Strategic Communications, LLC Senior Consultant Kelly Gaggin successfully defended her doctoral dissertation to earn her Ph.D. in Mass Communications from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications today! In addition to the committee from Newhouse, more than 50 people from the Central New York community, across the country and around the world tuned into hear and watch this live defense. The dissertation examining committee chair from Newhouse said he had never seen so many people attend a doctoral candidate’s dissertation defense!
The public relations expert, now Dr. Kelly Gaggin, focused her doctoral work and her dissertation on a new Public Relations Theory of Integration. This included exploring ways that public relations can address current voids and build trust with New American populations – and actually creating a brand new integrated theory of public relations.
“The entire Strategic Communications team is incredibly proud of this major accomplishment. Kelly is changing the way that public relations practitioners and organizations communicate with their audiences,” said Crystal DeStefano, APR, President and Director of Public Relations at Strategic Communications, LLC. “We foster of culture that encourages, embraces and supports continued learning for our team. And I am so proud to be surrounded by so many brilliant professionals who are committed to advancing our industry.”
“I owe much of this accomplishment to Strategic Communications. If not for Crystal bringing me on as her first consultant, I honestly have no idea how I would have been able to do this,” Dr. Gaggin said. “Crystal and Strategic Communications were key components to making all this possible for me over the last six years. I’m so grateful to this team!”
This is just the beginning, however. Dr. Gaggin believes “The limit does not exist.” She says there are opportunities for expansion into new health and human services; domestic and international services; migration, immigration and integration literature; community activities for relationship building, including gastrodiplomacy; and the development of tools to improve data collection and use.
“We’re so excited for what’s next for Kelly in this field of study, and the impact on the public relations industry,” DeStefano said.
Dr. Kelly Gaggin is also Accredited in Public Relations by the Universal Accreditation Board, and is an assistant professor in public relations at Newhouse School of Public Communications.