Commitment to the Graduate Program Award Communication

Michelle Cadwell Blackston is a second-year Ph.D. student in Communication at George Mason University, where she studies climate change communication. Her research interests include how news media shape understandings of climate solutions and how political ideology influences responses to climate messaging.

At George Mason, Michelle is graduate teaching assistant and instructor, teaching courses in Communication Theory, Fundamentals of Communication, and Public Relations and Strategic Communication. Before entering academia, Michelle built a 25-year career in journalism, public affairs, and strategic communication. She has held senior leadership roles across nonprofit, policy, and agency settings, including directing communications initiatives on clean energy, climate policy, and public health. She brings this expertise into both her research and teaching, bridging theory and practice in meaningful ways.

Michelle holds a master’s degree in strategic communication and leadership from Seton Hall University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and sociology from Creighton University.