News

Paper wins award

Communication graduate student Mami Kikuchi presented an award-winning paper in August 2008 at the national conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The paper, which was co-authored with Prof. Cynthia Coleman, began as a research project Kikuchi developed during a communication course in research methods for graduate students. The paper, "Explicating and measuring social relationships in social capital research," received a top prize at the conference, which met in Chicago.

Communication professor honored by former first lady

Prof. Susan Poulsen and Speech and Hearing Sciences faculty Lynn Fox and Susan Ginley will be honored by Rosalynn Carter at the Benson Awards ceremony at Portland State on April 7.

The three faculty spearheaded a project, the Northwest Stroke Camp, to serve stroke survivors by helping facilitate communication among survivors and caregivers. The Stroke Camp celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2008 and partners with Pacific University's Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy graduate programs.

Two additional finalists for the award include the Educational Leadership and Policy Department for its migrant education program, and the Applied Linguistics Department for its Community ESL Project.

Rosalynn Carter will present the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Award for "fostering campus-community partnership for academic service and learning." The winning project will receive $10,000 and the two runners-up will each be awarded $5,000.

Vogelsang Scholarship

Two communication students, Leta Walker and Kelly Brennan, have received financial awards from the Barbara Exner Vogelsang Scholarship Fund at Portland State. The new fund has been endowed by retired Professor Robert Vogelsang, and he hopes that alumni, parents and friends of the communication program will contribute to the new fund, which honors outstanding students.

Prof. Vogelsang created the fund to honor the memory of his late wife, Barbara, whose support of him, the students, and the faculty was "never ending," he said.
"She was an expert thesis and dissertation editor and typist for about 30 years. She knew more about form and composition than most people at the university. She was a valuable asset."

Vogelsang met his wife, the former Barbara Jane Exner, while he was working as an instructor on a fellowship at the University of Hawaii in 1953, where he was in charge of theater staging and teaching. He was paid $120 a month.

He said, "I met this girl who was in my class that was causing me all kinds of problems because she didn't pay attention," Vogelsang said, smiling. After a year in Hawaii, the couple became engaged and returned to the mainland. Vogelsang took at job teaching high school in Ventura County, California, and in 1955 he and Barbara were married.

Following those early years together while he taught high school, the couple set forth on a series of adventures, always as a team. After deciding to get his Master's degree, Vogelsang accepted an assistantship at Washington State University, where he became a tenured instructor. After 14 years he had an opportunity to pursue a fellowship that would allow him to receive his doctorate, after a long and lengthy conversation with his wife, he chose to pursue it, uncertain as to what would happen next. After earning the PhD, he returned to Washington State for five more years.

It was spring break in 1970 that the Vogelsangs' shared life would take another turn. He got a phone call offering his an opportunity to apply for the chair position at the Speech Communication Department at Portland State. Shortly thereafter he accepted a full professorship and the chair position.

Vogelsang accepted many opportunities for professional advancement in his life, and not only at the university level. He served in a number of executive positions with the Western Speech Communication Association (including executive secretary-treasurer from 1969-1976). He was one of the key reasons several Western Speech conferences were held in Portland from the 1970s to the 1990s, and he also helped host the International Speech Association conference in Portland in 1976.

Shortly after his retirement from Portland State in 1990, Barbara developed an infection which left her a paraplegic and legally blind. For the next 16 years he became a full-time caregiver. Barbara passed away in 2006.

Not one to slow down, Voglesang became active in RAPS (the Retirement Association of Portland State) and is now treasurer of that group. He is also chair of the Committee of Retirement Associations in Higher Education of in the Northwest. In the mid-1990s he was appointed secretary-treasurer of the Northwest Communication Association and filled that position for three years. And as a result of his opportunity to serve as a Fulbright Exchange Professor to Germany in 1980-1981 he recently helped resurrect the Oregon-Western Washington Fulbright Association Chapter, which includes the large number of Fulbright scholars who now live in the region.

Despite his hectic schedule, Vogelsang continues to volunteer at the Communication Department at Portland State. His love for the department remains strong which is one reason he gives for creating the Barbara Exner Vogelsang Scholarship Fund. It's a fitting way, he believes, to help bring closure to their long and fascinating journey, and 51-year marriage.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the scholarship fund can do so by contacting the Portland State University Foundation at 503.725.4911. Be sure to mention that you are interested in contributing to the Barbara Exner Vogelsang Scholarship Fund.

-- Tom Stevenson

DEPARTMENT FACULTY MEETINGS

Faculty meetings are open to the public (exceptions are made when personnel issues are discussed). Meetings are scheduled on the following dates at 10 a.m. in Neuberger Room 26.

Students Present Research at Regional Conference

Research and teaching drew 21 students from Portland State to the annual meeting of the Northwest Communication Association in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in April, according to Cynthia Coleman, Department Chair.

"For most students this marks their first opportunity to publicly present their research," Coleman said. Papers are peer-reviewed and students hear feedback on their ideas. "It's a terrific experience," Coleman added.

Four graduate students discussed teaching, including Wynde Dyer, Odile Fazioni, Lauren Moss and Tom Stevenson, and were joined by undergraduate student-teachers Tiffany Ford, Michelle Knowles, Tyrell Mara, Jill Rosenberger and Brian Salvador.

Students also presented research papers on topics ranging from the meaning of "homelessness" to brand loyalty among cigarette smokers. Student scholars (including those unable to attend) included Brandon Ellison, Christina Gremore, Natanya Hernandez, Lori Lucas, Stephanie McCoy, Adam Petersen, Daron G. Pettitt, Vernita N. Porter, William Shartel and Leta Walker.

Prof. Susan Poulsen led a roundtable on teaching, while Prof. David Kennamer joined students in presenting a paper about harassment on TV. Professor Emeritus Robert Vogelsang, a former board member of NWCA, also attended.