Honor Society® member
Jana Wilbricht
Graduate Student Staff at Rackham Graduate School, University of Michigan
- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- communication studies
- Class of 2019
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
Member since March 2017
About
I am a Ph.D. Candidate in Communication Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. I earned my B.S. (magna cum laude and with distinction in research) from Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) in Communication and Development Sociology with Minors in American Indian Studies and Inequality Studies. My doctoral research is focused on health communication, particularly access to health information in rural communities and implications for health equity, as well as effective health message design. Originally from Germany, I have lived in New Mexico and New York prior to moving to Michigan, and have been conducting research in the U.S. and Germany.
Education
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University of Michigan
PhD (Communication Studies)
2014 – 2019
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Cornell University
Bachelor's (Double-Major in Communication and Development Sociology)
Honors and awards
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Best Graduate Student Instructor Award 2015-2016 Academic Year
My department (Communication Studies) selected me as the best TA out of approximately 40 TAs teaching for the dept., based on student evaluations. Award included a $1,000 monetary prize. Only one Best GSI Award is given each year.
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1st Place, 2017 Munger Case Competition
With a team of 3 other graduate students, I won the 2017 Munger Case Competition with an app we developed, addressing the fake news issue. The monetary award we won was $5,000
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Sweetland Center for Writing Junior Fellowship (University of Michigan)
I was selected as a Junior Fellow of the Sweetland Center, which comes with a $6,000 stipend for the development of a First Year Writing course, which I will then teach myself in Fall 2018
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Program in Public Scholarship Research Grant
I was awarded $8,000 in support of my doctoral research on access to information in rural U.S. communities, particularly American Indian reservations
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Winthrop B. Chamberlain Scholarship for Graduate Student Research
I was awarded $1,500 in support of my doctoral research on access to information in rural U.S. communities, particularly American Indian reservations
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Rackham Graduate School Graduate Student Research Grant
I was awarded $1,500 in support of my doctoral research on access to information in rural U.S. communities, particularly American Indian reservations
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University of Michigan Library Student Engagement Grant
I was awarded $1,000 in support of my doctoral research on access to information in rural U.S. communities, particularly American Indian reservations
Goals and interests
- Career goal
I am interested in a teaching career in academia, and can see myself working with a non-profit organization or foundation long-term.
- Graduate school interests
I am in the Communication Studies Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan, and focus specifically on health communication. For my dissertation, I conduct a community-based participatory research project on access to and use of health information in rural and remote Indigenous communities in the U.S. I am currently partnering with two tribal radio stations to study their role as a key informant for these communities, particularly regarding health and safety information. I also do some work on effective health message design, meaning what strategies work best to motivate people to engage in preventive health behaviors like healthy eating and exercise.
- Outside the classroom
In my very limited free time, I love to run half marathons, obstacle races (e.g. Spartan Race, Savage Race), do crossfit and kickboxing, and create silver and gold jewelry in the metalsmithing class I'm currently taking at our local art center.
Experience
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Graduate Student Staff
Rackham Graduate School, University of Michigan
Dec 2016 – Nov 2017
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Undergraduate Research Assistant
Cornell University
Dec 2011 – Apr 2014
Volunteering
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Board Member and Chair, Communications Committee
Hopi Education Endowment Fund (HEEF), a nationally recognized non-profit managing over $25 million in assets, which are used to provide educational opportunities to American Indian students
Oct 2016 – Oct 2019
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Mentor
Graduate Rackham International (GRIN) Mentorship Program
Aug 2016 – May 2019
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Chair
Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (Ann Arbor, Michigan region)
Jan 2016 – Jan 2019
Languages
- German Fluent
- English (US) Fluent
Additional information
Organizations
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International Communication Association (opens in a new tab)
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Hopi Education Endowment Fund (HEEF) (opens in a new tab)
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Lambda Pi Eta (Official Honor Society of the National Communication Association) (opens in a new tab)
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National Society of Collegiate Scholars (opens in a new tab)
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Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society (opens in a new tab)
