health challenges and bridge social divides.

While I say this in practically every column, I feel it’s worth repeating: We are lucky to live in Minnesota. The quality of our weather and roads notwithstanding, we have access to some helpful resources in Minnesota. One of those is our healthcare system, and in a state home to the Mayo Clinic a...

10/06/2026

Have you met Lisa Hutchinson, one of our teaching faculty members in media production?

At a time when higher education is facing significant challenges, World Teachers’ Day is a wonderful reminder of why our work matters. We are in the business of human flourishing. Through genuine relationships and deep connections, we help one another grow and build something greater than ourselves.

Here’s what graduating senior Paige Bautch shared about Lisa and the impact her class had on her learning journey:

“Lisa Hutchinson has been my favorite professor by far. I took her COMM 3201 – Intro to Electronic Media Production class and learned so much. She taught us how to work an entire live show/TV show set. … I have never had so much fun in a class before; it was so thrilling to take a class that was teaching me exactly what I want to do with my career. … Taking her class solidified that I was studying the right things and heading towards the correct career field.” – Paige Bautch, Class of ’26, about Senior Teaching Specialist Lisa Hutchinson, Communication Studies

Stories like this make us especially grateful for faculty like Lisa, who help students discover what excites them, develop new skills, and imagine where those skills might take them. ❤️

10/02/2026

What a wonderful afternoon at the 2026 Karlyn Kohrs Campbell Speaker Series!

We were so excited to welcome Dr. Sarah Banet-Weiser of the University of Pennsylvania for her talk, “GenderCon: The Digital Revolt Against Feminism.”

Our graduate students and faculty had already engaged with her work through a reading workshop, so there was lots of excitement leading up to the event. Dr. Banet-Weiser gave a fascinating, timely talk on gender, digital culture, and the growing visibility of antifeminist movements online, followed by a lively conversation with the audience.

It was especially wonderful to see more than 130 colleagues, students, alumni, and friends join us for the third KKC Speaker Series. A full room, thoughtful questions, and conversations that continued well after the talk. What a joy to come together, build relationships, and engage one another!

Many thanks to Dr. Banet-Weiser for being with us, to everyone who came, and to all who helped make the event possible.

And, as always, we are so grateful to Dr. Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, whose generosity and legacy make this special series possible.

09/30/2026

NCA is still a ways off, but we’re already looking forward to seeing everyone in November! 🎉

If you’re heading to NCA 2026 @ New Orleans, come say hello to the University of Minnesota:

🎓 Graduate School Open House
Thursday, November 19 | 1:00–4:00 PM | Booth 62

🥂 University of Minnesota Reception
Friday, November 20 | 7:00–9:00 PM | Bayside C, 4th Floor, Sheraton

Come reconnect with friends and alumni, meet our faculty and graduate students, and spend some time with the Minnesota community. We’d love to see you there!

Save the dates, and Go Gophers! 💛❤️

09/05/2026

Orientation Week was a great success! Faculty members and current students were excited to welcome our new graduate students and start our journey together.

We celebrated what we accomplished in 2025–2026 and set our eyes on what we can do together in 2026–2027. In our Departmental Lecture, Dr. Atilla Hallsby, Dr. Ascan Koerner, Dr. David Cram Helwich, and Dawn Schot Klotzbach shared their insights on how emerging technologies and AI may impact communication as a field of research and practice.

As we consider what MIT President Sally Kornbluth has described as a watershed moment for higher education, we want to encourage conversations and critical debates about the possibilities and risks of AI, as well as the commitments we hold as an institution of residential education dedicated to human flourishing.

Our departmental legacy and activities remind us that building genuine relationships and generating knowledge through communal engagement are at the heart of our scholarship. This is an exciting and critical moment for higher education. What we build together, whether relationships or knowledge, reflects our enduring commitment to the human spirit and our shared humanity.

07/15/2026

📅 Save the Date

Join us for the 2026 Karlyn Kohrs Campbell Speaker Series featuring Dr. Sarah Banet-Weiser.

GenderCon: Reproductive Politics and the Digital Revolt Against Feminism

📆 Thursday, October 1, 2026
🕒 3:00–4:30 p.m.
📍 Best Buy Theater, Northrop Auditorium
🥂 Reception to follow

Dr. Banet-Weiser is the Walter H. Annenberg Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and a leading scholar of media, gender, culture, and power.

Her talk will examine how feminism and gender have increasingly been framed as threats in contemporary media and political culture. She will explore the connections among digital media, reproductive politics, family ideals, and the growing backlash against feminism.

Learn more: https://cla.umn.edu/comm-studies/research-engagement/kkc-speaker-series/2026-karlyn-kohrs-campbell-speaker

06/05/2026

🌟 Faculty Spotlight!

Dr. Elaine Hsieh, Professor and Chair of Communication Studies, was recently interviewed by William Shiu and featured in The Politic, Yale University's undergraduate journal of politics and culture.

In the article, "For Chinese Americans, the U.S.-China Innovation Race Makes an Ancient Tradition Harder to Swallow," Dr. Hsieh shares insights on the cultural significance of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its role in shaping identity, community, and belonging among Chinese American immigrants.

Drawing on her expertise in health communication, culture, and migration, Dr. Hsieh helps readers understand how healthcare practices can carry meanings that extend far beyond medicine alone.

Read the article here: https://thepolitic.org/for-chinese-americans-the-us-china-innovation-race-makes-an-ancient-tradition-harder-to-swallow/

06/04/2026

🌟 Celebrating Community Storytelling and Public Scholarship!

We're proud to celebrate the work of Communication Studies doctoral candidate Nou-Chee Chang!

Nou-Chee has been part of the team behind "Mekong Journeys: Raising New Villages," a digital storytelling exhibition supported by the Minnesota Historical Society that commemorates 50 years of Southeast Asian stories, histories, and community experiences.

The project will officially launch next weekend, and we invite our alumni, friends, and community members to join Nou-Chee and her collaborators in celebrating this important milestone.

📅 June 13, 2026 | 2:00–4:00 p.m.
📍 825 Arts, St. Paul
🎟️ Free and open to the public

For refugees and immigrants, stories are embodied memories carried from one generation to the next. They are connections to the past that sustain the present and enrich the future. As newcomers become essential members of our communities, their stories become part of us. This is our shared stories.

Please join us in congratulating Nou-Chee and supporting the launch of this exciting project! 🎉

06/03/2026

🎉 Please join us in congratulating Dr. Ronald Greene on being selected as a 2026–2027 Fellow of the University of California's National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement! https://freespeechcenter.universityofcalifornia.edu/2026-2027-class-of-fellows/

Ron and collaborator Dr. Darrin Hicks of the University of Denver will advance a project examining academic freedom and religious exemptions in higher education. Their work explores timely and important questions about free expression, institutional governance, and the future of higher education.

The fellowship supports scholars whose work engages pressing public issues and connects academic research with broader public conversations. Through this opportunity, Ron and Darrin will collaborate with fellow scholars and Center leaders to develop policy recommendations and public-facing initiatives that bring scholarly insight to contemporary challenges.

What makes this recognition especially exciting is its emphasis on impact beyond the academy. By connecting research, policy, and public engagement, the project will help foster broader conversations about higher education, civic life, and democratic values.

Congratulations, Ron! We are thrilled to see your scholarship recognized through this national honor and look forward to following this next chapter of your work. 👏

Pictured: Dr. Darrin Hicks (left) and Dr. Ronald Greene (right).