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In the Fall of 2014, I was accepted as a mentor in the McNair Scholars program, a program that prepares eligible students for doctoral study. I worked with Kristoffer McClellan on his interest in examining media and black college athletes.
Another activity I enjoy is serving as guest lecturer in our required cross cultural journalism course. I have been invited to present my research on female athletes and media bias for several years. For my lecture, “Playing Unfair: Media bias and female athletes,” I use music videos, examples of ads featuring idealized images, and news articles that show how images of women are consumed. Then I discuss research on how female athletes are characterized in media compared to male athletes. We then discuss the implications and significance of exposure to these mediated messages over time. Several students from my guest lectures often volunteer their time to assist me in other similar research projects focused on culture, diversity, and media.
Two years ago, students of color asked me to be the advisor for the National Association of Black Journalists. Since that time, I have also been asked to serve as advisor for BLACKout, a magazine created by students of color. Being involved in student-initiated activities like NABJ or BLACKout and witnessing the energy they put into such things, causes me to think about how I can use my talents and abilities as a teacher and mentor to encourage students of color to reach their potential in our industry. I believe this encourages them to take more responsibility for their learning outside of the classroom. My approach is to mentor the students in their journalism and strategic communication endeavors rather than exert my authority and opinions.
In Fall of 2015, I was selected to serve as a mentor in our Discovery Fellows/Honor’s college program. My Discovery Fellow works on research projects in the area of cross cultural diversity and strategic communication. We work with the volunteer students from cross cultural journalism and faculty from the Department of Communication Studies on several research projects. My role as her advisor/mentor is one where I make it a point to enhance her knowledge and critical thinking skills, and better prepare her for research, manuscript preparation, and ultimately graduate school.
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES
CYNTHIA M. FRISBY, PH.D., STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
If there is something that needs to be done to make the department, J-school, or university a better place, I am very willing to lend my time and talents towards that goal. As a faculty in the Strategic Communication department, all of us provide service to the department, school and university. Nonetheless, many of my service activities while here at MU have extended into leadership roles and several connections and partnerships with local businesses and state organizations.
My service experiences at the university, college, and department levels have significantly contributed to my professional development. I have attended regularly and fully participated in each of the service activities described below.
I have served my emphasis area of Strategic Communication through developing courses that address recommendations by our senior assessors. I have developed two important courses, Sports and Entertainment Promotions and Effective Job Search Strategies, courses that help our students leave with skills that are competitive and in line with skills and experiences that today’s recruiters seek in top candidates.
My most recent area of service to my department is in developing an AdCamp in partnership with the American Advertising Federation. Along with Dr. Duffy, I am excited to help develop a program that will provide experience and opportunity for students who are unsure as to what they want to do professionally. We are also interested in reaching out to students who may not know much about the advertising industry. As a result, we have partnered with the AAF to develop a workshop that underprivileged students can participate, learn how to craft and pitch an ad campaign and then receive feedback from top leaders in the advertising industry.
I have served on the Policy Committee for most of my time here at Missouri. I was elected to serve on the committee from 2000-2002. I was then re-elected in 2003-2004. I was also nominated and agreed to serve as Committee Chair for the committee from 2004-2006.
Then, in 2012 I was elected to serve a three-year term and then re-elected in 2016 to serve another three- year term on both the school’s Policy and Promotion and Tenure Committees.
In 2014 I served as a member of the Search Advisory Committee for a new Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost for the University of Missouri. As a committee, we were charged to present a slate of two to four finalists to visit our campus during the Fall of 2014. This was an incredible time commitment but it was certainly one of the most enjoyable and memorable experiences I have had here at Mizzou.
It is perhaps at the University level that my ever-increasing levels of leadership and responsibility are most evident. I have served as chair and co-chair of the Chancellor’s diversity initiative committee, “Unity,” a committee designed to organize difficult dialogues and sessions aimed at minority faculty. I also give of my time and talents to deliver specialized presentations to high school students and other college students at various universities (i.e., the 7 habits of effective students, and careers in journalism). I was honored to be asked to deliver a presentation on diversity in high school journalism to thee ASNE teachers for the last 4 years.
My most treasured service at the University level has been the 14 years that I was appointed by Deputy Chancellor Michael Middleton to serve as chair and co-organizer of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr memorial and celebration week. In addition to that, I served on another prominent University-level organizations/service committees: Institutional Research Board (2002-2007); and the University of Missouri’s Summer Welcome Professor’s Perspectives, (2002-present).
I am proud to have served as a representative of the University of Missouri’s speaker’s bureau. As a result, I have been invited and have delivered repeated diversity training sessions for the state of Missouri’s Department of Transportation, Department of Natural Resources, Columbia Public Schools as well as workshops for the ASNE - American Society of News Editors. I have been told that my workshops and discussions encourage individuals to think about issues such as interracial relationships, development of and changing stereotypes, ageism, sexism, colorism, what it means to act black and act white, the meaning of and problem with ethnophaulisms objectification of women and athletes, along with media portrayals of cultural groups such as Native Americans, persons living with disabilities, etc. It is very important to me that I create and provide an environment that encourages asking questions, engages them in conversations about media portrayals that have shaped our society. I often give participants room to disagree, to struggle, to listen, and to move toward mutual understanding—a difficult and challenging doctrine, I admit, but intensely rewarding.
Some service to the community includes giving career presentations to middle and junior high schools on careers in journalism, representing the University and Journalism school at alumni functions throughout the state of Missouri, appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show, serving as a consultant for two major state organizations, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the department of Natural Resources, working as a diversity trainer for the state of Missouri, being chosen as a presenter at the Governor’s mansion to discuss diversity in public relations and advertising campaigns, and being included in the list of presenters for the Chamber of Commerce.
Due to my diversity efforts at MU, in Spring of 2013, I was asked by then Athletic Director, Mike Alden, to appear in a “Salute to Black History Month” poster. Over the course of the last 10+ years, the department of athletics has assisted with designing and printing the posters, depicting those students, faculty, staff, alums, friends and leaders who have made a contribution to the University of Missouri and higher education in the State. I was honored to be asked to assist in this effort and I really appreciated the opportunity to be involved. I was featured in the poster along with dignitaries such as Xavier Billingsley (MSA President), Rhea Taylor (former softball student-athlete), Mike Middleton (Deputy Chancellor), Muriel and Elliott Battle (Education “pioneers” and community leaders), Neal E. Boyd (Mizzou grad, winner of “America’s Got Talent”), Clyde Ruffin(Faculty), William Moore (former football student- athlete), and Nathan Stephens (Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center). To top it off, the poster was mailed to all high schools in the State of Missouri (approximately 600). This experience not only aligns with my teaching and research but offered a terrific recruiting opportunity for students throughout the entire state, which works in tandem with my new project recruiting under-served students to learn more about strategic communication. The poster was also distributed to the annual Columbia Values Diversity breakfast on behalf of the University.
In September of 2013, I worked closely with Sarah Reesman and the Department of Athletics to create a university-wide student poster contest for Black History Month. I was asked to create the contest rules, creative brief, goals, and objectives. The contest is open to any Mizzou student (full-time, part-time, graduate, professional, etc.). I also aided in the selection of judges from the university and Columbia community. We purposed to have judges who included faculty, staff, students and community members. Since its inauguration, we have seen this contest grow from 8 entries to a total of 24 entries in the Fall of 2015.
In Fall 2017, I am scheduled to present in several significant communication presentations. From speaking to the Congressional Black Caucus, to providing diversity tips to top managers of the Federal Reserve, to addressing the state of Missouri’s school board association’s center for education safety, to being asked to participate on “herTomorrow” panel of high influential women. I do not take these opportunities lightly. The fact that so many organizations in the past and currently find me influential is not only an honor but one that humbles me each and every time I am asked to speak.
At Mizzou, I practiced a service philosophy that builds community within my emphasis area, the School of Journalism, the field of Strategic Communication, the university, and local communities. I believe that active involvement in service helps me understand the needs of academia and the community. I look forward to my continued efforts in service. Given my accounts of service contribution, I believe that I have demonstrated excellence in service at MU and I hope to take this same level of dedication to service to any institution that I find myself serving.
The main focus: Issues and controversies facing athletes of color
Check out this great video
On the importance of sports messages and inclusion of diverse and inclusive language
What's something exciting your business offers? Say it here.
The benefits of having a sports and entertainment promotions class and working with real-world clients in professional sports
What are the benefits of teaching teachers about diversity
What would I like to talk more on or be asked to present in the future?
As protests against police brutality and racism have flooded the streets and social media, another more inclusive term has been ascribed to the population: BIPOC. The acronym stands for “black, Indigenous and people of color.” TThe other two letters, for black and Indigenous, were included in the acronym to account for the erasure of black people with darker skin and Native American people, according to Cynthia Frisby, a professor of strategic communication.
Cynthia Frisby, a professor with the Missouri School of Journalism, speaks to incoming students and guests in the Conservation Hall. MU has hosted the successful orientation program for 50 years.
Mizzou Prof Gets Made Under by Oprah
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/mizzou-prof-gets-made-under-by-oprah-2580779
Black Athletes Stereotyped Negatively in Media Compared to White Athletes
Invited to appear on national, international, and local talk shows, radio, and podcasts to discuss portrayals of athletes in media
My name is Dr. Cynthia Frisby and on this site you will find information about me, my research, my passion for DEI and teaching. You will also see my "fun side" and see a clip of when this Frisby was on the Oprah show!