Faculty and Students to Showcase Leadership and Research at AEJMC 2026
The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) will hold its 109th Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, Aug. 5–8, 2026. This year’s theme, “Jazz & Jambalaya: Nurturing Harmony and Health in Higher Education,” celebrates two of the city’s most iconic cultural traditions while highlighting the importance of collaboration, wellness and community in higher education. Like jazz and jambalaya, higher education flourishes when diverse voices, perspectives and experiences come together to create something meaningful.
Baylor Journalism faculty, students and alumni will have a strong presence throughout the conference, contributing scholarship, leadership and service across numerous divisions and programs.
One of the conference’s most significant moments will be the installation of Mia Moody, Ph.D., Baylor University professor, as AEJMC president for 2026–27. During the General Session and Presidential Installation Ceremony, current President Bey-Ling Sha will pass the gavel to Moody, marking the beginning of her term leading the organization.
“AEJMC has played an important role in my professional journey, and I am honored to serve as president during such a transformative time for journalism and higher education,” Moody said. “This year’s conference theme reminds us that our greatest strength comes from bringing together diverse perspectives, supporting one another’s well-being, and working collaboratively to prepare the next generation of communicators. I am especially proud to see Baylor faculty, students and alumni making meaningful contributions throughout the conference.”
In addition to this honor, Moody will receive the Jinx Coleman Broussard Award from AEJMC’s History Division and participate in an award panel discussion alongside other recipients. Her conference schedule also includes a research presentation, “Demystifying Diabetes,” featured in a GLP-1 poster session. She will moderate and participate in the panel “Journalism Education and Gender: Global Perspectives,” serve as a panelist for “Mentoring Minoritized Students and Fostering Resilient Young Professionals,” and help lead discussions during the AEJMC Strategic Plan Report session, “Future Forward: Strategic Planning for AEJMC’s Next Chapter.” These roles reflect her ongoing commitment to advancing journalism education and strengthening the organization’s future
Another Baylor faculty member receiving national recognition is Sharon Gripp, senior lecturer in journalism, who will be honored with the William H. Taft Outstanding Adviser Award from Kappa Tau Alpha. She will also be recognized during the Kappa Tau Alpha Annual Awards Luncheon for more than a decade of service as a Kappa Tau Alpha adviser. The award honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, advising, and mentorship in supporting and developing student journalists.
Baylor faculty and students will also showcase a wide range of research. On Wednesday, Marlene Neill, Ph.D., professor and graduate program director, and graduate student Bryan Cordova will present research developed through their spring research methods course during a high-density Media Ethics session. Their paper, “Ethical Competence in AI-Mediated Public Relations Practice: Identifying Essential Knowledge, Skills and Abilities,” includes Baylor graduate student co-authors Anni Qiang, Chloe Pargmann Hayes, Alyssa Erchinger, Hanna Marquez and Michael Aguilar. The study examines the ethical competencies public relations professionals need as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into workplace practice.
“AEJMC provides an important venue for sharing research that addresses emerging challenges facing the communication professions,” Neill said. “Our faculty and students are engaging in scholarship that has both academic and practical significance, particularly as organizations navigate the opportunities and ethical considerations associated with artificial intelligence. It is meaningful see Baylor students presenting and collaborating alongside faculty on research with real-world impact.”
Neill also will participate in a featured three-hour special session, “Bombshell: Journalism Ethics, National Security, and the Black Press in the Shadow of the Atomic Bomb.” Organized in partnership with AEJMC and American Experience Films, the session includes a documentary screening and panel discussion exploring journalism ethics, national security and the historical role of the Black press. Fellow panelists include Moody and Jim Mueller of the University of North Texas.
In addition, Neill will serve on the Arthur W. Page Society Research Panel, which brings together leading scholars and practitioners to discuss current issues in public relations research and practice. Moderated by Page Society CEO Rochelle Ford, the panel includes researchers from institutions across the United States and abroad. Neill will be discussing her latest research focusing on the impact of AI on the communication workforce based on a series of focus groups with chief communication officers.
Research by Baylor scholars will also be featured in the Mass Communication and Society Division. Youngji Seo, Ph.D., assistant professor, is a co-author of the paper “Beyond Overload: Impression Concern as an Antecedent Stressor Predicting Social Media Discontinuance Through Addiction and Fatigue.” The study explores how impression management contributes to social media addiction, fatigue and eventual platform disengagement.
Student scholarship will likewise be represented at the conference. On Friday, graduate student Janay Boyd’s poster, “TikTok Microtrends and the Reinvention of Feminine Identity and Digital Self-Presentation” will be presented. Developed in Moody’s Gender, Race and Media course, the project examines how young women negotiate identity and self-presentation through rapidly evolving TikTok trends and digital cultures.
Alec Tefertiller, Ph.D., associate professor of journalism, will contribute to both research and teaching-focused programming. His research poster, “This Is Me on Ro: Sports Influencers, Trust-Credibility, and Interest in GLP-1 Use Among Young Adults,” was co-authored with colleagues from other universities. Tefertiller also will participate in the panel “Generative Classrooms: Teaching Design and Storytelling in the Age of AI,” which explores how educators are adapting instruction to emerging artificial intelligence technologies.
Tamara Welter, Ph.D., assistant professor of journalism, will be involved in several sessions focused on teaching innovation and higher education challenges. She is helping organize, moderate and present “AI as the Teaching Assistant: Ethical Strategies for the Weary Professor.” She also will present on panels addressing academic freedom, communication capstone courses, and AEJMC strategies for preparing journalism students to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven media landscape.
From national leadership appointments and prestigious awards to innovative scholarship and student research, Baylor Journalism will make a significant impact at AEJMC 2026. The breadth of Baylor’s participation underscores the department’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, service and leadership within the journalism and mass communication profession.
“The breadth of Baylor’s involvement at AEJMC reflects our commitment to excellence in teaching, research, mentorship and service,” Moody said. “Whether through national leadership roles, award-winning scholarship or student research presentations, Baylor Journalism is helping shape the future of our discipline.”
