Communication Studies

Kristina Bell – M.A. 2008

Kristina entered into UNCG’s Communication Studies graduate program after working in the film industry. Her background in film production gave her the tools to create media but did not give her the ability to fully understand its power and effects. UNCG helped her explore perception and representation of truth in filmmaking, particularly within documentary film. It also opened her eyes to areas outside of film, such as autoethnography and performance studies.

Kristina’s studies at UNCG thoroughly prepared her for a future in academia. The Communication Studies program gave her a strong theoretical foundation, allowing her to understand and critique media through the eyes of a scholar. The teaching assistant program gave her the tools, resources, and support needed to develop courses and teach effectively.

The professors at UNCG supported, challenged, and inspired her to continue learning and share her love of learning with others. After graduating in 2008, Kristina became a full time Instructor of Communication at High Point University and currently teaches courses within electronic media, human communication, and media studies. In addition to teaching, she is also working towards a Ph.D at N.C. State University in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media.

Kristina is currently preparing for her dissertation and working on several projects. For her dissertation, she is exploring the intersections between player subjectivity and digital games, a project partially inspired by her interpretive work at UNCG. She is also conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses of the discussion of military sexual trauma within mainstream news outlets. She is thankful for the strong foundation she received at UNCG and will continue learning and growing as an emerging scholar and instructor of digital media.