Graduate Students

Solange Akakpo

Solange Akakpo is a master’s student in Communication at Saint Louis University, where she also serves as a research assistant in the Department of Communication. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from the University of Cape Coast.

Her professional background spans journalism, public relations, and advertising. She has served as a television transmission and production coordinator at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, where her outstanding contributions were recognized with the Best National Service TV Coordinator of the Year Award.

Building on her experience, Solange took on the role of communications manager at Vicakpo Hotel, where she restructured the communications department to strengthen brand visibility and extend the organization’s reach.

Her research interests lies in strategic communication, with a particular focus on how social media platforms can serve as strategic tools for organizational development.

Widely recognized as proactive, hardworking, dedicated, and personable, Solange combines her strong work ethic with a strategic mindset to achieve meaningful results.

Grayson Arnold

Grayson Arnold is a master’s student in SLU’s Department of Communication and a graduate writing consultant for SLU’s University Writing Services. They received their B.A. in Communication with a minor in English from Tulane University in 2024, and previously worked as a research assistant in Tulane’s Discrimination, Disparities, and Data Lab.

At SLU, Grayson continues to study discrimination as well as contemporary political rhetoric, particularly as it pertains to transgender and disability studies. In the future, they intend to enroll in a Ph.D. program and become a professor and researcher. 

Daniel Bernas

Daniel Bernas is a master’s student in SLU’s Department of Communication. He graduated from SLU with a Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing with a minor in Communication and currently works in the university’s Office of Admission as an admission counselor.

During his time as a SLU student, Daniel was heavily involved in the campus’ newspaper, The University News, and radio station, KSLU. These experiences have led him to an interest in media and rhetorical studies, which he is eager to explore through the Communications program.

Priyanka Ghosh

Priyanka Ghosh is a graduate teaching assistant and master's student in communication at Saint Louis University. Her research focuses on health communication, with a particular interest in mental health. She has authored one publication and presented a conference paper on communication-related topics.

Priyanka holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and Journalism from Khulna University. Before joining Saint Louis University, she worked as a desk reporter and copywriter. In addition to her academic and professional work, Priyanka served as promotions manager and public relations officer for sustainability-focused clubs, where she led outreach and awareness campaigns.

Sofia Gonzalez

Sofia Gonzalez is a Master of Arts student in Communications at Saint Louis University and serves as a graduate research assistant in the Department of Communication. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Communication from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2024. Her research interests include intercultural communication, global media strategies, and the use of narrative to promote cross-cultural understanding.

Sofia has undertaken internships with the World Affairs Council of St. Louis and Spanish company, Lázzaro, where she contributed to programming, media production, and public engagement efforts. She aspires to pursue a career in corporate communications and is also interested in teaching at the university level in the future.

Noah Jones

Noah Jones is a communication master’s student and the Career Services marketing coordinator at Saint Louis University. He received a B.S. in communications with a concentration in advertising and strategic media, alongside a minor in psychology, from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in December 2021. 

Noah is interested in current population and subpopulation trends, focusing on group perspectives and how they are influenced by media, classifications, law, and rhetoric. He hopes this work will supplement his marketing role by providing further insight into authoritative influence and is eager to contribute to the field of communication.

Ashley Jost

Ashley Jost received her B.A. in communication from Truman State University in 2013. She then worked as a journalist after graduation for several years covering higher education, among other things, before switching to working in higher education. Free speech continues to be a passion for her, and she's also developed an interest in making scholarship more accessible, getting it into the hands of actual practitioners, whether they’re journalists or communicators in industry.

In January 2023, she moved abroad to work temporarily at SLU-Madrid, and now her goal is to stay and see whether she can make her mark on an international campus!

Emmanuela Kinda

Emmanuela Kinda is a master's student in communications at Saint Louis University and a graduate assistant. She earned her B.A. in Mass Communication from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, focusing on broadcast journalism. 

Emma has experience working with Caris Foundation International and Aiducation International, contributing to multi-media content creation. She is passionate about leveraging communications to drive social change.

Dzifa Makafui  

Dzifa Makafui is a master’s student in Communication at Saint Louis University and a teaching assistant in the Department of Communication. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, where she focused on journalism. 

Dzifa has gained practical experience in media production, digital content creation, and project management, leading teams and producing impactful content across TV, digital, and print. One of her career highlights was producing Mayhem, a podcast that became a finalist for Best Podcast in Africa.

She is also a published author, having written a crime fiction novel, and is currently working on her second book; a 365-day memoir titled “This Was Not the Plan.”

Her passion lies in telling stories that connect with people, especially through media production and digital storytelling. She’s particularly interested in how visuals and narratives can shape perspectives. Looking ahead, she plans to further her studies in production and directing, with the goal of creating media projects that resonate on a global scale.

Ngoc Bich (Nobi) Nguyen

Ngoc Bich (Nobi) Nguyen is a graduate student in communication and graduate teaching assistant for a public speaking course at Saint Louis University. She earned her B.A. in Business Administration from University of Economics HCMC in Vietnam, and had three years doing research in organizational sustainability and sustainable performance during her bachelor’s studies.

Nobi’s research interest lies in organizational communication, especially internal communication between internal stakeholders and their interconnections with organizational trust and psychological safety. Nobi is passionate about examining organizations and analyzing how people communicate within organizational context and she plans to pursue a Ph.D. program in organizational behavior in the future.

Susan Onuorji

Susan Onuorji is a first-year M.A. student in the Department of Communication. She earned her B.A degree in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), in her home country.

Prior to SLU, Susan worked for several years in marketing, public relations and digital communications role in diverse sectors, including media, nonprofits, health and tech. A major highlight of her work was spearheading the online relaunch of Right to Protein Nigeria, an international health awareness campaign supported by the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC), which significantly increased public awareness about protein intake in daily diets, particularly among children and pregnant women in Nigeria.

Susan has now returned to academia to focus on exploring strategic communication in public health care. Her research interests include integrated strategic communication, digital health communication, health campaigns and interventions, online health consumers, and behavioral change.

Publications:

Onuorji, S. C. (2024). Content Analysis of TikTok Videos by Selected Nigerian Healthcare
Professionals. The Nigerian Journal of Communication, 20(1), 83 – 104.

Tanjid Rahman

Tanjid Rahman is a master’s student in communication at Saint Louis University and a graduate assistant. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mass communication and journalism from Khulna University, Bangladesh, where his research focused on political communication and social media.

Tanjid has authored and co-authored academic publications, presented research at national forums, and worked as a copywriter. He has also served as a public relations Ssecretary for a civic organization, managed national and international photography exhibitions, and provided instruction in photography. His interests include political communication and digital media effects, and he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in the future.

Oluwakemi Mary Alo 

Oluwakemi is a graduate student and research assistant in the communication department. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from The Polytechnic Ibadan, Nigeria, where she gained a solid foundation in media and public communication. Her academic journey is enriched with over five years of professional experience as an assistant news editor, communication executive, and in administrative positions within the telecommunications and media sectors, as well as a year of teaching English language.

Her research interest focuses on health and crisis communication. She strives to contribute to public health, academia, and organizational initiatives through research, teaching, and collaboration, focused on creating impactful communication strategies that foster meaningful change.

Richard Bombebe Naakpi

Richard Bombebe Naakpi is a master’s student and graduate teaching assistant in Saint Louis University’s (SLU) Department of Communication, holding a Bachelor of Education in English Language from Valley View University, Ghana and a master’s in English language from the University of Education, Winneba. With experience in teaching and academic mentorship, his research interests span intercultural communication, rhetorical studies, and health communication. Richard plans to pursue a Ph.D. to further explore these areas, aiming to become a professor who bridges scholarly inquiry with practical communication strategies, fostering inclusive dialogue and advancing understanding across diverse cultural and health contexts.

Garrett Dohlke

Garrett Dohlke is a communication master’s student at SLU and also works as a residence hall coordinator within the Department of Housing and Residence Life at SLU. Garrett received his B.A. in Sports Communication and a minor in Public Relations from Webster University in 2023. Garrett is passionate about forensics (speech and debate) and has academic research interests in: public relations/strategic communications, rhetoric, forensics, public discourse, and the intersection between sports and politics.

Paloma Ferreira de Oliveira

Paloma is a graduate student in the Department of Communication and a professional assistant in the Division of Marketing and Communications at Saint Louis University. With ten years of experience as a graphic designer, she has worked on branding, packaging, editorial design and digital media for a wide variety of clients around the world.

Paloma is also passionate about music photography and other media forms. She is an advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ visibility and Latin culture. Her research explores how technology can serve as a tool to give visibility to marginalized communities and the experiences of neurodivergent individuals navigating interpersonal relationships.

Kajal

Kajal is a graduate student and teaching assistant in the Department of Communication, where she also serves as a peer mentor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature with a minor in Political Science from Delhi University in India (2017-2020) and went on to complete a master’s degree in English literature and language.

With two years of teaching experience in public speaking and English, she seamlessly blends academic depth with practical expertise. Her research interests include brown identity, cross-cultural communication, and gender studies — fields that explore critical and transformative dialogues on representation, identity and inclusivity. She aspires to earn a Ph.D. and become a professor, to teach and conduct research in the field of communication. 

Sam Link

Sam is a graduate student in the Department of Communication, while working full time as an administrative assistant in the Saint Louis University School of Education. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in communication from Saint Louis University. She is interested in how humans work together, mental health resources and accessibility, and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community, especially in today’s political climate. Although she is unsure of where her future career path will take her, she knows it will involve helping others flourish, a psychology term that has stuck with her since her first year of college. 

Emily Norris

Emily is a part-time graduate student in the Department of Communication and a full-time lead communications manager at Lumen Technologies. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Studio Art with a minor in Digital Media Design from Lake Forest College. In her professional life, Emily leads communication strategy for an organization of 5,000 employees with an emphasis on live video events. She coordinates messaging, facilitates interviews and panel discussions, and serves as a warm and engaging host for a variety of video engagements. Her favorite event at the time of writing was Lumen’s 2025 Commercial Kickoff, a highly produced three-day virtual event where Emily curated messaging, hosted two panel discussions, and served as a live MC for 20,000 attendees in a broadcast from Los Angeles.

Emily’s research interests are in organizational, leadership, and change communication, in both the political and professional context. She is particularly interested in the impact of leadership communication and cascades of information on the culture of an organization or society, especially in times of change, and how this shapes the experience of individuals within. In the future, Emily plans to use her research background in the professional sphere, bringing data-driven insights to guide leaders and organizations through change.

Priscilla Nyarko

Priscilla Nyarko is a master's student and graduate professional assistant in the Department of Communication at Saint Louis University. She earned her undergraduate degree in communication from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, graduating in 2020. Priscilla has five years of experience in digital marketing, with expertise in social media marketing, online engagement, content creation, campaign management, and digital analytics.

She is passionate about exploring the intersection of digital media and health communication, with a particular emphasis on leveraging digital platforms to support chronic disease management and offer social support. Upon completing her master's degree, Priscilla intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Communication, specializing in health communication, to further examine the role of communication in promoting public health and disease prevention.