Communication Studies is often a major that is over-looked. However, Kent State University annually holds the Ohio Communication Association Conference.

This year, a number of professors from the communication department and students went to this conference – some as supporters and some as participants.

Senior Megan Wise was one participant, and gave a presentation on deception.

“I had previously conducted research for a class about a deception theory,” she said. “And I presented it to my peers, and then the other faculty and staff who were attending the conference.”

The conference also consisted of a poster presentation that was given by four Ashland University students.

“[The topics ranged] from the benefits of organ donation, a strategy of how to improve the Ashland YMCA, and the last one was talking about the importance of Alzheimer’s caregivers,” she said.

Within the poster session, senior Communication Studies major Christina Miadich won first place for her poster.

After the presentations, there was a small drink and dessert hour followed by an award ceremony.

At the ceremony, Wise won the Ohio Communication Association Distinguished Undergraduate Student Award.

“Back in the spring, Dr. Avgtis asked me to give him my resume because he said he was going to submit it to this conference for this award,” she said. “It wasn’t until toward the end of the summer that he broke the good news to me.”

Wise said that through this award she is continuing her deception theory work, and is planning to bring it to AU’s campus.

“With this award and also with the speech that I gave I will be conducting my own research study about this deception theory here on the AU campus once it gets approved by the board,” she said.

Although the award was given at the same time of her presentation, Wise said the two did not go together. The award was based more on her achievements as a student, and the presentation was something she needed to apply for.

“[The award] was based on my work, my academics in the classroom and also what I’ve done outside of the classroom with communications,” she said. “It was a combination of ‘good student’ plus what I’ve contributed to communication studies as a whole.”

The deception presentation took some preparation, Wise explained. She wrote the paper for a class last semester and then went through the process of turning her paper into a speech, and also creating a PowerPoint to go with it. She said that she practiced on her own and because she enjoys giving speeches, it wasn’t a problem.

“I like giving speeches so it didn’t faze me too much,” she said. “But I like to be prepared so I would just practice what I would say and put together a PowerPoint so I would have a visual aspect when I was giving my presentation.”

Wise said she applied to give the presentation last semester. Her application consisted of submitting her paper and a small abstract of the presentation. She said she found out in the summer that her presentation was accepted.

“It was something that I chose to do,” she said. “And it was a great experience for myself to get in a public-speaking atmosphere and to get into a conference-like setting, because I had never participated in one before.”