June 4, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Johnson-Young Publishes Article in Communication Teacher

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Associate Professor of Communication, Elizabeth Johnson-Young

Associate Professor of Communication, Elizabeth Johnson-Young

Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young has published research in the journal Communication Teacher. The article titled, “French Fry Goodness and Relationship Closeness: Teaching the Conceptualization Process in Research Methods Using The Big Bang Theory,” stems from a 2025 conference presentation that highlights a multimodal approach to teaching the conceptualization process in communication research methods.

Using a clip from the show The Big Bang Theory, students engage with the fictional french fry goodness inventory partially described by a character in the show and then with the well-established Relationship Closeness Inventory to differentiate between conceptual, nominal, and operational definitions. Through active brainstorming and application, they construct their own index, and continue to use their index throughout the semester. Learn more in the journal Communication Teacher.

Johnson-Young and Stebar Appear on WFVA Town Talk

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Photo of Associate Professor of Communications Elizabeth Johnson-Young and Senior Lecturer of Biological Sciences Michael Stebar on WFVA’s Town Talk.

Associate Professor of Communications Elizabeth Johnson-Young and Senior Lecturer of Biological Sciences Michael Stebar on WFVA’s Town Talk.

Associate Professor of Communications Elizabeth Johnson-Young and Senior Lecturer of Biological Sciences Michael Stebar appeared on News Talk 1230 WFVA’s Town Talk recently to discuss the six-day slice of college coursework and campus life that’s available for high-schoolers through UMW’s Summer Enrichment Program. Running from July 12-18, 2026, the program is open to rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. Learn more and listen to the episode.

 

Johnson-Young Contributes to Panel at National Communication Convention

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Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young

Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young

At the National Communication Association’s Annual Convention in Denver Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young contributed to a peer-reviewed panel regarding alternatives to traditional reading assignments in the college classroom. Along with colleagues from Hope College and University of Cincinnati Blue Ash, the panel explored the issues with traditional texts, long reading assignments, and faculty frustration with engagement with these formats.

The panel presented alternatives to traditional readings, including, but not limited to videos, podcasts, use of Google Notebook LM, and OER sources. Panelists also discussed strategies for engagement and completion in order to encourage better class preparation, meet our students’ unique needs, and foster both a rigorous and interactive classroom.

High Schoolers Savor a Slice of College Life at UMW Summer Enrichment Program

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Livia Lee, a rising junior at Nottoway High School, plays Getting to Know You BINGO with classmates during UMW’s Summer Enrichment Program. The six-day experience for rising 10th- through 12th-graders gives high-schoolers – who take courses, join excursions and live on campus – a taste of college life. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Livia Lee, a rising junior at Nottoway High School, plays Getting to Know You BINGO with classmates during UMW’s Summer Enrichment Program. Photo by K Pearlman.

Bingo! Livia Lee waves her winning card to collect a prize. But rather than numbers, this card is covered in questions that reveal personal characteristics to help classmates get to know one another. What’s your favorite color? Do you recycle?

The specialized version of the traditional game gave students like Lee, a rising junior at Nottoway High School in south-central Virginia, an opportunity to explore the principles behind the ways in which we connect.

The exercise was part of University of Mary Washington Associate Professor of Communication Adria Goldman’s “COMM Play” session, one of more than 20 academic courses offered during this year’s Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) at UMW. Teens from Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, New Hampshire, Oregon and Pennsylvania – even as far away as Vienna, Austria – took part in the fourth annual event, a six-day slice of college coursework and campus life for rising 10th- through 12th- graders.

“SEP provides a truly unique opportunity for students to explore diverse academic topics, engage with faculty and experience a bit of college life,” said Senior Biology Lecturer Michael Stebar, who co-directs the program with Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young. Read more.

Johnson-Young Presents and Wins Award at Eastern Communication Association Conference

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Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young

Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young

Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young presented two works at the Eastern Communication Association Annual Convention in Buffalo, NY. In the Health Communication division, Johnson-Young presented updated results in her work “Parental Perceptions of Pediatric Counseling on Firearm Safety​ and Intentions to Follow Through with Recommendations.” ​This work focuses on survey results investigating how parents receive and intend to follow through on advice from pediatricians regarding firearm safety and asking about firearm safety in another’s home.

In Great Ideas for Teaching Students, Elizabeth presented on an activity and outcomes from the activity she leads in her communication research methods class in a presentation titled “French Fry Goodness and Relationship Closeness: Teaching the Conceptualization Process in Research Methods Using The Big Bang Theory.” This submission was awarded a Top GIFT award during the conference.

Johnson-Young and Stebar Appear on WFVA Town Talk to Discuss Summer Enrichment

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Elizabeth Johnson-Young and Michael Stebar on WFVA’s Town Talk.

Associate Professor of Communications Elizabeth Johnson-Young and Senior Lecturer of Biological Sciences Michael Stebar appeared on News Talk 1230 WFVA’s Town Talk to discuss the six-day slice of college coursework and campus life for high-schoolers available at UMW in July 13-19.  The UMW Summer Enrichment Program is open to rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. Listen to the episode.

 

Johnson-Young Presents and Offers Mentorship at National Communication Conference

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Associate Professor of Communication, Elizabeth Johnson-Young

Associate Professor of Communication, Elizabeth Johnson-Young, presented research at the National Communication Association annual convention hosted in New Orleans, LA. Johnson-Young presented her research regarding pediatric and family communication surrounding firearm safety during a panel she organized that focused on the role of health communication scholars in this area of health and safety. While at NCA, Johnson-Young also took part in a full day of mentorship for graduate students and early career faculty in health communication. During the mentorship day, she presented pedagogical and experiential learning strategies and participated in small group discussions on publication strategies, teaching strategies and experiential learning, and the job market and tenure, among other topics.

UMW Faculty Share Knowledge and Insight on ‘With Good Reason’ Radio Program

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Mary Washington faculty share expertise on ‘With Good Reason,’ a national radio program that inspires thought, discovery and action through public engagement and dialogue on topics that shape our world.

Mary Washington faculty share expertise on ‘With Good Reason,’ a national radio program that inspires thought, discovery and action through public engagement and dialogue on topics that shape our world.

Imposter syndrome, photoshopping, the complexities of foreign alliances, political humor, the magic of Disney World and shared musical experiences – these are just a few of the topics on which University of Mary Washington professors have contributed their expertise over the radio airwaves this past year.

UMW is proud to announce the continued success of its collaboration with Virginia Humanities’ With Good Reason radio program, which brings the research and insights of Virginia’s top educators to audiences across the nation. Each week, over 100,000 listeners tune in to 128 radio stations throughout Virginia, Washington, D.C., and 38 states to hear thought-provoking discussions with leading academics. Thousands more listen to the episodes through iTunes podcasts.

The partnership between UMW and Virginia Humanities helps showcase valuable work in Virginia’s higher education system. Since last summer, a dozen Mary Washington faculty members were featured on With Good Reason, either as new guests or in re-aired episodes that continue to draw audiences. Read more.

Johnson-Young Talks Birth Trauma on ‘With Good Reason’

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Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young

Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young

Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young spoke with the With Good Reason public radio show about her research on birth trauma. As part of an episode regarding care for mothers, Dr. Johnson-Young talked about her qualitative interviews with mothers who experienced what they defined as traumatic or difficult, the results of which were published earlier this year. Listen to the episode.

Crosby, Goldman, Johnson-Young Present on Social Media Presentations of Weight, Diet, Nutrition

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Associate Professors of Communication, Dr. Adria Goldman and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson-Young, and Assistant Professor of Communication, Dr. Emily Crosby, presented at the Eastern Communication Association’s Annual Conference in Cambridge, MA. Their panel, titled “Social Media and the Changing Current of Health Messaging and  Debates,” focused on research surrounding discussions of health, particularly related to diet and weight, in social media outlets. Joined by colleagues from Bunker Hill Community College and Norfolk State University, the panelists each took different topics and methodologies to explore this important area of research. 

Dr. Johnson-Young’s presentation, “Sugar, Snacks, and Weight: An Examination of Posts and Parent Reactions to the Challenges of Nutritional Health Norms on the Growing Intuitive Eaters Instagram” discussed a qualitative content analysis of a popular instagram influencer’s posts and user comments. The research is rooted both health behavior theory and non-evaluative and trust-based communication around food and nutrition. Preliminary findings show a variety of themes regarding reactions to the influencer’s, Dr. Taylor Arnold, posts from anger and resistance to relief and excitement.

Dr. Goldman’s research presentation, titled “#SocialSupport: Examining the Informative and Emotional Functions of Bariatric Surgery Support Groups on Facebook” investigates the social support functions of bariatric surgery support groups. Taking a qualitative thematic analysis, this research investigates the instrumental and emotional functions identified in social support research, applying these to the specific support needs demonstrated in the literature and in the groups for bariatric surgery.

Dr. Crosby’s presentation, titled “The Digital Cult of Thinness: Critically Engaging Ozempic “Success Stories” on Social Media,” investigates the discourse surrounding Ozempic in social media platforms. Employing feminist rhetorical criticism informed by visual rhetoric scholarship, Dr. Crosby analyzes posts and commentary to identify themes and conventions that emerge from Ozempic weight loss “success stories” on social media. The aim of this research is to contribute to communication scholarship by defining a digital Cult of Thinness based on current social media conventions that promote injectable weight loss drugs for women.