LSU Manship School Doctoral Student Morgan Badurak Named Recipient of Cision Insights Fellowship in Public Relations

May 2, 2024

BATON ROUGE—Morgan Badurak, a first-year doctoral student in media and public affairs at LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication, has been named the recipient of the Fall 2023 Cision Insights Fellowship. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievement and potential in the field of public relations research.

The Cision Insights Fellowship supports undergraduate and graduate students interested in applied public relations research as a career. One fellowship is awarded each semester. Fellowship winners receive free access to Cision Insights software in order to produce a solo-authored research report or social/traditional media analysis and accompanying blog for publication by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR). They are also awarded $1,200 upon completion of the research project.

Badurak, who joined the Manship School’s doctoral program in fall 2023, is interested in uncovering the nuanced ways in which communication technologies shape public discourse and influence societal dynamics.

“It is an interesting opportunity to combine social justice or social issues with corporate communication, which I feel like is not really talked about, or at least not in an authentic way,” said Badurak.

Beyond the tangible benefits of the fellowship, Badurak is afforded the invaluable opportunity for mentorship and guidance from seasoned professionals at Cision Insights, nurturing her growth as a scholar and a practitioner in the field of public relations research.

“This fellowship is not just a financial support mechanism; it's a transformative opportunity for students to bridge academia with industry experience,” said Janice Lee, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Manship School who assisted Badurak with her proposal.

Badurak will be recognized as the fall 2023 fellowship winner at the IPR Annual Distinguished Lecture and Awards Dinner in December 2024. For more information, contact acharbonnet1@lsu.edu. 

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LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: Master of Mass Communication, Ph.D. in Media and Public Affairs, Certificate of Strategic Communication and dual MMC/Law degree.