Virginia Commonwealth University Master’s Degree Student Wins 2011 Grunig PRIME Research Fellowship
GAINESVILLE, FL – March 28, 2011 – Shana Meganck, a second-year PhD student at Virginia Commonwealth University, is this year’s winner of the Grunig PRIME Research Fellowship. The fellowship − named for James E. Grunig, Ph.D., and Larissa A. Grunig, Ph.D. − is presented by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and sponsored by PRIME Research.
Meganck will be enter a six-week fellowship in the PRIME Research offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan during summer 2011. She will receive a $5,000 stipend and will submit a research paper to be published by IPR. Her research interests include the effects of advertising and public relations on society, public relations and new media technologies, and ethical issues in public relations and advertising.
“We are delighted to have Shana Meganck as the third recipient of the Grunig PRIME Research Fellowship,” said Mark Weiner, CEO for PRIME Research in North America. “The Fellowship aims to foster interest in public relations research as a career path; Fellows take an active role in providing research-based consulting for PRIME’s global clients.”
“We congratulate both Shana Meganck and PRIME Research for what we believe will be a mutually beneficial relationship,” said Jim Grunig. “Selected from a strong field of applicants for the 2011 PRIME Research Fellowship, Ms. Meganck will glimpse life inside one of the world’s premier research operations.”
Lauri Grunig added: “Ms. Meganck brings an academic understanding of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Her graduate studies have prepared her well for the challenges of applied research. We expect the relationship between PRIME Research staff, its clients and Ms. Meganck to endure long past their six weeks together in Ann Arbor.”
The Grunigs are professors emeriti in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland, College Park. Together they have written or edited 10 books. Each has written more than 200 articles, book chapters, monographs, reviews, and conference papers on public relations theory and research. They have lectured in 43 countries, won nearly every major award for public relations educators, and advised hundreds of master’s and doctoral students.
PRIME Research, founded in 1985 in Mainz, Germany, provides a broad array of research and consulting services, employing approximately 500 analysts and 100 consultants in eight locations around the world. To learn more, visit www.prime-research.com.
IPR is an independent non-profit foundation that answers the need for evidence and accountability in public relations. IPR plays a critical role in bridging the academic world with the profession to ensure that the best thinking and knowledge are applied for the benefit of today’s demanding business world. More information can be found at instituteforpr.org.
