January 29, 2016
MARSHALL, Texas (1/22/16) - East Texas Baptist University student Katelynn Rochelle Burns, a senior speech communication major, has been selected to present an original research project as part of the Undergraduate Honor's Conference at the Southern States Communication Association's annual convention.
Burns' research project, titled "Nonprofit Organizations and the Art of Fundraising", utilizes a mixed research methodology to determine what strategies and tactics nonprofit organizations use to persuade individuals to donate funds. The project specifically examines the persuasive approaches taken by one international organization, Compassion International headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado and one local organization, The Hub Urban Ministries headquartered in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The Southern States Communication Association is a professional organization of communication scholars and professionals from across the United States. Each year the organization hosts its research convention somewhere in the southern region of the country. The Undergraduate Honor's Conference, held in conjunction with the association's convention, provides the opportunity for undergraduate students to submit original research for consideration for presentation at the event. Each student submission is subjected to a blind review from two communication scholars and either accepted for presentation or rejected. Burns? project was one of approximately 70 undergraduate papers accepted for presentation from student submissions across the United States.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for Ro," said Dr. Cole Franklin, chair of the Department of Communication Studies at ETBU. "She will have the chance to present her original research to an audience of communication scholars from a variety of different universities and obtain specific feedback on her work from a faculty respondent with a specialty in the subject area. This is a wonderful honor and opportunity for her as a student."
Burns will present her research at the convention scheduled April 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
East Texas Baptist University offers graduate programs in business, counseling, religion and education, as well as 40 undergraduate degree programs. ETBU provides a Christ- centered education that emphasizes the integration of faith and learning. The ETBU experience is known for "Embracing Faith, Engaging Minds, and Empowering Leaders." For information, visit www.etbu.edu.