Help us celebrate 35 years of ComDev! During the day, attend conference sessions exploring the the past, present and future of our discipline with faculty, alumni and current students. Evening programming will include performance, food and conversation. All events are free and open to the public.

Please RSVP for attending the anniversary

Monday, November 14, 2022

All events will be in MCC 219 in Baker Center and are online on MS Teams

8:30-9:45 a.m.

Welcome to the 35 ^th Anniversary:

Saumya Pant Ph.D.

Director Communication and Development Studies &

Assistant Professor, School of Media Arts and Studies

Scripps College of Communication

Ohio University, Athens

Dr. Josep Rota, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, Communication &Associate Provost Emeritus for International Studies, Ohio University.

First Director (1986-1996) of the Communication and Development Studies Program and the Director of the Center for International Studies (1996-2009) and Director of the Latin American Studies Program (1985-1988) at Ohio University.

Victor Kojo Dei

President, Communication and Development Studies Executive

Communication and Development Studies

Ohio University, Athens

10-11 a.m.

Weaving the Communication and Development Studies Quilt:  A Narrative Spun of Personal  Threads

Opening Keynote by Dr. Arvind Singhal

Samuel Shirley and Edna Holt Marston Endowed Professor of Communication and

Director of the Social Justice Initiative

The University of Texas at El Paso

11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

20/20: Thinking forward, Looking Back.  

Alumni Round Table Discussion

Ruma Sen, Ph.D., Professor of Communication (Facilitator)

School of Contemporary Arts

Ramapo College of New Jersey

Anne Palmer, Associate Scientist

Department of Health, Behavior and Society &

Program Director

Johns Hopkins Center for Livable Future

Samanthi Hewakapuge, Director of Library Services 
San Juan College

Farmington, New Mexico

Hannah Wintucky

Government Affairs Policy

Fellow at the Outdoor Industry Association

Washington D.C.

Vlad Kovalevski

Knowledge Management and Leaning Consultant

World Bank, Washington D.C.

Kay-Anne Darlington

Associate Professor of Communication and

Director of the Honors Program 

University of Rio Grande

Richard Quarshie

Senior Academic Advisor

Interdisciplinary Studies Program

Virginia Commonwealth University

Mary Magdalene Ngum Chumbow

Manager of Public Relations & Communications

MindSpark Learning, Colarado

Angela Mendez

Communication Specialist

United Nations

Carolyn Walcott, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor  

Communications Specialist

Snellville, Georgia

1-1:45 p.m.

Luncheon sponsored by Scripps College of Communication

Schoonover 450

2-3 p.m.

Positioning Communication and Development Studies Today

Director’s Panel

Josep Rota, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, Communication &Associate Provost

Emeritus for International Studies, Ohio University.

Drew McDaniel, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, School of Media Arts and Studies

Scripps College of Communication, Ohio University

Vibert Cambridge, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, School of Media Arts and Studies

Scripps College of Communication, Ohio University

David Mould Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, School of Media Arts and Studies

Scripps College of Communication, Ohio University

Lawrence Wood, Ph.D.

Associate Proessor, School of Media Arts and Studies

Scripps College of Communication, Ohio University

Saumya Pant, Ph.D.

Director (present)

Communication and Development Studies &

Assistant Professor, School of Media Arts and Studies

Scripps College of Communication, Ohio University

3:15-4:30 p.m.

Media Storytelling and Creativity in Communication and Development Studies

Brian Plow, Associate Professor, Media Arts and Studies                                        

In Conversation with CommDev current students and alumni

4:45-5:45 p.m.

Don’t Take the Communication out of Development!

Closing Keynote Address by Dr. David Mould

Professor Emeritus

Media Arts and Studies

Scripps College of Communication

Ohio University

7 p.m. onwards

Cultural Evening- International performances and an Open Stage for all to participate

Food – Caribbean Homestyle Food

Dress Code – Cultural Attire

Grover Atrium, Ohio University                     

Tuesday, November 15

All events will be in MCC 219 in Baker Center and are online on MS Teams

9:15-10:15 a.m.

Bringing Art to Social Change

Passion Works Studio

We will meet at Passion Works Studio

20 E State St, Athens,

OH 45701       

10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Emerging CommDev Scholars

Research Presentation by Communication and Development Studies  2 ^nd Year Students

MCC 219, Baker Center         

Ama Boatemaa Ofori Birikorang, Ghana

Anisha Mahima, India

Diana Maame Agyeiwaa Agyei , Ghana

King Khangamwa, Malawi

Narges Ghafary, Afghanistan

Paul Celi, Peru

Victor Kojo, Ghana

Wilhemina Bofla, Ghana

Yara Lane, Mozambique

12:15-12:45 p.m.

Luncheon sponsored by Center for International Studies

Baker Center 230

1-2 p.m.

Toward Hybrid Contaminated Futures: Directions and Possibilities

Keynote Address by Dr. Ruma Sen

Professor of Communication

School of Contemporary Arts

Ramapo College of New Jersey

MCC 219, Baker Center

4-9 p.m.

Gates will Open at 3:45

CommDev Gala: Where the World Dances Together

Baker Center Ball Room         

Tentative Events:

Welcome by Vibert Cambridge, Ph.D. and Josep Rota, Ph.D. Awards and Recognitions Decentering Communication and Media Studies

Keynote Address by Dr. Tanja Bosch

Associate Professor, Centre for Film and Media Studies 

Deputy Dean of Research, Faculty of Humanities

University of Cape Town

African Ensemble with Paschal Yao Younge and Zelma Badu-Younge

Professor of Music Education and Professor of Dance

College of Fine Arts

Ohio University, Athens

Dinner – Indian food from Haveli Bistro, Columbus, Ohio