U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson brought the MVSU Department of Mass Communications to national attention by highlighting the accomplishments of two prominent members of the faculty.
“I never thought that one day, my name would be mentioned on the floor of the Congress of the United States,” said Dr. Samuel Osunde, department chair of mass communications.
Barbara Baymon, who leads Valley’s theater and speech communication tracks, was similarly stunned when she found out that she had been honored by Rep. Thompson during his remarks.
“I got a package in the mail with a certificate showing that Thompson had mentioned me during his remarks,” she said. “I was quite surprised.
The remarks emphasized both Baymon and Osunde’s achievements, highlighting their educational backgrounds and professional interests. Thompson mentioned Osunde’s previous experience as a creative director and copywriter, as well as his mass media consulting work and his research interests in topics including media effects theory and the role of mass media in perception influence.
Likewise, Thompson mentioned Baymon’s community involvement, such as her role as an alderwoman for Isola, Miss. and the president of the Humphrey County Hospital Board of Directors. Additionally, he mentioned that Baymon is the director of theater programs at MVSU and the coordinator for the university’s speech communication major.
Both Baymon and Osunde expressed gratitude at having been chosen for this honor.
“I am grateful to the Congress of the United States for bestowing upon me this great honor, and I will continue to serve the students, the community, and the Valley family to the best of my ability,” Osunde said.
Baymon expressed similar praise, saying, “I am elated and I feel privileged to have even been put on the floor of such a prestigious body, and to know that my name will be archived is in and of itself a great accomplishment.”