Maria McLeod – Faculty Update – Western Journalism Alumni

Maria McLeod, MFA

Associate Professor

Maria McLeod Updates

Winter 2023 Update

Hello, wonderful journalism alumni. I hope that whatever you’re doing, wherever you are, your life has returned to some semblance of normal compared to our pandemic-protocol existence over the last two years. Not that we’re entirely in the clear in terms of susceptibility to highly transmissible illness, but we are certainly better off than we have been over the past two years.

I must admit to being continuously impressed with our students’ ability to weather an uncertain future with passion for communicating critical issues. Whether students have been working remotely or in person, it’s been impressive to see how quickly and deftly they learn and put into practice their new-found skills as reporters, editors, visual journalists and public relations specialists. I appreciate, also, the vast network of our alumni who help build bridges to the professional realm. In that regard, I am always happy to hear and read updates of our talented graduates, both personal and professional achievements.

In regard to my own work, I’ve been researching, writing, publishing and presenting scholarship related to health communications, specifically examining “cancer narratives,” essentially how patient survivor stories are used to promote cancer care centers. I’ve also continued to publish poems, short nonfiction, fiction and book reviews.

I continue my role as chair of the university’s Scholars Week Planning Committee, working collaboratively with students, faculty and staff from all of Western’s colleges and programs to feature the best of WWU students’ creative and scholarly works. That continues to be a university service and PR project near and dear to my heart.

Please don’t hesitate to drop me a line, or stop by. I’m am always happy to hear how you are doing in the world.
Winter 2022 Update

Greetings, wonderful journalism alumni, from the halls of the Communication Facility where I’ve finally returned to teach classes face-to-face (masked, of course!) after not having taught in person since March of 2020. What a strange journey we’ve all been on, but the advantage of teaching and practicing public relations, reporting, editing and other journalistic skills is that we are already poised to digitally engage, which we did with great proficiency. I continue to be impressed with my current and former students’ abilities to adapt and navigate what has been, at times, a quickly changing and challenging landscape amidst a global pandemic, impacting all aspects of life, from social and familial interactions to professional and educational settings.

I’ve had the luxury of another sabbatical this fall, meaning I was able to engage in an ever-expanding research project to study how stories of cancer “survivors” are used to promote leading cancer care centers in the United States. I was able to present initial findings at an international health communications conference in August, and I hope to present and publish related papers this academic year. Earlier this fall, I gave two teacher presentations at the Public Relations Society of America conference — one on the topic of managing social media, and the other on using literary devices to create hashtag-worthy taglines. In addition to generating scholarly work, I continue to publish poetry, fiction and nonfiction. My first poetry collection, “Mother Want,” was published spring 2021, and a second poetry collection, “Skin. Hair. Bones.,” will be published later this summer.

I continue my role as chair of the university’s Scholars Week Planning Committee, working collaboratively with students, faculty and staff from all of Western’s colleges and programs to feature the best of Western students’ creative and scholarly works.

Despite our distance and isolation due to the pandemic, I delight in seeing evidence of our talented alumni online, working diligently to communicate the critical information, remarkable stories and important events of our ever-changing times. Keep up the good work.
Winter 2021 Update

Hello to all our wonderful alumni, working remote from home, or masked-up onsite, or awaiting the job market to re-open with opportunity to put expert skills to good use. I’m guessing this is not the future you imagined for yourselves when you applied to be a journalism major. Seeing my students in Brady Bunch boxes on my computer screen – many of whom are engaging with classes from their childhood bedrooms — is not what I imagined for myself (or for them) when I signed up to teach, yet we soldier on, despite our failing internet connections and clumsy adaptation to our lives in 2-D.

In the midst of this transition to a new way of teaching, I’ve been serving as WWU’s Scholars Week Committee chair. It’s rewarding to be able to offer Western students a venue to feature their best work. This spring, the event will be held online, due to the pandemic, for the second year in a row. I’ve also had the luxury of a sabbatical this fall, meaning I was able to engage in an ever-expanding research project to study how stories of cancer “survivors” are used to promote leading cancer care centers in the United States. I’ll be presenting my findings at an international health communications conference this summer. I’ve been granted another sabbatical next fall to further develop my initial research. In addition to my scholarly work, I continue to publish poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Most recently, I’ve had a book of poetry accepted for publication, which should be released later this summer.

I look forward to returning to campus, post sabbatical, January of next year. At present, I continue to be impressed that, even with the sadness of our circumstances — some of my students having experienced the pandemic’s worst effects, illness and/or loss of loved ones — students arrive (read: log on) in earnest, ready to engage with what I put before them. This lifts me up and inspires me to be a better professor, whether in 2-D, or 3-D or some future reality, virtual or otherwise.
Winter 2020 Update

As some of you know, I’ve been dealing with health issues, namely cancer. At this writing (November 2019), I’m on medical leave from teaching. But, by the time you read this I should — fingers crossed — be back at it, in front of the classroom, doing what I enjoy most. Fifteen months ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but I caught it relatively early, which will give me a better chance of avoiding a second cancer, for which I’m at increased risk. Likely, all of you reading this have been negatively impacted by cancer in some way, whether it be an illness you’ve contended with personally, or something experienced by a family member or friend, and, for that, I’m truly sorry. It’s unfortunately become all too common.

While I don’t like to use the word “lucky” in any way related to a cancer diagnosis, I will say that I was fortunate to catch it early. I found my cancer due to a conversation I had with the mother of a former student, a woman who is surviving breast cancer herself. It’s because of her willingness to talk about her cancer that I decided to write about it here. Had she not shared her experience, and the fact that she detected her cancer through a self-exam, I may not have found mine, which would have resulted in a far more serious health crisis. So, consider this my Public Service Announcement, encouraging both self-exams and mammograms for early detection.

Speaking of receiving help, I thank our alumni for the continued support many still lend to The Western Front editors and reporters. Your attention to the Front, upon which you cut your journalistic teeth, remains crucial to our current students. Last academic year was particularly challenging, as the staff faced intimidation and attempts to influence coverage while reporting upon a racial issue being addressed by Faculty Senate. It was appalling to me, but unfortunately not unusual in the world of journalism, especially in the context of today’s anti-journalism, enemy-of-the-people rhetoric. The Western Front editors and reporters involved addressed the situation maturely, thoughtfully and ethically. They spoke truth to power, exercising the critical role of journalists to help maintain a free and democratic society. I encourage you to read The Western Front Op-ed of May 29, 2019, “Intimidated In the Pursuit of Truth,” if you haven’t already done so. Print it out, frame it, and remember the legacy you helped build is still run by students realizing their role in upholding the tenants of democracy while trying to pass a class that hinges on getting reluctant sources to call them back.
Winter 2019 Update

Since last year’s newsletter update, I’ve accepted a position as Chair of the Scholars Week Committee for WWU, working with Vice Provost Stephen Vanderstaay and Vice Provost of Research and Graduate School Dean Guatam Pillay to help administer the yearly campus event, as well as generate more participation and interest in works of student scholarship across campus. In other words, it’s a terrific opportunity to show my support of students’ academic pursuits, exercise my PR prowess and utilize my administrative skills. Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with some unanticipated health issues that have kept me from working fall and winter quarter this year, but I intend to launch into my role directly upon my return this spring.

On the scholarship front, I was pleased to partner with my partner (see what I did there?), Senior Instructor Stephen Howie, to publish “Public Relations Videography: A Classroom Case Study in the Production and Dissemination of Digital Content” in The Journal of Communication and Media Studies. The department added the Video PR course to the regular academic schedule this year, but I was unable to teach it due to my medical leave. I hope to be able to offer the course next year, as students are enthusiastic and there is continued interest. In all my classes, I continue to challenge my students, and myself, by incorporating new technologies both for creating and sharing stories on multiple media platforms.

If you are on campus this spring, be sure to stop by. I’m always interested in hearing about your post-baccalaureate life and reminiscing about your student days as one of our #jkids (insert heart emoji here).
Winter 2018 Update

Winter quarter 2016 through fall quarter 2017 was another action-packed academic year. For starters, I was granted tenure—woot, woot!—which brought with it a change of title, from assistant professor to associate professor. This means I get to stick around for a few more years, and I’m happy to do so.

During winter quarter 2017, I worked with WWU’s Campus Equity and Inclusion Forum to stage a revised and updated version of “First Person: Diverse Stories,” with a script derived from interviews with WWU students. I was honored to have WWU President Randhawa call upon the campus to attend the play as an opportunity to learn more about the experiences of the diverse students that Western serves.

I’ve continued to teach Intro. to Mass Media and Advanced PR Writing and Techniques.

This summer session 2017, I was able to offer a new course of my own design, PR Videography, which filled almost instantly. I was joined by Senior Instructor Stephen Howie to teach a fantastic class of highly motivated, skilled and creative students in a six-week session. The results of their efforts can be found on the course Instagram and Vimeo sites. In November, Instructor Howie and I presented on the topic of teaching PR Videography at the Second International Conference on Communication & Media Studies held in Vancouver, B.C. Our presentation was based, in part, on student responses to a survey I conducted related to production and content choices made based on platforms. We’re hoping that our paper, “Mapping Pedagogy and Praxis in the Production of Public Relations Videography: A Classroom Case Study in the Production and Dissemination of Digital Content” will be published in the coming year.

I’ve also been actively writing and submitting poetry and fiction, which has resulted in seven publications of poetry, fiction, and flash fiction in national and international journals within the past year. When invited, I participate in readings of my work. In October, I read at The Public Pool, a venue in Hamtramck, Michigan, supported, in part, by the Knight Foundation.

Of course, the most rewarding element of my job is teaching #jkids, which I consider an honor and a privilege. This year, Howie and I are looking forward to attending spring graduation together to witness and support a fresh batch of graduates as they make their way into the world, from students to professionals. I especially like to see graduates as visitors. I still keep a bowl of candy on my desk, newly refilled, for just such occasions.