Written by Marlowe Dunn Flom

Public Relations majors Mitch Krueger and Isabella Giles will be presenting their respective research projects at the 2025 International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC) in Orlando, FL.

“Being selected to present at the IPRRC is genuinely an amazing feeling,” Krueger said. “I did not anticipate that I would be accepted. When I applied, I don’t think I fully comprehended the significance of this conference…As my understanding developed, I began to appreciate how incredible this experience is going to be.”

Krueger and Giles will sit in small groups with other researchers and each present for seven minutes followed by eight minutes of discussion. These presentations will repeat before rotating groups of panelists who will discuss the research with the group.

Kruger’s research is his Honors in the Major Project, titled The Thompson Effect: A National Study of Female Sideline Reporters, and it explores how the credibility and professional experiences of women in sports journalism have changed since the admitted fabrication of sideline reports by a renowned female sideline reporter in 2023.

Based on her passion for nonprofit PR, Giles will be presenting her research on the crisis communication strategies of nonprofits when responding to hurricane disasters. “This is a sector of research that hasn’t been explored in full,” she said. “Through the conference, I want to gain valuable research techniques that I can implement into my own project.”

Both students expressed their gratitude for all of their School of Communication faculty and courses that prepared them for their research. Giles is specifically grateful for her Crisis Communications course with Dr. Elizabeth Ray and the research guidance of Dr. Pooja Ichplani and Dr. Patrick Merle, while Krueger is particularly appreciative of Dr. Patrick Merle’s outstanding teaching and constant support.