It is with great excitement that the Nicholson School of Communication and Media announce the first two graduates of the Strategic Communication PhD program! Created in 2019, the program focuses on communicating and partnering with scholars and other professionals in public and private sectors to solve real world problems.
Congratulations to Dr. Rodrigo Soares and Dr. Ashley Papagni! I had the opportunity to ask the new doctorates a few questions in a brief interview during the graduates’ reception. The doctorates discussed their motivations, advice, and reflections they had about their academic journey.
Dr. Rodrigo Soares
What kept you motivated to get to the finish line?
“You need to have your goal established since the very beginning of your program so you can have that finish line very clear & that will keep motivating you so you can accomplish that goal. Of course, there are going to be times when things get stressful and anxiety kicks in, but you need to keep focusing on that goal you first established and then keep pursuing the accomplishment of that goal.”
What do you plan on doing now that you have a doctorate?
“I am applying for a couple of post-doc positions, and I want to keep conducting research to keep focusing on the areas that I’ve been focusing on during my PhD program which is risk and crisis communication. So, hopefully I’m going to be accepted for a post-doc position.”
You’re one of the first graduates from this program. What message do you have those following in your footsteps?
“Don’t give up. The important thing is that you successfully complete your program. Keep that finish line on your focus since the beginning; establish that goal, what you want to accomplish, then keep pursuing that goal throughout your program until you reach the finish line.”
Would you consider what you did a sacrifice? Why or why not?
“Not really, I think sacrifice has a negative connotation. It’s something that you do and suffer in order to reach that goal, but I don’t feel suffering at any point. So, like I said, there’s going to be time with lots of stress, anxiety and frustrations; but that’s not suffering, that’s just part of the process. So, if you keep pursuing your goals, it’s going to work out.”
Does anyone in your family have a PhD?
“No, I’m the first one with a PhD”
What was your favorite part of the program?
“I think the opportunity to work with my colleagues, cohort and most importantly, with faculty members like conducting research. There are plenty of opportunities; that’s another important thing that PhD students try to establish their network with faculty members. The moment that you join a PhD program, you need to feel that you’re a part of the group and not just learning from them; they learn from you as well. So, work with them, conduct research, focus on what matters to you so you can help find solutions to the problem that the world has nowadays.”
What did you learn and what would you like to reflect on during your time in the program?
“I think it’s important that you think about what your dissertation topic is as soon as you can so you can work throughout your classes towards your dissertation. That’s a piece of advice that I would give to other PhD students because every piece of work that you’re doing in your classes can help you in the process of putting your dissertation together.”
Dr. Ashley Papagni
What kept you motivated to get to the finish line?
“Actually, having twins in May of 2021 was something that I knew that would make all the difference for them to show them that education is extremely powerful and once you have education, no one can take that away from you. So, just to set a good example as a role model for my kids.”
What do you plan on doing now that you have a doctorate?
“I’m currently the public information officer for the City of Orlando under the direction of Mayor Buddy Dyer, so I’m going to continue to work on strategic communication within the City of Orlando especially as we deal with multiple crises throughout the year. Especially the last few months we had two hurricanes, so I feel that this degree and program will help emphasize what I can accomplish at the City.”
You’re one of the first graduates from this program. What message do you have those following in your footsteps?
“I think there’s a lot of value in mentorship, so especially in my role I always try to incorporate future PhD and Masters students in papers that I’m writing so I think it’s incumbent on those who graduate to think ahead and really bring future leaders into the fold. So, my advice to those looking for a PhD is to partner with somebody who is currently enrolled and build that relationship so that you can work on papers for publishing.”
Would you consider what you did a sacrifice? Why or why not?
“I truly believe that I was always going to get my doctorate, so not as much a sacrifice as it was a commitment; a commitment to myself, to my family and certainly something that you can build time in. If you really want it, time management is everything, but not so much a sacrifice. I’m really proud of the time spent in what I’ve learned because it wasn’t just to get to the end; it was…I hate to call it a project, it was more of a process every single day. If you’re not learning, then what are you doing?”
What was your favorite part of the program?
“The cohort; I feel that when you start fresh, there’s a lot of unknowns and you can really lean on each other when it comes to the degree because there’ll be due dates, things that you missed, ideas. Especially in the cohort, we are very blessed to live in a space where we can have these conversations and I understand that in other socioeconomic populations that they might not be able to have these conversations. So, I really feel an obligation to work with my cohort and honestly, change the world through this research.”
Does anyone in your family have a PhD?
“No. I’m the first in my family.”
What did you learn and what would you like to reflect on during your time in the program?
“I think that there’s a space for women in this realm. A lot of times women might have to make sacrifices, especially me with new, young children. So, I would be encouraging for women to get a stronger voice in research because what I learned as I was reading a lot of the literature that reflecting on some of the issues may not have…everyone’s ideas were never shared. So, it’s really important that women have a space in this and that other scholars advocate for them to step into the space, and they don’t feel like they have to make these choices; they can do it all, they really can.”
Congratulations again to our new doctorates! We can’t wait to see you change the world with your research!
By Majdulina Hamed.
Published to Nicholson News on December 21st, 2022.
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