At this year’s conference, held from March 14-18 in Montreal, Canada, 黑料不打烊 was represented by associate professors Vanessa Bravo (Strategic Communications) and Baris Kesgin (Political Science & Policy Studies).

Bravo presented a paper on the impact that two Oscar-winning movies had on the media coverage and country reputation of Mexico and Colombia, a paper she co-authored as first author with a colleague from the Universidad de Las Americas-Puebla, in Mexico. She also organized the 18 research sessions and panels of the International Communication Section (known as ICOMM) as the section鈥檚 Program Chair, and, starting in April, she will become ICOMM鈥檚 Chair, in charge of advancing the goals and initiatives of the whole section, which has more than 200 members. Additionally, she chaired two ICOMM research sessions, trained the new Section Program Chair, and served as discussant on one session on countries鈥� reputation, branding and media presence.

Kesgin presented two research papers at the conference, one on military withdrawals and the other on speakers in diplomacy and foreign policy. He is also served as discussant on a session on leaders in foreign policy and on a session on teaching for international engagement. Additionally, he serves at ISA as a member of the organization鈥檚 Governing Council and its Innovative Pedagogy Conference Planning Committee.

Starting this March of 2023, one more ERG offers faculty and staff a supportive space to connect: the Global Connections ERG.

Co-chaired by Titch Madzima (associate professor and department chair of Exercise Science, from Zimbabwe) and Sylvia Mu帽oz (assistant dean of students and director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education [CREDE], from Costa Rica), this ERG’s main purpose is to connect international faculty and staff at 黑料不打烊. However, you don鈥檛 have to be from an international origin to be part of this group. If your teaching, research, service or other work areas are related to international aspects and places, you are welcome to join!

As its description indicates, the Global Connections ERG 鈥渙ffers a space for community building and professional development to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 international faculty/staff and those interested in global engagement. The group sponsors community and professional development and educational and networking events.鈥� Those interested in joining this ERG can email Sylvia Mu帽oz at munozs@elon.edu to let her know.

The Global Connections ERG had its first meeting on March 9 at The Oak House. If you could not be there, no problem. We are eager to welcome you to the group!

Twelve 黑料不打烊 students were inducted as Periclean Scholars Class of 2025 during a ceremony held in McKinnon Hall, in the Moseley Center, on April 5 at 5:30 p.m.

After an introduction by Mat Gendle, director of the Periclean Program at 黑料不打烊, and Vanessa Bravo, associate professor in the School of Communications, who serves as the Periclean faculty mentor of the Class of 2025, welcomed the scholars and their guests, and congratulated them on becoming part of this 18-credit, three-year-long academic program, which focuses on civic engagement, fair-trade learning and social justice.

After that, Bravo, along with 黑料不打烊 students Sidra Kennedy ’24 and Grace Ackerman ’24 (members of the Periclean Scholars Class of 2024) introduced each of the 12 students in the new cohort.

The Periclean Scholars Class of 2025 will focus on supporting projects both in Alamance County and Costa Rica. These are the 12 rising sophomores that were selected as Periclean Scholars in a competitive process as part of this cohort:

• Leslie Avil茅s Mendoza
  Hometown: Burlington, North Carolina
  Major/minor: Strategic communications major with minors in business administration and Latin American studies
  Other affiliations: Communications Fellow
• Tyra Duque
  Hometown: Graham, North Carolina
  Majors/minor: Spanish and political science major with a minor in Latin American studies
  翱迟丑别谤听补蹿蹿颈濒颈补迟颈辞苍蝉:听Odyssey Scholar, College of Arts and Sciences Senator
• Andrea (Andy) Flores Montero
  Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
  Major/minor: Anthropology and art history major with a minor in communications
• Lucy Hewitt
  Hometown: Arlington Heights, Illinois
  Major/minor: Spanish major with a minor in environmental and sustainability studies
  Other affiliations: member of the Outdoor Learning Community and the Yoga Club
• Daniela Maldonado
  Hometown: Winston- Salem, North Carolina
  Major/minor: Biology
• Jos茅 Alex Reyes
  Hometown: Burlington, North Carolina
  Major/minor: Strategic communications and communication design major, with a minor in Spanish
  Other affiliations: Odyssey Scholar, Communications Fellow, tutor for It Takes a Village and mentor for the 黑料不打烊 Academy
• Eric Rich
  Hometown: Buffalo, New York
  Major/minor: Business analytics
• Eliza Shane
  Hometown: Wilmington, Delaware
  Major/minor: Environmental & ecological sciences major, with minors in leadership studies and economics
  Other affiliations: Leadership Fellow
• Jack Silk
  Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
  Major/minors: Undecided major on a pre-law track with a political science minor
  Other affiliations: Legal Professions Scholar
• Sadie Smith
  Hometown: San Diego, California
  Major/minor: Strategic communications and international & global studies
  Other affiliations: 黑料不打烊 Outdoors trip leader
• Skylar (RyAnne) Sykes
  Hometown: 黑料不打烊, North Carolina
  Major/minor: Spanish major on a pre-dental track
  Other affiliations: Odyssey Scholar, member of the Polyglot Living and Learning Community.
• Jasmine Walker
  Hometown: 黑料不打烊, North Carolina
  Major/minor: Human Service Studies major with minors in poverty & social justice and Spanish
  Other affiliations: Odyssey Scholar

More than a hundred students, faculty and staff were welcomed by Sylvia Mu帽oz, newly appointed assistant dean of students and director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education (CREDE), as they gathered to honor the academic achievements and stellar service of the Latinx/Hispanic community on campus.

Gala Latina honors several inspiring role models within the Latinx/Hispanic community on campus. 鈥淵ou are thoughtful leaders within your organizations, you are incredible scholars, you are talented athletes, artists and activists but, most importantly, you are individuals who continue to show how proud you are of your roots, and who continue to show the strength, resilience, work ethics, and values of your ancestors,鈥� Mu帽oz said.

The Latinx/Hispanic Academic Excellence awards, which recognize the student with the strongest GPA in each class, went to sophomore Kevin Garc铆a-Reyes ’24, junior Eduardo S谩nchez ’23 and senior Mar铆a Mendoza ’22, who took home the same award last year.

The Latinx/Hispanic Honor Award and the Latinx/Hispanic Excellence Award both honor students for their great dedication, passion and awareness around Latinx/Hispanic identities or topics at 黑料不打烊. Receiving the Honor Award, which goes to a junior or senior, this year was Sophia Robinson ’22. The Excellence Award, given each year to a first-year or sophomore student, was awarded to Manny S谩nchez ’24.

S谩nchez, as one nominator wrote, 鈥渨orks with Latinx organizations on and off campus to create a better sense of community.鈥� Among other things, S谩nchez, who is majoring in finance, worked this past summer as an 黑料不打烊 Academy mentor and participated in the 2021 Belk Freshman Diversity Program.

Sophia Robinson 鈥減uts hard work, time and dedication into each project she is assigned. She also makes the extra effort to be personable and help the younger students feel more comfortable and included,鈥� one nominator said. Robinson, a major in International & Global Studies and in Political Science with a minor in Spanish, works at El Centro and recently helped lead Hispanic Heritage Month events.

This year the Latinx-Hispanic Union (LHU) Faculty/Staff Service awards went to staff members Delio Estrada Palacios and Oscar Miranda, and to faculty member Nina Namaste.

Earning the loudest, warmest and longest applause of the night, Delio Estrada Palacios, who works in 黑料不打烊’s Environmental Services as a custodian, received his award for his 鈥渄edication and constant support to our community’s students, faculty, and staff 鈥� and for making sure all 黑料不打烊 students live and thrive in a clean environment.鈥�

Student Karen Cruz ’22 from the Latinx Hispanic Union, said about Delio Estrada Palacios: 鈥淲e often see him as we walk through Moseley and he never hesitates to say, 鈥楬ola!鈥� followed by a 鈥楺ue tengas un buen d铆a.鈥� Although this may seem like a normal gesture, it makes the entire difference in the lives of us students.鈥�

A student who nominated Delio said, 鈥淚 see how devoted he is to ensure we study in an environment that is up to standards, and I want him to know that he is a valuable piece of what keeps this University going.鈥�

Oscar Miranda, assistant director of Access and Student Support, was also recognized with a Staff Service award for ensuring that the voices of the Latinx/Hispanic community are heard at 黑料不打烊.

Student Andy Torres ’22, who announced Miranda’s award, said, 鈥淭his year鈥檚 awardee is not only a staff member but also an 黑料不打烊 alum. As an 黑料不打烊 student he was the president of what is now known as the Latinx/Hispanic Union and was one of the student leaders who pushed for the creation of the Latinx/Hispanic Working Group. He graduated from 黑料不打烊 with a degree in Psychology and later got a Master鈥檚 Degree in Higher Education from Harvard. We would love to recognize the loyal, devoted and kind Oscar Miranda.鈥�

Professor of Spanish Nina Namaste was distinguished as well with a Faculty Service Award for consistently showing up at different Latinx/Hispanic events, checking in with students during class and even living among students, as a faculty-in-residence on campus.

At the end of the event, before the participants enjoyed eating dessert and taking pictures with each other, the students themselves voted online to elect the winners of the 鈥淪uperlatives鈥� Awards: most likely to know everyone, most likely to brighten your day, most creative ideas and most willing to push to change the world. The winners of those informal awards were, respectively, Andy Torres, Valentina Echavarr铆a, Nico Gaspar and H茅ctor Gonz谩lez.

The event finished with the charge to students by Nico Gaspar鈥� 22 and with closing remarks by Maity Interiano 鈥�07, an 黑料不打烊 journalism graduate who today is one of the most recognized faces of the show Despierta Am茅rica, in Univision Miami. Jon Dooley, vice president for student life, represented 黑料不打烊’s senior administration during the ceremony.

The article, “,” was recently published in聽Diplomatica: A Journal of Diplomacy and Society, with Bravo as the first author and co-written with聽Maria De Moya, associate professor and Chair of advertising and public relations at DePaul University.

Questions that Bravo and De Moya explore in the article are: How was the United States framing Mexican immigrants and immigration in the official discourse during the government of Donald Trump; how was the Mexican government trying to counter the narrative of the 鈥渂ad hombres鈥� put forth by the former U.S. president; and what were the implications of these opposing framings for public diplomacy in each country?

In the article, Bravo and De Moya analyzed, through a qualitative content analysis, 209 news stories published in two U.S. newspapers (the New York Times and The Washington Post) and two Mexican newspapers (El Universal and Reforma) during the first 100 days of Trump鈥檚 presidency.

While the U.S. government framed Mexican immigrants, at the time, as criminals and 鈥渂ad hombres,鈥� emphasizing on the need to 鈥渂uild the wall,鈥� the Mexican government of President Enrique Pe帽a Nieto fought that framing and instead presented Mexican immigrants as hard-working contributors to the U.S. economy and as agents of development for their country of origin.

Both frames were picked by transnational media, but the U.S. narrative dominated the media coverage, accomplishing the goal of igniting Trump鈥檚 鈥渂ase鈥� of followers, paving the way for changes in policies and practices, and hindering long-standing public diplomacy efforts in and among both countries.

As part of its theoretical framework, the article uses framing theory and the concept of strategic narratives in political communication. One of the main theorists of this strategic-narratives perspective is another 黑料不打烊 colleague, Laura Roselle, professor of political science and policy studies.

The implementation team stems from the work of the university鈥檚 Latinx/Hispanic Working Group, which presented 46 recommendations to the university in its final report in 2018. The working group was operating under the charge 鈥渢o make recommendations about 黑料不打烊鈥檚 policies and practices in order to make the university community a more supportive academic, work, and residential environment for Latinx/Hispanic students, faculty, staff and alumni.鈥�

This charge guided both the data-collection process, through secondary and primary research, and the final report.聽These 46 recommendations span all departments on campus, including academic affairs and student affairs, and they touch on areas such as admissions, orientation, student activities, alumni engagement, and employment of Latinx faculty and staff.

Sylvia Mu帽oz, interim director for the CREDE/director of El Centro, and Vanessa Bravo, associate professor of strategic communications, chaired the Latinx/Hispanic Working Group comprised of eight faculty, staff and students.聽 They also presented the final report to the university鈥檚 Senior Staff before the creation of an implementation team to monitor the next process: making the recommendations a reality.

Since spring 2019, the Latinx/Hispanic Implementation Team of about 10 faculty and staff members from across the university and co-chaired by Bravo and Joan Ruelle, dean of the Carol Grotnes Belk Library, has been working to connect recommendations to campus offices that are closest to the work. The team鈥檚 work is to support colleagues in prioritizing the implementation of these recommendations.

The process towards fully implementing the recommendations has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with its social, operational and financial implications. However, even with the pandemic disruption, there have been some advancements toward these goals.

Accomplishments to Date

The following list reflects some of the main outcomes accomplished by colleagues all across campus over the last two years. Organized by area, these accomplishments support the goal of creating a positive environment for Latinx students, faculty and staff at 黑料不打烊.

Welcome to 黑料不打烊 and success while at 黑料不打烊

• 黑料不打烊 hired a new assistant director of admissions for diversity and access. In this role, Kimberly Romero who focuses strongly on prospective Latinx students and their families.
• 黑料不打烊 is in a search process to hire an associate dean of admissions for diversity and access to recruit historically underrepresented students in our campus.
• In her role as assistant director of admissions for diversity and access, Romero led colleagues in the implementation of a bilingual enrollment program called 鈥淰iva 黑料不打烊!鈥� With online open houses in fall 2020, and spring 2021, this effort aims to offer prospective students the opportunity to speak with Latinx/Hispanic faculty, staff and students about 黑料不打烊.
• Office of Admissions and Financial Aid staff participated in inclusive excellence training.
• Campus tours are now available in Spanish upon request.
• New Student and Transition Programs, the Center for Access and Success and the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education partnered to create a bilingual session for families during Move-In weekend.
• There is more visibility of Spanish-speaking staff and volunteers during Move-In Day with 鈥淵o Hablo Espa帽ol鈥� buttons that identify them.
• 鈥淐onexiones,鈥� a pen pal program created by the Office of Admissions and El Centro, creates connections between accepted and current 黑料不打烊 students.
• 黑料不打烊 has a section of its website in Spanish. The webpage is called Informaci贸n sobre 黑料不打烊 (Information about 黑料不打烊), and it contains information in Spanish about the university, its accreditations, campus, admissions process, financial aid and scholarship opportunities, majors and minors and important contact information. This webpage can be found at /u/admissions/undergraduate/international-admissions/quienes-somos/

Organizations, spaces, experiences and resources

• El Centro is going through a transformation from a language center into a Latinx/Hispanic Center. It has a new mission and vision and three main areas of focus:聽Mi Gente (My People), Mi Educaci贸n (My Education), and Mi Comunidad (My Community). A newly redesigned website at www.elon.edu/elcentro is reflective of this change.聽The Spanish version of the website will soon be launched.
• Two new Latinx/Hispanic-serving organizations exist now at 黑料不打烊: Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. and Chi Upsilon Sigma sorority.
• 黑料不打烊 created a Latinx/Hispanic Employee Resource Group that meets once a month. This group is co-chaired by Bravo and Interim Vice President for Communications and Marketing Keren Rivas.

Curriculum and campus climate

• 黑料不打烊 created the position of coordinator of core forums and diversity in the Core Curriculum. Recently, one of the 鈥渃ommon reading鈥� books at 黑料不打烊 was written by a Latinx author about her lived experience as one of the few Latinx students at a private university.
• The Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning is collecting information to help establish a mentoring system for Latinx faculty, and it is also continuing its diversity & inclusion grants.
• A working group was formed to evaluate and update the Bias Response System.
• A new online training for faculty and staff called Preventing Harassment and Discrimination was implemented by Human Resources.
• Latinx faculty and staff have actively sought to have a presence in groups recently created at 黑料不打烊 that are making a strong impact on policies and practices and in the institution. They now have a presence on PACIE (the President鈥檚 Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence) and its subcommittees, on the American Council of Education Learner Success Lab committee at 黑料不打烊, which is focusing specifically on mentoring, and they were part of the Spring 2021 DEI Working Group on Curriculum and the Spring 2021 DEI Working Group on Professional Development/Faculty Evaluation.

Room for improvement: Representation

Some of the working group鈥檚 recommendations are still in initial stages or pending, and some will require more time to be implemented.聽Perhaps the most salient is the need to attract and retain more Latinx faculty and staff.

In the United States, Latinx people comprise about 20 percent of the population, but that is not reflected at 黑料不打烊. While the numbers of faculty members of other underrepresented groups also fall short in comparison to the U.S. demographics, there has been growth in the last 10 years, in the number of Asian/Asian-American professors at 黑料不打烊 (100 percent increase) and of Black professors at 黑料不打烊 (30 percent increase).

When it comes to Latinx faculty, however, the need for improvement is especially noticeable: In 2013, there were 10 Latinx faculty members at 黑料不打烊. In 2020, there were 9. Through the last 10 years, the percentage of Latinx professors at 黑料不打烊 has always remained close to 2 percent.

This is far from the 19 percent Latinx representation in U.S. demographics and also far from the percentage of college professors of Latinx origin in the United States, which was 6 percent in 2018, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. When it comes to Latinx staff members, the percentage at 黑料不打烊 is about 3 percent. In both cases, the numbers are still far from where 黑料不打烊 aspires to be.

In the near future, there could be improvements in this area as 黑料不打烊 implements some intentional steps, coordinated by Human Resources, to increase the recruitment and retention of faculty and staff of color. 黑料不打烊 has also hired several people of Latinx origin in key positions on campus in the last couple of years, including new hires in the Center for Access and Success, Counseling Services, El Centro and among the faculty.

Looking forward, the Latinx Implementation Team will continue to work in collaboration with different areas at 黑料不打烊, and supported now by the Division of Inclusive Excellence, led by Randy Williams, vice president and associate provost of Inclusive Excellence.

If any member of our 黑料不打烊 community wants to obtain more information or contact the members of the Implementation Team, please feel free to reach out to them. Currently, the Implementation Team is formed by Vanessa Bravo, Joan Ruelle, Sylvia Mu帽oz, Federico Pous, Oscar Miranda, Aliana Harrison, Nina Namaste, Matt Buckmaster and Kelli Shuman.

At this conference, typically attended by several thousand scholars from around the world, 黑料不打烊 had impressive representation with four faculty and staff members presenting research, chairing sessions or serving as paper discussants.

Among those in attendance were Vanessa Bravo, associate professor of strategic communications; Baris Kesgin, associate professor of political science and policy studies; Sylvia Mu帽oz, associate director of the CREDE; and Joel T. Shelton, assistant professor of political science and policy studies. Their respective research papers were the following:

• 鈥淪tate-diaspora relations in El Salvador and Colombia from 2010 to 2020: Building legitimacy at home while trying to protect and “court” citizens abroad,鈥澛燽y Vanessa Bravo and Maria De Moya (DePaul University).

• 鈥淭he Latinx factor in the 鈥渂rowning of America鈥�: The higher education context,鈥� by Vanessa Bravo and Sylvia Mu帽oz.

• 鈥淧acific island countries鈥� leadership and global politics of climate change,鈥� by Baris Kesgin, and,

• 鈥淕overning after COVID-19: Sadopopulism and the promise of statecraft,鈥� by Scott Nelson (Virginia Tech) and Joel T. Shelton.

Additionally, Vanessa Bravo chaired the session 鈥淏randing and image building: The Public Relations-Public Diplomacy Connection鈥� and Baris Kesgin served as paper discussant in the sessions 鈥淢ethodological Innovations in Foreign Policy Analysis,鈥� 鈥淪tudies in Comparative Foreign Policy,鈥� and 鈥淧ersonality and perceptions: How leaders influence international politics,鈥� which he also chaired. This year, Baris Kesgin was also the program co-chair for the Foreign Policy Analysis Section of the ISA, the organization鈥檚 second largest section.

ISA is dedicated to the understanding of international, transnational and global issues. It focuses on a variety of disciplines, including political science, international relations, international communication, history, international law, public diplomacy and international education.

For more information about the annual ISA conference, visit www.isanet.org.

At this year鈥檚 conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), only 46 percent of the papers submitted were accepted for presentation. Of the 54 papers submitted and the 24 papers accepted in the Public Diplomacy Interest Group, only three received Top Faculty Paper awards.

One of them was the paper 鈥淓ngaging home audiences across the border: Message framing in the U.S. and Mexican embassies before and after the U.S. administration change,鈥� co-authored by Vanessa Bravo, associate professor of communications,聽 and Maria De Moya with the College of Communications at DePaul University.

De Moya and Bravo鈥檚 paper received the 3rd Top Faculty Paper Award, determined by the scores given by the blind reviewers. 聽The paper explored the messages that the embassies of the United States and Mexico in the other country send to their diaspora communities via websites, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, analyzing the changes in messaging toward their diaspora members following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Since the fall of 2011, when Bravo joined 黑料不打烊, she has presented in more than 20 annual conferences in her field and has published more than 10 journal articles and book chapters.

ICA鈥檚 annual conference happened this year in Prague, Czech Republic, from May 24 to May 28. For more information, visit ICA鈥檚 homepage at

They are Associate Professor Vanessa Bravo (Communications); Assistant Professor Baris Kesgin (Political Science & Policy Studies); Associate Professor Michael Carignan (History & Geography) and Associate Professor Jason A. Kirk (Political Science & Policy Studies). They presented five research papers and participated in one panel, as follows:

• “Bad Hombres” versus “Good Migrants”: The Media Construction of the Figure of the Migrant in the United States and Mexico in the Trump Era, by Vanessa Bravo (黑料不打烊) and Maria DeMoya (DePaul University)
• Unwanted Attention: The Reputational Costs of the Dominican Republic’s Denial of Citizenship for People of Haitian Descent, by Maria DeMoya (DePaul University) and Vanessa Bravo (黑料不打烊)
• Do Political Leaders of Emerging Powers Adapt to Rising Status in World Politics? Cases of Brazil and Turkey, by Baris Kesgin (黑料不打烊) and Leslie E. Wehner (University of Bath)
• State Homophobia? India’s Shifting Positions on LGBTQ Issues at the UN, by Vikash Yadav (Hobart and William Smith Colleges) and Jason A. Kirk (黑料不打烊), and
• Service Learning and Intercultural Competence Development in Short-Term Study Abroad, by Michael Carignan (黑料不打烊) and Andrea Paras (University of Guelph).

Baris Kesgin also participated in a roundtable to honor Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) Distinguished Scholar Award recipient Juliet Kaarbo, who was Kesgin’s dissertation supervisor and co-author in several manuscripts. Besides, he was elected to the Executive Council for the FPA section, where he also serves on the editorial board of its journal.

ISA is one of the oldest interdisciplinary associations dedicated to the understanding of international, transnational and global issues. More information about the International Studies Association (ISA) conference can be found at

Bravo was one of the keynote speakers at the event, a two-day conference with 20 invited guest speakers (scholars and professionals) from countries such as Chile, Argentina, Spain, Croatia, Venezuela, Colombia, Costa Rica and the United States. 黑料不打烊 was the only university from the United States invited to the event.

Bravo’s keynote address, titled “Diaspora communities: An often-forgotten strategic public in public relations,” discussed the strategic relevance of diaspora communities for governments, corporations and non-government organizations located in the homeland. It used case studies from Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Colombia to showcase the economic, political and social relevance of diaspora communities.

The host institution for this conference, the University of Medellin, has the largest school of communications in Colombia, with about 2,000 students distributed in four communications tracks: graphic design & advertising, corporate communications, audiovisual communication and digital communication.

Bravo joined the School of Communications in fall 2011. Since then, she has published nine peer-reviewed journal articles and two peer-reviewed book chapters in her discipline.