Our Current Graduate Students

Catherine Brobston

Catherine Brobston grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from UD in
2009 with a B.A. in Communication and Political Science. In the
communication program, Catherine concentrated on mass communication,
paying special attention to the way both news and entertainment
messages affect the way the public views politics. During her graduate
work, Catherine hopes to continue to look at the intersection of
communication and politics, exploring the way in which mass media
affects global politics, and vice versa.

Erin Brummett

Erin Brummett is a native of Williamsburg, Virginia and a graduate of Bridgewater College, where she received her B.A. in English and Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations. Erin is pursuing her M.A. in Communication and plans to study interpersonal communication. She eventually hopes to pursue a Doctoral degree and teach Communication on the collegiate level.

Stephanie Clarke

Born in Montréal, Canada and raised in Hartford, CT, Stephanie Clarke graduated from Bryant University with a B.S. in Business Administration concentrating in Communication and Management. Upon graduating, Stephanie moved to New York City to work as a junior accountant in an outdoor advertising company. She later moved to Connecticut accepting a position as a staff accountant at a private real estate company. A few years later, she decided to further pursue her interest in communication by pursuing a masters degree at the University of Delaware. Although much of her background is in mass communication, Stephanie plans to focus her study on interpersonal communication.

Ashton Gerding

Born in Tulsa, OK and raised in St. Louis, MO, Ashton Gerding graduated from the University of Missouri where she received B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Mass & Political Communication. In her time as an undergraduate, she was given the opportunity to assist a Professor in research that focused on appearance related issues and the use of objectifying phrases in women’s health magazines. This research sparked more questions and interest, which led her to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Delaware. Ashton looks to continue her studies in mass communication, and has special interest in race and gender representations in media, as well as the impact that media has in shaping people’s realities and perceptions of the world.

Chris Geyer

Born in Washington D.C, Chris graduated from the University of Delaware in 2009 with a B.A. in Communication and History. He is primarily interested in studying interpersonal communication, though he is interested in all aspects of communication study. He is persuing a Masters degree at Delaware to continue his education in what he finds to be a fascinating subject.

Michelle Hector

Born and raised on the Jersey shore, Michelle Hector is a graduate of the University of Delaware, where she received a B.A. in Mass Communication and English with a concentration in journalism in May of 2009. She is interested in focusing her studies on interpersonal communication, and eventually hopes to achieve a Doctoral degree in this area.

Christina Jones

Since receiving a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from Tyler School of Art( Temple) in 2000, Christina Jones has designed for Philadelphia Magazine as well as several local consumer and trade publications. After spending nearly a decade working in print media, her academic interest lies in using a rhetorical approach to explore the effects of mass communication on culture, with a specific focus on feminism in the media. In addition to pursuing an M.A. in Communication, Christina is employed full-time as a senior art director in the Office of Communications and Marketing at the University of Delaware. She currently resides in Havertown, PA, with her husband and two children.

Rhiannon Kallis

Rhiannon Kallis is a native of Pittsburgh, PA, and a 2008 graduate of California University of Pennsylvania, where she received her B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations.  After completing an honors thesis about how college males communicate attraction to females when forming romantic relationships, Rhiannon decided she wanted to further her education in this area by pursuing a masters degree at the University of Delaware, focusing on InterpersonalCommunication. 

Tanya Kang

Born in West Virginia, and having lived in various places with her family while growing up, Tanya Kang was raised between West Virginia, Delaware, and Singapore. She is a graduate of the University of Delaware, where she received her B.A. in Foreign Languages and Literature. After her B.A., she lived in Sendai, Japan for one year and taught English in a local public high school as a participant on the JET Program (Japan Exchange and Teaching Program through the Japanese government). Most recently, Tanya participated in the American Institute of Indian Studies (affiliated with University of Chicago) summer intensive Punjabi language program located in Chandigarh, India, where she learned the language and culture of the state of Punjab. Having traveled to over 22 countries, her extensive interaction with various cultures around the world has inspired her interest in studying intercultural communication. She decided to further her education with returning to the University of Delaware to pursue a masters degree in Communication, focusing on interpersonal communication.

Steve Kramarck

Steve Kramarck is a lifelong Delaware resident and graduated with a BA in Mass Communication from Delaware in 1993.  Steve has returned as a part time student to pursue his MA and is especially interested in the areas of Mass Communication and the ways that people (purveyors of AND consumers of) react to what is presented in the media.  Steve also recently became Assistant Director of Student Centers for the University with the primary responsibility of serving as the Station Manager for WVUD-FM.  Steve lives in Newark with his wife Kelly, son Quinton, and daughter Jillian.

Raymond Lewis

Raymond Lewis, a lifelong “Newarkian,” received his B.A. in Mass Communications 
at UD in 2008.  Ray has a strong academic interest in researching the effects of 
New Media as it begins to replace print media and television.  He hopes to prepare 
for a career in Public Relations or Advertising.  Ray also has personal interests in 
oil painting and photojournalism.

Jen Owlett

Jen Owlett is a native of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania and a 2008 graduate of the Pennsylvania State University. Upon graduating from Penn State, Jen received an honors B.A. in Communication Arts and Sciences from the Schreyer Honors College. After being a research assistant on a project involving hurtful communication in romantic relationships, she decided that she would like to delve further into the realm of communication studies. This interest led her to pursue a M.A. in Communication at the University of Delaware, where she is focusing her studies on interpersonal communication.

Lindsey Oxley

Originally from West Paterson, NJ, Lindsey Oxley graduated with a BA in Communication and Political Science from The College of New Jersey in 2007. Following graduation, Lindsey worked as a Project Manager for an Information Technology firm in Central New Jersey. It was in this job that Lindsey realized her desire to continue her education and work towards a Masters in Communication. During her time at the University of Delaware Lindsey looks to focus on interpersonal and political communication and eventually pursue a doctoral degree in the field.

John Petersen

Originally from Pennsylvania, John Petersen studied broadcast journalism at Temple University where he received his B.A. in communications. After serving as a public school multimedia specialist, John took on a globe travelling career as a technologist working with Fortune 500 clients in the meeting and conference industry. John currently serves as Community Relations Officer with the Delaware Forest Service, and is studying part-time toward his goal of a Masters in Communication. Though primarily interested in the field of public relations, John is looking forward to learning more about mass communication research.

Tony Porreco

Originally from the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, Tony Porreco is a graduate of the University of Delaware, where he received his B.A. in Communication in May of 2008.  His academic interests rest primarily within the subject area of interpersonal communication.

Brittany Richter

Coming to us from New Jersey, Brittany Richter is a graduate of the
 University of Delaware where she received her B.A. in Communication 
in May of 2009. Brittany had a concentration in Interpersonal Communication,
 but after assisting a professor with a research project is thinking about 
concentrating on mass communication research. At this point she is excited
 to see where the M.A. program takes her, thinking that she will ultimately
 pursue a doctoral degree and go on to become a professor of Communication. 

Shannon Robbins

A native of New York, Shannon Robbins received her B.A. in Mass Communication from the University of Delaware in 2008. Intrigued by the many job possibilities within Communication, she decided to immediately pursue a Master's degree in Mass Communication. Some areas in which Shannon is interested in working include sports media, journalism, and marketing.

Jennifer Tyrawski

Jennifer Tyrawski is a Wilmington, DE native and a recent graduate of the University of Delaware, where she received her B.A. in Communication. Jennifer contemplated starting a career in radio after a wonderful internship, but ultimately decided to pursue her M.A. in Communication. Although her undergraduate study primarily concentrated on mass communication, she also has a strong interest in interpersonal communication.