Grace College Students Chosen to Present at Communication Research Conference

Two communication students at Grace College, (L to R) Katelyn Smith and Olivia Romeo, will present at the Communication Research Conference at Ball State University on September 21. (Photo Provided: Grace College)

WINONA LAKE, IND. – Grace College communication students Olivia Romeo and Katelyn Smith were among sixteen undergraduate students from area schools selected to present and defend their research papers at Ball State University’s Undergraduate Communication Research Conference (CRC) on September 21. Ball State is an R1 doctoral research institution producing the highest level of research activity, and many of the respondents at CRC have more than 20 years of published research.

“It’s always worth bragging about when our students are able to present original research at academic conferences,” said Dr. Lauren Rich, chair of the Department of Languages, Literature, and Communication at Grace College.

Olivia Romeo of Lanesville, Indiana, will present her research paper entitled “We Tell You Who You Are: A Fantasy Analysis of Religiously Based Cultural Construction.” Romeo counts this a great opportunity to prepare for graduate school.

“My passion for research was realized during my time at Grace. Presenting at conferences like CRC will help set me apart from other graduate school applicants and provide great networking,” said Romeo. She plans to pursue her Ph.D. in graduate school and become a professor.

Katelyn Smith of Wakarusa, Indiana, will present her research paper entitled, “Marital Attitudes at Christian Colleges.” After graduation in May 2020, Smith plans to continue working at Synergy Partnerships, a business Grace connected her with for an internship through its applied learning curriculum.

“This conference is an amazing opportunity. I am thankful for the preparation help from my professors, and I am excited to present my research this weekend,” said Smith.

The Grace College community celebrates this achievement for Romeo and Smith. “This is a wonderful opportunity for these students to step into research environments and to have their own research presented. We hope this is the first group of many Grace students to present at CRC,” stated Dr. Pat Loebs, associate professor of communication.