Zumkehr Projects Associates
The Zumkehr Projects require the assistance of bright and motivated students.
Summer 2021 Zumkehr Projects Associate: Beth Shiller
Beth Shiller (she/her) is a second-year doctoral student at the School of Communication Studies. Her research focuses on entertainment education in TV and Film and how these media impact our lives. Beth holds an MA in Communication Studies from the University of Akron and a BA in Journalism from Youngstown State University.
2020-21 Zumkehr Projects Associates: Sarah Williams and Bayley Fields
Sarah E. Williams is a Communication Studies major focused on Strategic Message Management and Social Media with a minor in Marketing. She is a member of the Ohio University Army ROTC Bobcat Battalion and the United States Army Reserves. Within the school of Communication Studies, Sarah serves as the Social Media Chair for the Lambda Pi Eta Beta Mu Chapter and is an active member of Student Professionals of Communication Studies. Sarah currently serves as an Ambassador for the Scripps College of Communication Deans office, a community manager for the Scripps College social media team, and an intern in the Marketing and Communications Department at OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital. Since her first year on campus, Sarah has been an annual volunteer at the Athens Area Stand Down, a community event that gives back to local veterans as well as being a dog-walker at the Athens County Dog Shelter.
Bayley Fields is a Communication Studies major with a minor in Political Science and certificates in Political Communication, Social Media, and Diversity Studies. She serves as a Scripps College Ambassador for the Scripps Dean’s Office and authors a biweekly internship newsletter that is sent to undergraduate Scripps students in all five schools. Bayley has a strong passion for nonprofits and social work and has interned at Live Healthy Appalachia, a local nonprofit that promotes healthy eating and active living through community initiatives and education programs. She is the Public Relations Chair for Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity’s Epsilon Iota chapter and is a member of Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society’s Beta Mu Chapter.
Summer 2020: James Pepper Kelly
James (he/him/his) is a first-year doctoral student at the School of Communication Studies. His research utilizes rhetorical and dialogical strategies to examine the impact of small cultural organizations on community identity formation. As of 2020, he is working with Ohio University’s Ohio Valley Center for Collaborative Arts (CoArts) on a multiphase study of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, a historical Black church in Athens. James’ research is informed by his background in nonprofit leadership and his current advocacy as a Glouster Revitalization Organization (GRO) board member in Glouster, Ohio. He holds an MA in Visual & Critical Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA in English from Wesleyan University.
2019-2020: Cassidy Book and Christian Thanasoulis
Cassidy Book is a graduating senior Communication Studies student with a related area in Consulting and Analytics. Originally from Appalachian Ohio, Cassidy is passionate about consulting for small businesses and nonprofits in the Appalachian region. She is also a research scholar for the Social Enterprise Ecosystem Program (a program of the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service), a Liaison and Ambassador for the Ralph and Luci Schey Sales Center, and a member of Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity. Upon her graduation in May she will be working at IGS Energy in Dublin, OH as one of two rotational analysts.
Christian is a graduating senior who studies Communication and Public Advocacy. In addition to his major, he is attaining minors in marketing and philosophy. During his undergraduate career, he served as the founding president of his fraternity, worked as the Communication/Marketing Team Lead for Ohio University Campus Recycling and Zero Waste, and was an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Dr. Aden's Communication Theory class. During his summers, while away from Athens, he studied abroad in New Zealand, and has held three separate internship positions.