Dr. Josey, faculty co-facilitator for the Communication Freshman Interest Group (FIG), received the FIG Excellence in Leadership Award on Oct. 25, 2024. He was nominated by his Peer Leadership Advisor (PLA). This award recognizes co-facs and PLAs who go above and beyond in service of Mizzou students.

Dr. Christopher S. Josey (Ph.D., University of Illinois) is an Associate Teaching Professor within the Department of Communication. He also serves as the department’s Director of Undergraduate Research and Honors Program.

He is an award-winning educator who currently serves as a Tarkow Teaching Fellow within the Honors College and is a recipient of the William T. Kemper Fellowship. His research and teaching interests reside at the intersection of new technology, media effects, and media stereotyping. Dr. Josey’s work examines how persons of color are framed stereotypically within news and the effects that such portrayals have on media consumers.

Spotlight on Excellence

In the award nomination for Dr. Josey, his PLA said:

“Dr. Josey has been a model co-fac and a fantastic partner throughout both the four years of research I have done with him and in running this FIG. Every class Dr. Josey brings a mixture of deep knowledge of communication research and personability that makes the FIG both fun and engaging for me and the freshman in our FIG. Dr. Josey has also gone above and beyond when it comes to exposing the freshman in our FIG to research. Whether it is scheduling guest speakers from a variety of communication subfields, inviting in guest speakers to talk about resources on campus (Undergraduate Reserarch Office, Fellowship Office, etc.) or designing the class in a way that gives the students the ability to choose what they are researching, Dr. Josey has done a fantastic job of tailoring this class to meet the needs of the specific students in our class. Moreover, Dr. Josey has gone out of his way to present students with research and scholarship opportunities on campus in order to make sure their research experience does not end with this FIG.  Overall, I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honor.”