MA in Communication

Stan Polit, 2012

Stan Polit

Stan was an outstanding graduate student in the MA program in communication. He excelled in the classroom, his research projects, and his service activities. According to Peter Pober, director of forensics, "He is truly the rarest of MA students: scholar, educator, mentor."

Stan conducted research on how media outlets used the term "crisis" in their reporting and on BP's PR strategies in the wake of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He was chosen to present his work using non-profit management research to investigate current trends in social marketing at the national conference on Social Marketing in Public Health.

A successful assistant coach for Mason's forensics team, he set up a program for the Mason forensics team to teach public speaking and interviewing skills to students in the Early Identification Program. He secured a grant to help fund a public speaking contest for youth in his hometown, Chicago.

Because of his accomplishments as a master's student, Stan was awarded a Dean's Challenge Fellowship for 2010-2011.