Ewing, NJ: TCNJ student papers “provide renewed hope for our health communication discipline and our world” according to Dr. Anne Nicotera, professor and organizer of the national biannual DC Health Communication Conference hosted by George Mason University May 1-3, 2025, in Herndon, VA, adding “to see this caliber of work produced by undergraduate students is rare and exceedingly gratifying.” Praising the quality of a record-breaking 14 student papers accepted for presentation, all selected in blind, refereed competition, Nicotera marveled that TCNJ undergraduate presentations often meet or exceed professional standards expected of PhD candidates.
Co-authored by 45 students, all 14 papers were written in fall, 2024, classes taught by Dr. John C. Pollock, professor in the two departments of Communication, Journalism, and Film (CJF) and Public Health (PH). Choosing their own topics and exploring the impact of society on media, undergraduates tested “community structure” theory, seeking systematic relationships between different community demographics and variations in news coverage of critical issues. Comparing coverage among major US cities, students explored topics such as abortion access, climate change, disability accommodation, homelessness, obesity, and opioid use. Comparing coverage among nations across the world, students examined abortion access as well as conflict zone migration, drug trafficking, human trafficking, male contraception, men’s mental health, pandemic mental health, and sexual violence.
The “Top Undergraduate Student-Led Abstract Award” for the entire conference went to a TCNJ paper presented by senior author Theresa “Tess” Leighton ‘25 (co-authored with Blen Tesfahun ‘27, Samantha Matson ’27 , and Roman Fabbricatore ’25) on cross-national coverage of migration from conflict zones. At the closing awards ceremony, conference organizer Nicotera hailed the TCNJ paper as among the “top 20” among all 280 submissions to the conference, including papers from graduate students and professors throughout the world.
The award-winning paper compared media coverage among 23 countries, finding that larger populations “buffered” from economic uncertainty in a country (with higher proportions of national resources such as natural gas, coal, and electricity production; length of road network, and health access — hospital beds/100,000) were associated with news coverage opposing government assistance to new migrants from conflict zones. Pollock said these results illustrate a “violated buffer” pattern, with news media viewing the rapid influx of immigrants as a “threat to a cherished way of life.”
TCNJ undergraduates attending the conference, some presenting more than one paper/poster, included Jacqueline Faulk ’26, Emily Ferrer ’25, Mabintou Fofana ’27, Natalie Roesch ’25, Jennifer Romero ’25, and Samyuktha Senthil ’25. Student comments revealed the significance of the conference in launching new careers. Christopher DeSantis ’25: “It was an honor to present undergraduate work with outstanding scholars from around the world.” Caroline Dowd ’26: “After months of preparation, sharing research was exciting and fulfilling.” Rebecca Heath ’25: “It was eye-opening and inspiring to present original research and to learn first-hand from scholars making an incredible impact on the health communication field.” Tess Leighton ’25: “Grateful to attend the DCHC conference, I look forward to the next steps of my professional career including the possibility of graduate school.” Kyle Levy ’25: “I engaged with seasoned professionals, absorbing their wisdom; the DCHC conference represents a practical, prestigious exclamation point to my undergraduate public health experience.”
Commenting on student collaborative achievements, Dr. Susan Ryan, chair of the Department of Communication, Journalism, and Film (CJF), said: “The department is tremendously proud of all the DCHC national conference student presenters, whose hard work on important issues deserves widespread recognition.” Dr. Natasha Patterson, chair of the Department of Public Health (PH), added: “These student-faculty collaborative achievements underscore the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration at TCNJ. Dr. Pollock’s joint appointment with Public Health and CJF creates a unique space for students to explore public health through the lens of media and society. The caliber of these presentations speaks volumes about the relevance of their work to real-world health challenges and the exceptional mentorship guiding them.”