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Dr. Russell Brooks Butler Barber Scholarship

An honors graduate of Puget Sound in 1957, Dr. Barber received his M.A. from Stanford University as a Danforth Fellow and was awarded his Ph.D from Northwestern University in mass communication. Dr. Barber has two Emmy Awards to his credit - 1984 Emmy for Outstanding Individual Craft as host of “The First Estate: Religion in Review”, a public affairs program which reports on the ways in which modern men and women express their faith and a 1985 award for coverage of Cardinal Cooke’s funeral.

To recognize his accomplishments, an anonymous donor established the Dr. Russell Brooks Butler Barber Scholarship to assist outstanding students studying in the field of Communication Studies. Awards are made on the basis of merit and academic achievement without consideration of financial need.

The Gary L. Peterson Endowed Scholarship

The Gary L. Peterson Scholarship Fund was established by many gifts from students, family, fellow faculty members, and former students of Communication Studies Professor Gary L. Peterson after his retirement from the University of Puget Sound.

Dr. Peterson taught at the University of Puget Sound across four different decades. He began his Puget Sound career in 1969, and taught in what was then the Communication and Theatre Arts Department until his retirement from full-time teaching in 1998. For eleven of those years Dr. Peterson served as department chair.

Dr. Peterson earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Utah, his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees at Ohio University. He taught at the University of Washington and Brigham Young University before joining the Puget Sound faculty.

He taught a wide range of courses over his years at Puget Sound, including Argumentation and Debate (serving as Director of Forensics for four years), Speech Education, Persuasion, History and Criticism of Public Address, and Presentational Communication. During his later years he taught primarily in the Applied Communication areas of Group Decision Making, Business and Professional Communication, and Organizational Communication. He believed very strongly in providing students practical and applied experiences, insights into actual organizational practices and policies, and developing specific analyses from their classroom or case experience.

Established in 2004 and awarded annually to a Communication Studies undergraduate major, recognized for academic excellence, promise of achievement in the Communication field and financial need.

Lambda Pi Eta Book Scholarship

The goal of the Lambda Pi Eta book scholarship is to reward dedication to the study of communication and to encourage further study and involvement in the field. Two $100 awards will be given to students to be used at the Puget Sound Bookstore.

Applicants must be:

  • Be a declared Communication Studies major
  • Have completed three Communication Studies classes or have completed two and be enrolled in a third by the beginning of spring semester
  • Submit an unofficial transcript
  • Include a 1-2 paragraph (maximum 1 page) statement describing involvement in the field of communication and plans for future involvement.

A committee will review the applications and notify scholarship recipients.

Forensics Scholarship

Puget Sound Forensics Scholarships are based on academic and forensics achievement. Awards for incoming students usually are $1000-$3000, renewable for three years based on satisfactory participation in the forensics program and maintenance of a 3.0 grade point average. Since Puget Sound’s program focuses on debate, experience in high school debate that emphasizes research is preferred. Deadline for application is January 15.

Scholarship Winners

Chiara Garcia

Hi! I'm Chiara Garcia, a junior majoring in Communication Studies, and minoring in Education and Studio Art, at the University of Puget Sound. I am originally from Pleasant Hill, California. I am currently pursuing a career in education as a teacher, and I also hope to organize creative projects and installations after I graduate. The reason why I chose to major in Communication Studies is because of how applicable the field is to a wide range of careers. I am able to apply the skills I’ve learned every day, within my on-campus job, interpersonal life, networking circles, etc. In my Communication Studies classes, I often find myself diving deep into aspects of the social world around me that I took as a given, and noticing how many iconic moments and artifacts were made possible only through intentional communication and rhetoric. Since taking my first few COMM classes, I have noticed how much more actively I pay attention to the subtle ways in which communication skills can make huge differences in achieving specific goals. Thank you so much to the Communication Studies department for this award, and for another great semester!
 

Katie Hayhurst

This year I am a senior Communication Studies and Business Leadership double major from La Crescenta, California. Before coming to Puget Sound, I loved asking questions about why people act the way they do, and after hearing about my sister’s experiences as a Communication Studies major at a similar university, I decided that I wanted to take classes in the COMM department and consider the major. Every communication studies course I have taken (eight so far) has been an amazing experience with professors who were engaging and passionate about their class; I am so thankful I decided to pursue this area of study. 

My involvement on campus includes a lot of music. I play the violin (and sometimes percussion) in the Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Strings Club, and this will be my third year working in the School of Music Office as the social media assistant. Outside of music, I am a member of the Business Leadership Program, where I take cohort classes and attend extra seminars that help prepare me for entering the workforce. I am also a member of Phi Eta Sigma, a national honors society on campus. 

In the summer of 2022, I was an Institutional Advancement intern at the Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles where I was reminded of my love of consuming theatre, and has made me interested in the possibility of pursuing arts administration after graduation. This recent summer I was a communications intern at King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks in the Water and Land Resources Division - an internship I found through the COMM Department emails! This experience helped develop my skills in writing blog stories and creating various social media packages. Working for these two impressive organizations has reassured my goal of eventually working somewhere with a meaningful mission and a positive impact on its community. 

I am incredibly thankful for this academic department and for the donors who made this generous scholarship possible.
 

Anya Lipkowitz

My name is Anya Lipkowitz, and I am a current Junior at the University of Puget Sound. I am majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in English. I am from Albuquerque, New Mexico. My hometown, during the throws of COVID-19, made incredible efforts in making immunization possible. In fact, my aunt, Anna Pentler is the executive director of the New Mexico Immunization Coalition. Watching my aunt make vital, lasting impacts on my home, through education and increasing accessibility of vaccinations, helped me to more fully understand the importance of communication and messaging. She inspired me to pursue a degree in communications, and aim for a Masters in Public Health Communication, in the future. New Mexico, with the leadership of my Aunt, became one of the leading states in vaccination rates during COVID-19. 

Additionally, through taking classes such as Health Communication Campaigns and Qualitative Research Methods, my view of the world has shifted dramatically. Because of the opportunity to walk through the entire process of forming a health campaign, or learning how to truly analyze and understand qualitative data, I have a more full view of how engaging and compelling communication can effect lasting, positive change in communities. The classes I've taken here have inspired me to strive for making the world a better, safer place, for all different types of people.

Thank you to my wonderful professors for pushing me to dig deeper and to my parents for their consistent, unwavering support! Thank you to the communications department and this incredible gift from the donors!
 

Maya Martin

My name is Maya Martin, and I am currently a senior at the University of Puget Sound. I am from Auburn, Washington, and major in Communication Studies and minor in Musical Inquiry. I first took a communications class as a part of my CORE requirements, and did not expect to love it as much as I did. This specific class centered around interpersonal communication, and I was fascinated at just how applicable the subject was to typical human interactions. I absolutely loved exploring these relationships and quickly realized that I wanted to declare my major in this field.

Outside of my education at the university, I am very involved on campus. For instance, I have been a Campus Tour Guide since the second semester of my freshman year, and have also been an orientation leader for incoming freshman (Passages) my sophomore and senior year. I am also active in the a cappella group Underground Sound and work as the Success Coaching Assistant for the Department of Student Success. Additionally, I am a member of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honors Society.

Overall, I am eternally grateful for the countless opportunities that the Communication Studies Department has afforded me. Studying Comm at UPS has helped me gain an abundance of knowledge, make meaningful connections, explore many opportunities to build a career off of, and prepare for life after college. I am especially thankful for the amazing faculty in this department, namely my academic advisor and former professor, Dr. Bianca Wolf. I also want to extend my thanks to the incredible donors who made this scholarship possible. I am so grateful to have been given these amazing opportunities within the Communication Studies Department at the University of Puget Sound!
 

Kate Patterson

I’m Kate Patterson, a Junior from Portland, Oregon double majoring in Communication Studies and Politics & Government. I declared my Communication Studies major spring of my freshman year, the earliest students may do so. From my first class in this department, Intro to American Civil Rhetoric, I’ve known that I wanted to study the power of words and how we build relationships with others. I especially love how classes in the COMM department range topics, like my public health campaigns class last year. I feel so grateful to be in this department and to truly enjoy my course work almost every day.

I’m involved outside of the classroom as a Passages coordinator, Managing Copy Editor of The Trail (our student newspaper), Senior Spiritual Life Leader, campus security assistant, Lillis barista, and member of Clearcut Ultimate. My passion is working to increase student belonging, which has been especially central to my roles in passages and in the University Chaplaincy.&

In my limited free time I love going on walks, eating pesto pasta, and going on runs around Tacoma.

Thank you so much to those who made this scholarship possible!
 

Natalie Wilson

I am Natalie Wilson, a University of Puget Sound senior majoring in Communications. Before attending the University of Puget Sound, I intended to study Political Science on the Pre-Law route. However, it wasn’t until my first Communication course, American Civic Rhetoric 171, that sparked my interest in the discipline. The course intersected my passions for political and social discourse by critically examining its potent impacts on society. Rhetoric is an efficient vehicle for curating political and social messages through empowering and influential language. As a persuasive and compelling force, rhetoric is all-encompassing and structures our fixed ideologies, convictions, attitudes, social norms, expectations, and behaviors. I am privileged to take Communication courses in rhetoric that compel me to think critically to challenge and dismantle these structured beliefs and values. I am indebted to the Communications department for developing and supporting me in becoming an abstract, critical, well-rounded thinker and student. I plan to pursue my master’s in Communications; I will continue to apply, refine, and enhance the skills and knowledge I have gained through the University of Puget Sound Communications department.

Outside of my involvement as a student in Communications, I work in the department as a Course assistant for the same course that sparked my curiosity for Communications; I assist American Civic Rhetoric 171. I also work for the University of Puget Sound’s Speech and Effective Advocacy Center, where I am a Speech Coach, supporting students in structuring and presenting speeches. I am also a member of the University of Puget Sound’s Forensics program, the university’s debate team, where we compete and practice strategies of public deliberation. I also serve as the University of Puget Sound’s Mortar Board President, a selective senior honors society that promotes scholarship and innovation. Finally, I am a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honors Society, which welcomes students who display a robust commitment to the field of Communication.

I am profoundly passionate about the field of Communications. Thank you to the department for this generous scholarship, which empowers me to strengthen the application of my studies. Finally, thank you to the charitable donors for creating and distributing the scholarship to encourage students like myself to continue to pursue and apply my passions wholeheartedly.

Emma Pack

I am a junior at the University of Puget Sound, and a double major in Communication Studies and Business. I am originally from Portland, Oregon and from the beginning was immediately attracted to the Communication Studies department. I came into college with a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do and what I wanted to major in. After taking my first COMM class freshman year (COMM 170: Intro to Media Studies) I knew that my original desire to major in Communication Studies was spot on. I have loved every Communication Studies class I have taken here and have learned so much from the incredible professors within this department that have not only expanded my knowledge, but have also created a positive community and environment.

Outside of the classroom, I am a member of the UPS Women’s Soccer team. I greatly enjoy spending time with my teammates, competing for our school and building deep connections. Playing for this team and for this school is an incredibly special experience that has taught me the importance of balance in life. I also work at a local nursery, Gardensphere, that has shown me how special the community is within Tacoma.

I am so thankful to the Communication Studies department and the generous donors for this scholarship! Thank you for rewarding the hard work that occurs within this department here at UPS!

Marissa Gloria Perez

My name is Marissa Gloria Perez and I am a Junior from Rancho Cucamonga, California, majoring in Communication Studies with a minor in Crime, Law, and Justice. Entering the University of Puget Sound I was unsure of what I wanted to study as a major, but I knew that Communication Studies was of interest to me. Although I was unsure what to select as a major, I knew I wanted a subject area that would help me pursue Law School. In my sophomore year, I took a class in the Communication Studies department, taught by Professor Brody, and it was that class that sparked my interest in the field of Communication Studies. At the end of that semester, I knew the Communication department was where I belonged. Since then, I have enjoyed all of my classes and the different fields within those studies.

As the President of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, captain of the Women’s Tennis Team, Vice President of Operations for Pi Beta Phi national sorority, and member of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society and Order of Omega Greek Honor Society, I have been able to apply my key learnings from the classroom to my leadership positions. Additionally, I work at Lillis Cafe and the Center for Speech and Effective Advocacy. Helping others is my passion, and serving as an orientation leader has provided me with one of the most amazing experiences as I meet new students from all over the country and help guide and welcome them to the University. Outside of school, I love to go on hikes, rock climbing, get a Howdy Bagel at the Proctor Farmers Market, paint and bake.

I am incredibly grateful to the Communication Studies Department for their guidance and support throughout my academic endeavors. I also want to thank the generous donors for this scholarship!

Brad Hankin

Hi, my name is Brad Hankin. I am from the Bay Area and I'm currently a Junior. I am majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Studio Art with an emphasis towards printmaking. I knew from the get go that I wanted to go into this field as I am fascinated with how people communicate with each other. I am fascinated with how them constantly advancing media and technology is changing the ways humans interact with each other and how new forms of discourse are being built.

When I am not studying or reading for classes, I love to create art and paint. I use incorporate several different mediums in my work. From acrylic painting to photoshop. I am also the current Director of Marketing and Promotions for KUPS, our local college radio station. Not to mention I love going on runs and getting my heart rate up.

Lastly, I want to personally thank the Communication Studies department for this amazing gift. I am extremely grateful and appreciative of this award! Thank you.

Kate True

My name is Kate True and I am a current senior double majoring in Communication Studies and Politics & Government. I remember coming into college extremely nervous, as I felt that everyone around me was already set on what they planned on majoring in. I, as an undecided student until the end of my sophomore year, wanted to explore as many disciplines as possible before selecting a major that I felt aligned with what truly interests me. I discovered the Communication Studies department on a whim during my second year and quickly fell in love with the material and the intellectual challenge. I am so thankful for how the department has shaped me into such a strong critical thinker and writer, and I am eager to see where my Communication Studies background brings me after college.

An organization that stands out to me during my time at the University of Puget Sound includes the Center for Writing and Learning (CWL). I am currently in my third year as a writing advisor for the CWL and have enjoyed my position for all it has taught me throughout the years. It is safe to say that my position as a writing advisor has molded me during my academic journey, and for that, I am most grateful.

Katie Hayhurst

I am currently a junior Communication Studies and Business Leadership double major from La Crescenta, California. Before coming to Puget Sound I loved asking questions about why people act the way they do, and after hearing about my sister's experiences as a Communication Studies major at a similar university, I decided that I wanted to take classes in the COMM department and consider a major. I am now on track as a double major and I tell my friends that I "identify" more with my Communication Studies major. I have enjoyed every class I've taken so far in this department and this year I am even a course assistant for COMM 170!

My involvement on campus includes a lot of music. I play the violin in the Symphony Orchestra and this will be my second year working in the School of Music Office. I also take marimba lessons from time to time as I miss playing like I did in high school. Outside of music, I am a member of the Business Leadership Program, where I take cohort classes and attend extra seminars that will prepare me for entering the workforce. I am also a member of Phi Eta Sigma, a national honors society on campus. This recent summer I was an Institutional Advancement intern at Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles. I was reminded of my love of consuming theatre, and I now hope to one day work in theatre administration!

I am extremely thankful for this academic department and for the donors who made this generous scholarship possible.

Hannah Lillard

I am a rising senior at the University of Puget Sound currently pursuing a double major in Communication Studies and International Political Economy as well as a triple minor in Business Studies, Global Development Studies, and Education Studies. Originally from Denver, Colorado, I always knew I wanted to pursue higher education in the Pacific Northwest. Going into school my freshman year, I had my heart set on studying Psychology, however, after I took my first Communication class I knew that it was the department for me. I fell in love with the courses that the department offered, and the wide variety of skills I was able to learn in each of my classes.

Throughout the years, I have grown and dedicated myself to studying the intricate ways of rhetoric and social communication, and am so thankful for what the department has taught me in and out of the classroom.

One class that truly stands out to me in all my Communication Studies courses, is my Political Communication class taught by Professor Jasinski that I was so fortunate to take during the election in the Fall of 2020. This class was extremely challenging, yet incredibly fascinating, and I loved learning about the different rhetorics of past and current government leaders. This class is also a prime example of how the department teaches courses that are relevant in and out of the classroom. Through this class I learned so much about our nation's government, and am so thankful to be able to use this knowledge for the rest of my life.

Outside of academics, I am the elected Vice President of the Associated Students of University of Puget Sound (ASUPS), or more commonly known as our Student Body, a participant and captain on the Universities Women’s Swim Team as well as participate on the University’s Track and Field Team. Both these teams have helped shape me into who I am, and have taught me the power of resilience and passion. Off the field/pool I have also served as the president of my sorority Pi Beta Phi, where I have met so many incredible girls that mentor me into being my best self.

For the past year I have been able to put my Communication studies skills to practice through accepting a part time position at the Tacoma Art Museum working in their digital marketing department, as well as working as a Program Assistant within the Experiential Learning Department here at UPS.

I am so thankful for the opportunities University of Puget Sound donors have given me, in helping me further my education in and outside the classroom. Without them, I know I would not be where I am today! I would also like to give an enormous thank you to the Communication Studies Department for considering me for the generous scholarship and the amazing honor. I truly love this department, and cannot wait to take what I have been so grateful to learn out into the real world.

Keegan Smith

I am a junior here at Puget Sound, and I am a Communication Studies and Business Administration double major with an Education minor. I came to school here knowing I wanted to major in Communication Studies, because I have always wanted to go into marketing. Communication classes have greatly impacted my knowledge on interpersonal communication, and have allowed me to see in what ways I should be addressing people and analyzing others, which helps greatly for marketing. I decided to major in Business Administration as well because I can get more of the marketing knowledge from there. With my knowledge from my majors I have been able to secure a marketing internship in the summer of 2021, and in this summer of 2022 I was offered a full-time paid internship with Keysight Technologies. I am hoping to further my skills here over the summer.

Outside of the class room and my future plans, on campus I am a student lead at Diversions Cafe, a choreographer for Repatory Dance Group, and I have held two different positions in Kappa Alpha Theta, a sorority here on campus. Additionally I worked as a Communication Studies course assistant before I was promoted to a lead at Diversions.

I want to thank the Communication Studies department and the donor who made this award possible. I am very grateful to be presented with this opportunity, and I am happy to continue my coursework in the Communication Studies field.