Why did you choose graduate school at IU Indianapolis?
I earned my undergraduate degree in Communication Studies at IU Indianapolis, followed by a master’s in Applied Communication - and now I’m back pursuing my PhD in Health Communication. Clearly, I’m pretty committed to IUI! I fell in love with learning here, thanks in large part to the Department of Communication faculty, whose mentorship and dedication to student success continue to inspire me to stay.
What has been your favorite academic accomplishment since you’ve been here?
Being the recipient of the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, and Gender's 2025 Karla Scott Outstanding Master's Thesis award is something I'm immensely proud of. My thesis, "Re-visioning the Undefinable: A Generative Rhetorical Analysis of Trauma Narratives in Horror Films," was a (100-page) labor of love, and to get recognition on a national scale for my work means the world to me. I'd be remiss if I didn't thank my mentor and thesis advisor, Dr. Catherine Dobris, without whom this wouldn't have been possible.
What do you enjoy most about life in Indianapolis?
There's a lot to love in Indy if you know where to look. If someone were new to Indianapolis, here's where I would first recommend they go:
- Nine Lives Cat Cafe - if you're looking to adopt a cat, this is the best place.
- One World Market - Japanese market that also serves extremely good curry.
- Bodhi, on Mass Ave - fantastic Thai food.
- Blue Mind Coffee - inventive, pretty, vegan-friendly coffee drinks.
- Good Earth - supermarket in Broad Ripple with unique, healthy finds.
Please provide some details about your work/research as a graduate student and/or any activities you are involved in.
My research interests include trauma processing, posttraumatic stress disorder, bioactive communication, rhetorical criticism, narrative analysis, women’s health, and horror films. This diversity reflects what I value most about the study of communication: its endless capacity for new questions and unexpected intersections. As an example, one of my current projects, “Navigating the Boundary: A Communication Privacy Management Approach to Sibling Trauma Disclosure,” combines trauma processing, interpersonal disclosure, privacy boundaries, family communication, and narrative analysis.