Faculty and Staff

Faculty & Staff

Kevin Qualls has enjoyed careers in media, law, and higher education. He is a member of the American Bar Association, The Kentucky Bar Association, and the Virginia State Bar. He earned a Juris Doctorate from Liberty University, a Master's in Journalism from Marshall University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunication from the University of Kentucky. In the late 1980's and early 1990's he produced the nationally syndicated outdoor television series, "The Great American Outdoors." He later produced video for corporate and broadcast clients with a company he owned and operated, "Digital Age Recording." He has worked as a trial attorney and expert witness regarding pre-trial publicity. At the U.S. Attorney's office in the Western District of Virginia, he assisted in the prosecution of cases involving false advertising and cases where evidence was media-based. He joined the faculty of Murray State University in 2008. Prior teaching posts were at Francis Marion University, Marshall University, Paducah Community College, and Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts.

Education:

• Juris Doctorate – Liberty University
• M.A. – Journalism, Marshall University
• B.A. – Telecommunication, University of Kentucky

Associations:

• Kentucky Bar Association
• Virginia State Bar
• American Bar Association
• Broadcast Education Association
• Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

Courses:

• JMC 336
• JMC 448
• JMC 455
• JMC 590

Dr. Bellarmine (Bella) Ezumah joined Murray State University in the Fall of 2011 after her graduation from Howard University (PhD). She was a Frederick Douglass Scholar at Howard. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Ezumah directs our graduate Program and serves as the advisor for all graduate students. She has supervised over 60 graduate comprehensive projects and other empirical research with undergraduate and graduate students.

Her research is rooted in critical theoretical and paradigmatic perspectives and is multi-disciplinary, incorporating mass media effects, international communication, educational technology design, implementation, and assessment, religion and media, and impact of emergent technologies on education, business, health, and interpersonal realms. Dr. Ezumah’s research is informed by a wealth of experiences - having lived, visited, presented her work, and conducted research in several countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Jamaica, Greece, Austria, Germany, France, Canada, and the United States. Ezumah is recipient of several grants and awards including the National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to study educational technology adoption and the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program grant to research and develop a Journalism and Mass Communication program in Uganda. Dr. Ezumah has published about 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings and have presented her work at numerous academic conferences. Her recent book Critical Perspectives of Educational Technology in Africa (2020, Palgrave Macmillan) focused on educational technology design, adoption and implementation in low-income communities. The Murray State Alumni Association bestowed her the 2014 Emerging Scholar Award in recognition of her “superior research and scholarly work that show professional promise”.

Ezumah is equally active in community services and at various editorial boards and academic associations including the AEJMC where she served as the Newsletter Editor for the Minorities and Communication (MAC) division, Vice-Head, and later, Head for the Religion and Media Interest Group (RMIG). She volunteers at her local church, St. Leo Catholic Church as a member of the Parish Council, Eucharistic minister, Instructor for the RCIA program, and as Campus Advisor to Newman House, an association for Murray State Catholic students.

Education:

• Ph.D. Howard University, Washington, DC
• M.S. Brooklyn College of The City University of New York
• B.S. St. John's University, New York

Courses:

• JMC 690 – Master’s Comprehensive Project
• JMC 658 – New Technologies
• JMC 660 – Research Methods
• JMC 630 – Theories of Mass Communication
• JMC 400 – International Communication
• JMC 330 – Mass Media Effects
• JMC 168 – Contemporary Mass Media

Dr. Maranda Goke joined Murray State University in the Fall of 2023 while finishing her time at Pennsylvania State University (PhD). She has taught communication and research methods classes at Pennsylvania State University and North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND. 

Dr. Goke's research is rooted in mass media effects while incorporating health communication, interpersonal communication, instructional communication, body image, and mental health. She has done research on the effects of many different media including: TikTok, influencers, AR beautification filters, and emoji use in the classroom. In her free time Dr. Goke likes to read, travel, and spend time with her husband and pets. 

Education:

• Ph.D: Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA. 
• M.A.: North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.
• B.A.: University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN. 

 

Courses:

• JMC 168
• JMC 440
• JMC 268

Chris Haynes is a 2006 and 2008 honors graduate of Murray State with a B.S. In Electronic Media and an M.S. in Mass Communications. He has over 20 years of experience in radio, television, and web production. Beginning with radio in 1999, he has transitioned his professional experience to incorporate the evolving fields of television and the World Wide Web. He has been a full time employee at Murray State University since 2008. He began working with Digital Media Services as a member of the professional staff and joined the Faculty in 2012. He lectures in several courses in the Television Production sequence, and he continues to produce content for Digital Media Services with broadcast and online distribution.

Courses:

• GCM 152 (Intro to Digital Imaging)
• JMC 270 (Media Production)
• JMC 358 (Television Studio Production)
  
  

Orville Herndon’s relationship with the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications started in 1982 when he joined The Murray State News as a staff reporter. He continued working with the student publication throughout his studies, and he moved from the news desk to advertising to business manager and later as a graduate assistant. Herndon received a bachelor of science in business with an area in accounting from Murray State in 1986 and his master’s in business administration in 1988. Herndon worked as the corporate accountant for The Farm Store Inc., a livestock equipment retailer in Cadiz, Ky. He returned to Murray State full-time in 1991. In addition to serving as the department’s publications systems manager, he is the longest continually serving Staff Congress member with more than 28 years of service. Students look to Herndon when there are computer crises, software bug fixes and printer jams. His experience with technology has saved many students from meltdowns. In his free time, Herndon does volunteer work for his church and enjoys attending classic car shows.

Dr. Marcie Hinton enlightens students at Murray State University as a professor of public relations. She also taught journalism/public relations classes at Berry College in Rome, Georgia, Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and Public Relations and Speech classes at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. She likes to travel with students in experiential learning environments. Some of the education abroad programs include:

• England
  • England in the Movies: Storytelling and Media-inspired Tourism
  • Beyond the Selfie: Exploring London to Communication Inward and outward journeys via multimedia Storytelling
• Italy
  • Communication for Communion
  • Travel Writing: Exploring Italy via Multimedia Storytelling
• France
  • Will travel for food: Food and Travel Narratives for Digital Media

Academically, Hinton’s research includes several pieces regarding Martha Gellhorn’s War-torn Travel Writing, Ida B. Wells as a Reporter and Activist and Women as Communication Tools in The Italian Resistance. She has also published a book titled “Applied Public Relations: Cases in Stakeholder Management.” Her current research agenda includes Education Abroad in Media Studies.

Hinton began her career with internships at Southern Living magazine and Baptist Health Systems. After graduation, she served as the assistant editor for the Southern Living food and travel trade publications. She also wrote back book covers and edited books for Schroeder Publishing. She mostly recently participated in an internship program with a travel agency.
She loves to cook and travel and write about it.

Education:

• Ph.D: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn. Area of study: Communications with a concentration in Journalism Secondary areas: Civil Rights History and Rhetoric.
• M.A.: Murray State University, Murray, Ky. May 1995 Area of study: Communications with a concentration in Journalism.
• B.A.: Samford University, Birmingham, Ala. May 1991 Major: Journalism Mass Communications. Minor: English.

Brent is an experienced designer, educator and digital enthusiast from Murray, Kentucky. Always interested in creating and in technology, the two interests converged to become his passion. Over the past two decades, Brent has developed graphic design, websites and promotional materials for several clients.

As an educator, Brent loves sharing his knowledge with students through his experiences in the field. From traditional print to content rich, digital publication, he finds excitement in all facets of the evolving world of graphic communications.

Education:

• M.S., Management of Technology - Murray State University
• B.S., Graphic Communications Management - Murray State University

 

Courses:

• GCM 151 - Introduction to Graphic Communications
• GCM 153 - Electronic Imaging
• GCM 252 - Digital Image Conversion
• GCM 351 - Graphic Communications Processes
• GCM 441 - Desktop Multimedia
• GCM 442 - Digital Interactive Technology
• GCM 454 - Color Management and Quality Control
• GCM 558 - Trends in Graphic Communications

“Being a Madman in the late 1960s was interesting. The only problem was that I was so low on the ladder that I didn’t make enough money to enjoy it. As time went by and the ad business became more button-down, I started to reap the rewards of life as an Advertising Executive. Growing from Assistant Account Executive to Executive Vice President working with Global Brands was beneficial in preparing me to offer Murray State’s JMC students a path to lucrative careers. Serving 45 years in three global companies including J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvy & Mather and Omnicom, was rewarding and fulfilling. But, retiring at the end of 2012, moving to my childhood farm and being associated with Murray State as this department’s Executive-in-Residence is the most fulfilling time of my life.”

Education:

• B.S., Ferris State University

Dr. Melony Shemberger is an associate professor of journalism and mass communication at Murray State University.

Shemberger has published in several peer-reviewed publications, including Journalism History, Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, and the Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication Journal. She also has several book chapters published or forthcoming and professional articles in several guidebooks published by the PR News Press, as well as the Journal of the Jackson Purchase Historical Society. She has presented at several academic and professional conferences, as either an invited speaker or accepted author. She received the Outstanding Research Award in the College of Business in 2017 for her scholarly activities. Her primary research interests include journalism and media history, the scholarship of teaching and learning, sunshine laws, community journalism, media literacy, and crisis communication.

In 2017, Shemberger was a Scripps Howard Academic Leadership Academy Fellow at Louisiana State University. She was among a dozen other rising journalism faculty in the United States selected to advance their leadership training in the academy. In 2014, Shemberger was named a Business Journalism Professors Seminar Fellow. One of 14 faculty members from across the nation, she completed her fellowship at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Phoenix. At Murray State, she was a Provost Faculty Teaching Fellow, presenting workshops and writing articles that focused on pedagogy and course redesign. She also was interim director of the Faculty Development Center in 2016 and past vice president of the Faculty Senate. In addition to teaching at Murray State, Shemberger teaches in the Governor's Scholars Program.

Prior to teaching in 2013 at Murray State, she served eight years as the assistant director of communication in the public relations and marketing office at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. Her PR work was honored by two groups, the Tennessee College Public Relations Association and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. She also was adjunct faculty in the APSU Department of Communication, APSU College of Business, and Murray State College of Education.

Before entering academia, Shemberger had successful, award-winning reporting careers at newspapers and radio stations, specializing in the education and court beats. She continues to cover the education beat on a freelance basis. Since 2000, she has received many reporting and page design awards from the Kentucky Press Association.

She is a lifetime member of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the top academic interdisciplinary honor society in the nation and on campus, where she serves as Murray State’s vice president. In addition, she was a director from 2016-18 on the Society’s national board, leading as chair of the advisory council for Phi Kappa Phi’s Forum magazine. She also holds memberships in the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honor society and several academic discipline-specific honor societies. She is a member of the American Journalism Historians Association and the Education Writers Association.

Shemberger has a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University, where she double majored in mass communication, and history and government; a master’s in mass communication from Murray State; a master’s in management from Austin Peay; and a doctorate in administration and supervision, with a concentration in higher education, from Tennessee State University. She is pursuing additional graduate studies in instructional systems design at the University of Kentucky.

Education:

• Ed.D., Higher Education Administration and Supervision, Tennessee State University, Dissertation: "The Presence of Sunshine Laws in Journalism Curriculum: Qualitative Insights"
• M.S., Management, Austin Peay State University
• M.S., Mass Communication, Murray State University (Outstanding Graduate Student Award)
• B.A., double major in Mass Communication, History and Government, Western Kentucky University

Research Interests:

• Journalism and media history
• Scholarship of teaching and learning
• Community journalism
• Media literacy
• Sunshine laws
• Crisis communication and other public relations topics

Courses:

• Undergraduate: In-depth Reporting, Contemporary Mass Media, News Writing, News Editing, Opinion Writing, Feature Writing, Special Topics (Business Journalism, Freelance), Journalism Capstone.
• Graduate: American Media History, Strategic Communications, Mass Media Industries.

Carol Terracina-Hartman, Ph.D., lives in two worlds: journalism and academia. In her 20 years as an environmental journalist, she has written, edited and produced for public radio, metro and community newspapers, niche and general interest magazines, and digital news outlets. A multi award-winning journalist, researcher, and media adviser, she received the Louis E. Ingelhart First Amendment Award in 2023 and the Distinguished Newspaper Adviser Award in 2018 from the College Media Association, where she chairs the Bylaws Committee and serves on Communication and Election committees. Also in 2023, she was elected as Head for the Magazine and New Media Division of The Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication and named a Fellow of the Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication. She earned a doctorate in Media and Information Studies from Michigan State University, where she served as a research assistant in the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. Her scholarly interests include campus media, environmental communication, framing theory, spiral of silence, semiotic analysis, and wildfire news coverage. 

Education:

A graduate of Murray State’s master’s degree program in mass communications, Thomas also holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of Florida.

Research Interests:

An accomplished author/editor/speaker, Thomas’ current research focuses on social media and its changing role within marketing, PR and corporate communications. Additionally, she researches and writes about popular culture and fan culture with a focus on science-fiction film and television. She is the owner of a Murray-based public relations consultancy specializing in social media management and strategies for organizations nationwide. She also serves as Curriculum Director for The Guardian Project, a national movement to combat cyberbullying. as well as the faculty advisor for PRSSA.

Courses:

• PR Principles
• Content Creation for Public Relations
• Digital Technology for PR
• News Writing
• PR Capstone: Cases & Campaigns

Hailing from Jackson, Mississippi, Gill Welsch has been teaching at the college level since the fall of 1987. He came to Murray State in August 1992 to lead the department’s advertising major. As a believer in doing whatever it takes to help students succeed, he has been advising student groups since 1984 when he became a member of the board of trustees for the University of Southern Mississippi chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. He has also served the national fraternity in a number of voluntary positions, including member of the education committee, chair of the Certified Fraternity Consultant certification board, rush coach, and district vice president. Welsch has also served as faculty advisor to Murray State's Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., chapter since its founding in 2000. He is also the adviser for the MSU Ads Club, Murray State’s campus chapter of the American Advertising Federation. In 2017, he received Murray State’s Faculty Award for Distinguished Service.

Education:

• B.S., University of Southern Mississippi
• M.S., University of Southern Mississippi
• ABD, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
• Certified Fraternity Consultant, Teke Educational Foundation / Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity

Research Interests:

• Advertising
• Public relations
• Journalism
• Mass communication curriculum development
• Professional standards

Courses:

• JMC 194 Newswriting
• JMC 391 Public Relations Principles
• JMC 394 Introduction to Advertising
• JMC 417 Advertising Creative Strategies
• JMC 426 Advertising Media Sales
• JMC 439 Advertising Media Planning
• JMC 456 Advertising Campaigns
• JMC 499 Senior Seminar
• JMC 596 Internship

Leigh Wright, associate professor of journalism, worked as a reporter and section editor for The Paducah (Ky.) Sun for 16 years before teaching at Murray State.

Education:

• MFA in creative writing, Murray State 2010
• BA in journalism and political science, Murray State 1993
• AEJMC/Scripps Howard Social Media Fellow 2013
• Kopenhaver Fellow 2013

Research Interests:

• Social media usage among journalists
• Effects of trauma coverage on reporters
• Teaching of writing and reporting in a social media age

Courses:

• JMC 194 - Newswriting
• JMC 294 - Advanced Newswriting
• JMC 397 - Reporting for Print Media
• JMC 597 - Advanced Reporting