Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 2025 Conference Preview

Baylor Journalism, Public Relations and New Media will be well represented at this year’s AEJMC Conference, “Leading in Times of Momentous Change: Individual and Collective Opportunities.” The conference will be held in San Francisco, California, Aug. 7-10, and multiple faculty members and graduate students will be presenting their research and serving on panels. 

In addition to the honors below Dr. Tamara Welter has been named the 2025 recipient of the Ginger Rudeseal Carter Miller Teacher of the Year Award from the Small Programs Interest group of AEJMC. The organization defines the award as honoring, “a SPIG member who demonstrates excellence in teaching and advising.” The Department of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media is incredibly proud of Dr. Welter for this achievement.

Faculty and Graduate Student paper titles and authors accepted to the conference:

•  “Messages of Hope and Representation of Black Churches in Social Media Memes” by Dr. Mia Moody and Victoria Jackson (Baylor).
• “Public Relations Practitioners’ Expectations for Graduate Education” by Dr. Marlene Neill (Baylor), Dr. Patrick Merle (Florida State) and Anni Qiang (Baylor). * Third Place Paper, Open Research Competition.

Faculty and Graduate Student Poster presentations accepted to the conference: 

• “Mental Health, TikTok, and Image Repair: A Case Study of a Tejano Singer” by Dr. Mia Moody and Nethra Rajesh (Baylor). Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Scholar-to-Scholar (Poster) Refereed Research Paper Session: Entertainment Studies Careers Interest Group.
• “Use of TikTok During the 2024 Presidential Election” by Dr. Mia Moody (Baylor), Gabriel B. Tait (Ball State), Dr. Dorothy Bland (North Texas) and Gheni Platenburg (Houston). Political Communication Division and Religion and Media Interest Group, Scholar-to-Scholar (Poster) Refereed Research Paper Session: Political Communication Division.
• “Public Relations Professionals Identify Leadership Challenges, Essential Competencies & Deficiencies Among Emerging Leaders” by Dr. Marlene Neill, Anni Qiang, Logan Singer, Emeri Drewry, Raphael Roker and Trey Hernandez (Baylor). Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Scholar-to-Scholar (Poster) Refereed Research Paper Session: Employee Communication, Leadership & Internal Relations.
• “Gender Representation in Social Media Advertising” by Logan Singer (Baylor). Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Scholar-to-Scholar (Poster) Refereed Research Paper Session: Commission on Graduate Education.

Baylor JPR&NM faculty will serve as moderators or panelists for these sessions:

• Media Ethics and Public Relations Divisions, “Continuing Ethics Education in Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising.” Moderated by Dr. Marlene Neill (Baylor) and featuring panelists Dr. Courtney Boman (Alabama), Dr. Rachel Lim (Oklahoma State) and  Dr. Alyssa Appelman (University of Kansas).
• Small Programs Interest Group and History Division, “The Wobbly Three-Legged Stool — Finding Time for Research.” Moderated by Elizabeth Atwood (Hood) and featured panelists Dr. Tamara J. Welter (Baylor), Yeon Erin Kim-Cho (Grand View), Masudul “Mas” Biswas (North Carolina A&T State), Rob Wells (Maryland) and Caitlin Cieslik-Miskimen (Idaho).
• Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Council of Divisions, “Finding the Calm (in Yourself) at the Center of the Storm (in the World) – Part I.” Moderated by Bey-Ling Sha (Texas Tech) and featured panelists Dr. Mia Moody (Baylor), Dr. Damion Waymer (South Carolina) Dr. Marcia DiStaso (Florida) and Dr. Weiwu Zhang (Ball State).
• Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, “The Entrepreneurial Professor: Innovating with Technology for Maximum Impact.” Moderated by Emily Metzgar (Kent State; President, ASJMC 2024-25) and featured panelists Michael Beam (Kent State), Janet Coats (Florida), Sabrina Habib (South Carolina), Mary Beth Oliver (Pennsylvania State) and Dr. Alec Tefertiller (Baylor).
• Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, “Leading in Times of Momentous Change: Stories that Stand the Test of Time.” Moderated by Teresa L. Mastin (Michigan State, 2024-25 AEJMC President) and featured panelists Dr. Linda Aldoory (American, 2024-25 AEJMC Past President), Dr.  Bey-Ling Sha (Texas Tech, 2024-25 AEJMC President-Elect), Dr. Mia Moody (Baylor, 2024-25 AEJMC Vice President) and Dr. Matthew J. Haught (Memphis, 2025-26 AEJMC Vice President-Elect).
• Mass Communication and Society Division, Top Refereed Research Paper Session, “Best of Mass Communication and Society Part I.” Moderated by Dr. Alec Tefertiller (Baylor).
• Mass Communication and Society Division, Awards Luncheon. Moderated by Dr. Alec Tefertiller (Baylor).
• 2025 AEJMC Graduate Student Luncheon. Panelists include Dr. Brooke W. McKeever (University of Alabama) Dr. Marlene S. Neill (Baylor University), Dr. Glen Nowak (University of Georgia) and Dr. Juan Meng (University of Georgia).

Baylor JPR&NM faculty will serve as discussants for these sessions:

• Religion and Media Interest Group, refereed research paper session, “Digital Meaning and Faith.” Moderated by Rick Clifton Moore (Boise State). Discussants: Omar Hammad (Hunter College, City University of New York) and Dr. Tamara J. Welter (Baylor).
• Media Ethics Division, Scholar-to-Scholar (Poster) Refereed Research Paper Session: Media Ethics Division. Discussants: Don Heider (Santa Clara), Dr. Marlene Neill (Baylor) and David Craig (Oklahoma).

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) is a nonprofit educational association of journalism and mass communication educators, students and media professionals. AEJMC's mission is to "promote the highest possible standards for journalism and mass communication education, to cultivate the widest possible range of communication research, to encourage the implementation of a multi-cultural society in the classroom and curriculum, and to defend and maintain freedom of communication in an effort to achieve better professional practice and a better informed public."