SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — For 2023 graduate Sophia Bates, Penn State Schuylkill is the place where her research ambitions first took root and began to sprout. Currently a masters student at James Madison University who is finishing her thesis, Bates has recently been accepted to George Mason University’s Communication doctoral program with a graduate teaching assistantship, where she will focus her research on health communication.
Bates began her research career at Penn State Schuylkill, initially majoring in biology until she realized that her true research passion was in health communication. Throughout her time here, she worked with Valerie Schrader, professor of communication arts and sciences, on a variety of research projects, most of which she completed through honors options in Schrader’s classes. She presented six of these projects at the Eastern Communication Association (ECA) and the National Communication Association (NCA), taking home Top Paper Awards from ECA’s Undergraduate Scholars Conference and NCA’s Theatre, Film, and New Multi-Media Interest group and the Lambda Pi Eta Interest Group. Bates served as an Undergraduate Research Ambassador for the university through Penn State’s Undergraduate Education office, and on campus, she was part of the Schuylkill Honors Program, Beta Beta Beta, Lambda Pi Eta, and the Women in Leadership Club. She graduated in May 2023 with a bachelor of arts in corporate communication and two minors in biology and in communication arts and sciences.
Some of Bates’ favorite Penn State memories, she said, include attending and presenting her work at conferences.
“I love going to conferences,” she said. “They’re such a great source of new knowledge and they allow you to explore all of your interests. I knew when I attended them that this is where I wanted to be — I want to be in research and be in conversation with other scholars.”
Bates also published with Schrader during her time at Penn State Schuylkill. Their co-authored work appears in the Kentucky Journal of Communication, the Northwest Journal of Communication, and Communication and Theatre Association of Minnesota Journal. Two of the articles focus on Bates’ primary area of research — health communication — and one focuses on Schrader’s primary area of research, musical theater rhetoric.
“Penn State Schuylkill has changed my life and given me so many opportunities,” Bates explained. “I had an amazing research mentor and was in a wonderful program that enabled me to explore my own interests. It allowed me to find my niche in health communication, which has both biology components and communication components.”
During her time at James Madison University, Bates continued to participate in the Eastern Communication Association, presenting work at the Graduate Poster Session and with the Voices of Diversity Interest Group. In 2024, she received the Centennial Scholarship from ECA to help fund her thesis research, which she conducted in Japan in the Aokigahara Forest. Her current research area focuses on suicide prevention, and her thesis explores the cultural perceptions of suicidality in Japanese culture. Her research has the potential to contribute to suicide prevention efforts, which may ultimately save lives.
After completing her doctorate at George Mason University, Bates plans to pursue a career in research with the goal of making positive impacts on public health.
Bates encourages undergraduate students to take advantage of the undergraduate research opportunities at Penn State. “If you’re thinking about getting involved in undergraduate research, do it,” she advises. “It might seem a little scary at first, but you will definitely benefit from it. It can enhance your resume and provide you with the experience of going to a conference. You’ll learn not only about new topics, but you’ll also learn new things about yourself.”