Asbury University School of Communication Arts faculty and graduate students recently presented research and creative work at the 2026 Kentucky Communication Association (KCA) Conference at Murray State University, with graduate student Victoria Cox earning the conference’s top graduate student paper honor.
Held Sept. 11-12 in Murray, Kentucky, the annual conference brought together communication scholars, educators, students and professionals from across the region. This year’s theme, Telling Kentucky Stories: Rhetoric, Identity, and Place, explored the ways communication shapes understandings of community, culture and place.
Representing Asbury were Dr. Kim Okesson, Dr. Todd Wold and graduate students Victoria Cox and Caroline Peterson.
Cox presented her paper, “Observing Co-Cultural Realities in a Rural Kentucky County: A Case Study,” which received the Michael S. Shelton Top Graduate Student Paper Award. Cox originally developed the research in Okesson’s Advanced Intercultural Communication graduate course, and Okesson encouraged her to submit the work to the conference.
Cox’s case study examines cultural and linguistic diversity in LaRue County, Kentucky, using communication accommodation theory to explore how local institutions respond to the needs of diverse populations. Her research analyzed communication practices across education, tourism, religion and the justice system and found varying approaches among institutions, while also identifying substantial evidence of communication accommodation within the community.
Graduate student Caroline Peterson ’26 presented her short film, “Distant Dreams: An Exploration of Hope, Community, and the American Dream,” during the conference’s “Film and Performance: Hope and Place” session. The film follows Anatoliy Voloshyn, who left Ukraine to pursue tennis and an education in the United States before his homeland faced a full-scale invasion. Following his journey from small-town Kentucky to Washington, D.C., the film explores community, cross-cultural connection and an understanding of the American Dream rooted not only in individual achievement but in supporting others across borders and cultures.
Okesson participated in the roundtable discussion “Beyond ‘Good with People’: Articulating the Distinct Value of Communication in Higher Education and Public Life.” The panel brought together communication scholars to discuss how the discipline can more clearly communicate its intellectual and professional value in higher education and beyond. Topics included the distinction between communication scholarship and everyday communication, the professional value of communication degrees and the importance of skills including critical thinking, audience analysis, message design and ethical reasoning.
The graduate students enrolled in Asbury’s School of Communication Arts actively pursue rigorous research and excellence in their academic and professional work."
“I am so proud of both of our students who were accepted to present at the conference and for showcasing their incredible work. A special congratulations to Victoria for her award!”
In addition to presenting, Okesson was elected to a second two-year term as a member-at-large on the KCA Executive Council. She also serves as a co-editor of the association’s journal.
Wold was elected to serve as second vice president of the Kentucky Communication Association, further extending Asbury’s involvement and leadership within the statewide professional organization.
The conference provided Asbury graduate students with an opportunity to take work developed through their studies beyond the classroom and contribute to broader conversations within the communication discipline. Cox’s award, along with Peterson’s film presentation and the leadership of Asbury faculty, highlighted the range of scholarship, creative work and professional engagement taking place within the School of Communication Arts.
The Asbury University School of Communication Arts offers Traditional Undergraduate programs in Communication, Media Communication, Multimedia Journalism, and Theatre and an Online Multimedia Design degree. Graduate programs include the M.A. in Communication; M.A. in Digital Storytelling; MFA in Film/TV Production; and MFA in Screenwriting. Learn more.
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