Hampden-Sydney College rhetoric professor Miranda Rouse received two national awards last month for her work in communication studies at the National Communication Association’s annual convention.

Rouse, an assistant professor of rhetoric and director of the college’s Rhetoric Studio, was honored Nov. 22 at the convention in Aurora, Colorado, which drew scholars and educators from across the country. 

She received the Von Till Outstanding Newcomer Award, recognizing innovation, scholarship, mentoring and service within the association’s Communication Centers Section and the National Association of Communication Centers. The award had not been given since 2019. 

“I’ve been working in the communication centers field for nearly 10 years,” Rouse said. “I started as a student consultant and have now been directing the Rhetoric Studio at Hampden-Sydney since 2022, so receiving this award is a huge accomplishment and a validation of that journey.” 

Rouse, who has worked in communication centers for nearly a decade, also shared the Top Paper Award in the Communication Centers division with Laura Stengrim of the University of Illinois and Elizabeth Reeves O’Connor of the Rochester Institute of Technology. Their paper, “Valuing Collaboration Between Foundational Communication Courses and Communication Centers to Support Inclusivity and Diversity,” focuses on ways to better support students through collaboration. 

In addition to her research, Rouse serves in leadership roles within the association, chairing two divisions and helping organize this year’s convention.