St. Norbert College Student Wins Top Paper Award at National Conference

Facebook / Tweet

From St. Norbert College, April 17, 2023
by Mike Counter, mike.counter@snc.edu, 920-403-3089

St. Norbert College senior Crystal Schuster won the top paper award at the Central States Communication Association (CSCA) conference in St. Louis, Mo. The conference was held March 30 through April 1.

Schuster, a double major in psychology and communication and media studies, with a minor in Spanish, presented “Meet the Family: A Qualitative Investigation of Introducing Romantic Partners to Family Members.”

She explored the important factors to consider when introducing a new romantic partner to one’s family, the implications for the relationships with family members and romantic partners after the introduction, how culture can impact this process and what advice adult children had regarding introducing a new partner to their family.

Schuster was recognized at both the President's Luncheon in front of the CSCA Association, as well as the Undergraduate Honors Luncheon. She traveled with St. Norbert professors Toni Morgan, who is an assistant professor of communication and media studies and a family communication scholar, and academic advisor Anna Antos, an associate professor of communication and media studies. Antos also presented at the conference; her current research focuses on eating disorders and body image disturbances in the relational communication environment. “The communication and media studies department at St. Norbert College has been instrumental in my career and professional development,” said Schuster. “I was immensely grateful to attend my first conference with two of my mentors,” the De Pere, Wis. student added.

CSCA was founded in 1931 to promote the communication discipline in educational, scholarly and professional endeavors. The association, which consists of the 13 Midwestern states North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, is governed by an executive committee and is legislated by its constitution and bylaws.

The organization has grown to become the largest regional communication association in the United States and the fourth-largest academic communication association in the world.

After graduation from St. Norbert in May, Schuster will be attending graduate school at Northwestern University in the fall to pursue her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy.