Everything Nac

Grace Linebarger, a Stephen F. Austin State University undergraduate communication studies major from Flower Mound, learned her research paper has been accepted for presentation during the Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference to be held April 4 through 8 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Her paper titled “Global Media and Soft Power Representation: A Comparative Analysis of Indian Tourism as Experienced Personally and as Represented in The New York Times and Travel Channel” discusses the different ways in which India is represented in various media settings.

“There is this idea of ‘soft power’ in communication studies that expresses a nation or culture’s unconscious influence,” Linebarger said. “I wanted to see how India portrayed itself in comparison to how it was portrayed in the media.”

Linebarger traveled to India through a study abroad trip in spring 2017 with Dr. Sudeshna Roy, an SFA assistant professor in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Communication, and Dr. Aryendra Chakravartty, an SFA assistant professor of history.

While in India, Linebarger quickly noticed that her expectations of India, which she had formed through media influence, greatly differed from her real-life experiences.

When Linebarger began research for her independent study with Roy in fall 2017, Linebarger decided to focus on the disparity she had witnessed, which led to her research paper.

“I put so many hours into this project, and it’s amazing that I was selected from among so many other talented and hardworking scholars who submitted projects, as well,” Linebarger said.

By Emily Brown, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s local Beta Gamma Sigma chapter in the Rusche College of Business won the Highest Honors achievement from the BGS board for its Collegiate Chapter Honor Roll.

BGS is an organization with approximately 600 chapters across 190 countries. The program grants awards to active collegiate chapters that demonstrate their membership’s involvement in BGS activities and events.

The recognition is based on a stringent point system that includes service projects, speaker events, leadership and more. There are three levels of achievement: Honors, High Honors and Highest Honors.

Cathy Henderson, Rusche College of Business BGS sponsor, attributes the award recognition to the high organization participation rates of SFA students.

“Collegiate chapters need at least an 85 percent acceptance rate and must participate in many events that equate to earned points,” Henderson said. “We have nearly a 100-percent acceptance rate, and our top students are engaged and eager to be involved. This adds value to our organization and specific projects, but it also earns us points, which leads to the highest designation possible within the BGS organization.”

SFA’s chapter earned points for participation in events that included the Rusche College of Business Passport Program, Toys for Tots, hurricane relief efforts and speaker engagements.

As part of SFA’s Highest Honors achievement, one SFA student will be chosen and receive free registration to represent the university during the annual Global Leadership Summit, which takes place in November 2018.

For more information regarding the BGS, visit betagammasigma.org.