ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ

By Bobbi Doggett 

Associate Instructor, Public Relations 

Communication professor Marcia Ladendorff retires from teaching after 28 years. 

Marcia Ladendorff, a communication associate instructor, retired in spring 2021 after 28 years. She took the time to answer some questions about her career, her advice to students, and her thoughts for the future. 

You had a long career at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ. Tell us about it.

I started as an instructor in the Department of Communications and Visual Arts. After about a year, I accepted an appointment as assistant director of the Honors Program (now the Honors College). Finally, after about 17 years, I returned to the Department of Communication (now the School of Communication) where I served the remainder of my tenure as an instructor.  

Before ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ, you had a stellar career in journalism. Will you tell us about your past life as a journalist?

I was in the television industry for 22 years before I worked at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ. I started as a studio camera operator and a news film editor at KPHO in Phoenix. From there, I moved up the career ladder, accepting news reporting, producing and anchoring jobs in Rochester, New York; South Bend, Indiana; and Omaha, Nebraska. After Omaha, I went to CNN in 1980 as one of the original anchors there. During those two decades, I covered political conventions, presidential visits, a visit from the Pope, and hurricanes. During my time at CNN, I covered Hurricane Floyd from the belly of a plane piloted by NOAA’s hurricane hunters. We flew into the eye of the storm 13 times to collect weather data that helped the National Hurricane Forecasting Center determine if and when the hurricane would hit land. Luckily, the Floyd I covered was very unorganized and broke up before causing significant damage to the southeastern states. I left in 1986 to come to Jacksonville, where I anchored the 6 and 11 newscasts at WTLV, Channel 12. In 1993, I left TV to join ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ.  

What brought you to ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ?

The TV news business was a very exciting place to be. I had many adventures during those years. But when my contract was up at Channel 12 in 1993, I was dissatisfied with the direction in which the television news industry was headed. I started out in TV after witnessing the Watergate reporting that eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. At that time, news was considered something TV stations did to satisfy the FCC requirement to serve the needs of the local community. But when TV executives discovered they could make money producing news, the newscasts took a turn from strictly journalism to “info-tainment.” That was not what I signed up for, so I took the job at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ.

What are some of your happiest memories of teaching at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ?

Overall, teaching was the most thrilling at the end of each semester. I especially loved teaching writing and theory. Being able to see how students took the information in the course and used it to produce excellent work was amazing to me. I still find it amazing. Just comparing a student’s first assignment to their final made me so proud of the work our students did. I also loved teaching for Honors. I was fortunate to be allowed to create international study abroad courses that took me and my students to places like China, Ireland, South America and Africa. To this day I believe the most important learning happens when students travel. 

What advice would you tell aspiring journalists today or any communication professionals for that matter?

My advice to students today is the same as it’s always been: Don’t be afraid to take intellectual risks. Embrace curiosity through asking significant questions. And hold yourself to the highest standards of ethics. That last one isn’t easy. The state of our country today is in trouble. With all the technological advances that led us to the glories of social media, we have discovered there is a dark side to storytelling. It’s come to the point where we are losing our grip on “truth.” It’s up to all of us to get our country back on track.

By Frank Goodin 
Instructor, Digital Video Production 

 

On Zoom, communication students Mitchell Wiisanen, Grant Phillips and Caitlin McManus talk about the challenges they experience while learning during a pandemic.

Like most universities, ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ placed a heavier emphasis on distance learning over classroom learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-21 academic school year. Fortunately, vaccines have now enabled ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ students to return to the classroom for the fall 2021 semester. As things slowly return to normal, students and recent graduates in the School of Communication were asked to reflect on the challenges they faced and what they are looking forward to as we return to a more traditional college experience in the fall. 

Alicia Molina, a freshman digital video production student, missed her traditional “college freshman” experience. “I never got to live on campus or in a dorm, and I never got to really experience all that ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ has to offer as far as extracurricular activities or just any kind of school events. So it was just kind of disappointing.” 

Mitchell Wiisanen, a senior in multimedia journalism and production, describes a duality to how the change impacted him. “I’ve actually been able to work more, which has been great, but then I’ve found that it’s caused my grades to slip.”

Marshall Magee, a digital video production senior, also said the change impacted his grades. “Going from on-campus classes to Zoom classes, my productivity went way down. For one of my classes I was getting A’s on the test, and then all of a sudden, I was getting low C’s, so everything just dropped.” However, Marshall was able to identify a small benefit. “It’s forced me to be more on top of what I’m doing. Before I was disorganized, but since COVID, it’s forced me to be more active with school and work and everything. So, I feel like it’s had positives and negatives.” 

Alaina George, who graduated this summer, also had thoughts about the positives and negatives that came with COVID. “As far as silver linings go, in the beginning I was like, ‘Wow it’s really nice. I don’t have to go anywhere. I can do everything from my house, like this is wonderful. And, I have a dog, so I’ll be able to spend more time with him.’ But now coming out of the back end of it, I really just want to get out of my house and do something!” 

Grant Phillips, a junior in digital video production, found the switch inconvenient, but necessary. “I feel well served considering the environment of COVID in general, I don’t know what I would do if in-person classes would have been required this semester.”

Being employed while attending classes during the pandemic introduced other unexpected challenges for Finn Miller, who graduated this spring. “I don’t have a single day off at all and it’s been like this the whole entire semester and last semester. I worked two jobs last semester, while also being a full-time student. It’s just been very stressful having to have everything online, because I feel like when everything was in person, there was at least an excuse to say, ‘Hey, no I can’t come in to work today.’” Other students echoed this sentiment. 

For Caitlin McManus, who graduated this spring, the challenge was also about the way her daily life changed with the switch. “Even though you’re at school, you’re also in the same place all day. It’s not like you go to class, then come back to your dorm for homework, then go hang out with friends on the weekend. Instead it’s all just the same thing, so it’s really hard to have that separation. That’s why it gets so tedious and it’s even harder to motivate yourself. It feels like it’s all the same and there are no other outlets. I would say that was definitely an impact.” 

Several students discussed their anticipation for things returning to how they were before COVID.

“I’m excited to do face-to-face classes again,” said Brynna Blakeman, a junior in digital video production. “But I’m also kind of nervous just because I don’t know how it’s going to go. I don’t know how normal it’s going to be. I feel like there’s going to be different things that we’re going to have to do, and I’m going to have to get used to that all over again,” Blakeman said.

By Dee Colvin 

Associate Instructor, Advertising 

Ashley, tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Ashley Morrison (maiden name Stegbauer) and I grew up on the west coast of Florida in the coastal town of Seminole near Indian Rocks Beach. I graduated from ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ with my bachelor’s degree in 2010 where I studied communication with a track in advertising, and a minor in criminal justice. I also am a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, pledge class of 2006. I currently reside in Orlando near Lake Conway with my husband, Matt. We got married in February 2020.

What did you do after you graduated?

While I dabbled in the advertising world shortly after graduating, it was the radio industry  – an industry I knew nothing about – that occurred after an internship with Cox Media Group Jacksonville. I have been with Cox Media Group for 11 years now, eight of them with CMG Orlando. I am a morning talk show host for Obie & Ashley in the Morning on K92.3 Orlando's #1 for New Country (the biggest country music station in Central Florida). Plus, I also serve as the music director for the station. 

Tell us about your current job and the work you do.

While being a radio morning talk show host, I’ve interviewed the biggest stars in country music from Blake Shelton, Garth Brooks, Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan and more. And yes, I get to attend all the concerts and usually say hi to the artists backstage. I am also involved with management as the music director and have a heavy hand in programming with the program director. Someone has to put all of it together, from the songs, to what you hear between the songs, to the commercials. As the music director, I am also the liaison between the record labels in Nashville and Orlando radio. With that, I have about 20 record label representatives calling every week to get their artists’ songs played on the radio, and yes, even Luke Bryan’s rep still calls!

My position can be very cut-throat too. There are a lot of people waiting in line to land a morning show hosting gig. So, it’s a high-pressure, non-stop gig, yet very rewarding if it turns out to be your passion, like it has mine.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Every single day is different. I don’t have to sit in a cubicle and go through the same motions every day. Sure, there are some standard things I have to do each day, but each morning show is different with the topics we’re talking about, the people who call into our show, the connection we have with the country music artists and the passion for the music. It is a very rewarding career if you do it right, and if you do it for the right reasons.

In what ways did ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ help prepare you for the work you do?

I truly loved my ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ experience. The smaller class sizes were a bonus. I appreciated the experienced professors. They were mostly, if not all, former employees of companies within the industry we would be learning about, such as advertising, newspaper, media, and so forth. Having professors who had first-hand experience in the fields they were teaching was so apparent. It made the learning process more appealing. As a Gulf Coast gal, I also loved the proximity ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ had to the beach. 

Honestly, if it weren’t for my experience at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ, I would never be where I am today. It was my senior internship semester where I interned with Cox Media Group and began my career with the company. When they say, “Just get your foot in the door,” do not take that lightly, especially in a competitive field. ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ’s internship program connections helped me land my career. I also remember many of my classes being tough at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ, like Law and Ethics of Communications, but I learned so much and always look back as that being one of my favorite courses.

What has been your proudest professional accomplishment so far?

Winning an Academy of Country Music Award for a large market radio station of the year. When you win an award of that stature, you feel like all your hard work and long hours have paid off. I also have been nominated for awards with both the ACM (Academy of Country Music) and CMA (Country Music Association) as large market personality of the year for the last five years. I still pinch myself for just receiving a nomination because there are thousands of radio stations in the country and being one of five nominees means my country radio/industry peers think highly enough of our work to put us in the running. That, I will never take for granted.

What is your favorite ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ memory?

It’s entirely too hard to pick one because at this point in my life, I look back at my ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ experience as a whole. My time at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ consisted of four years that helped build who I am today  – my maturity, my independence, my curiosity and my work ethic. Sure, we all must apply ourselves and possess those qualities, but ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ was a monumental stepping stone in which I was able to soar after the education and experience I received. Although it might be odd to say looking back on the sleepless nights I spent studying for exams would be a favorite memory, but it coincidentally is. It took applying myself to my courses and opportunities to find what and who I was destined to be after ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ. Once you leave, those memories become motivation. 

By Stephanie Araujo
Visiting Instructor, Public Relations

Children participate in the Connecting Through Music program, which was a client for the PR Campaigns spring 2021 class.

When Karen Demuth’s son, Dante, was born with Down Syndrome and without an esophagus, Karen and her family struggled to find ways to help him communicate and learn. Then Karen discovered he responded well to music and she was inspired to create Connecting Thru Music (CTM) with the mission “To provide music therapy and related music services which will enhance the cognitive, communicative, emotional, physical and social development of the children with special needs throughout Duval County and the Northeast Region of Florida.”

However, as a staff of one, Karen faced several challenges trying to grow the organization to serve schools and students throughout the seven-county Northeast Florida area. So my spring 2021 PUR 4800-Public Relations Campaigns class took on the challenge to create a campaign for CTM that would reach slightly outside the normal parameters of a public relations plan. Its objectives were to help CTM improve awareness of the organization and its mission, but also to identify partner organizations and philanthropic sources in the Northeast Florida area.

The students got to work creating an awareness campaign that included social media, media relations, tabling events and partnerships with local businesses. Thanks to a part-time videographer taking the class, the team also produced a professional-quality informational video.

To identify philanthropic and partnership resources, the students scoured the internet, tapped into their personal networks and made extensive phone calls to develop a database of potential donors and partnerships, adding text-to-donate and a virtual auction to the campaign tactics.

The result was a well-received campaign. Demuth offered high praise of the students: “Their hard work, collaboration, expertise and enthusiasm provided us with a professional written guide, video and PowerPoint … which will enable CTM to increase our brand recognition, funding sources and effectiveness.” 

By Diane Matuschka
Instructor, Communication Studies  

At the end of each spring semester the School of Communication recognizes its outstanding graduates for their excellence in academic achievement and performance in their major discipline.

The 2020-21 graduates were asked to tell us what their greatest achievement was at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ, and what they’ll always remember most about their experiences. Here are their responses.

Tracey Kyles,  Outstanding Graduate Student in Communication Management: “What I’ll remember the most at the School of Communication would probably have to be the faculty and the learning experience itself. Never did I doubt if a professor cared, and never did I doubt what they knew. I learned so much from everyone and the hands-on learning experience taught me a lot. Thanks!”

Haley Zuckoff,  Outstanding Student in Advertising: “My most memorable experience during my time at the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ School of Communication was completing my senior internship. I was able to gain real world experience by using the knowledge and skills learned in my classes at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ.”

Alaya Ruddy,  Outstanding Student in Digital Video Production: “This experience has taught me so much about where my true talents shine in the production world. I’ve learned how to successfully direct and edit many of my own short documentaries, while also connecting with a lot of fellow students who share my passion for digital video work and creating content. I’ve even found my way into a perfect media internship with the Jacksonville Sharks. Thank you ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ!”

Sarah Joram,  Outstanding Student in Multimedia Journalism: “I am so thankful for everything the School of Communication has taught me, and the opportunities it has provided me. I could not have found success without its amazing faculty, professors, advisors and my classmates. I will never forget spending my final semester interning with ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ Athletics Communication. It has been an absolute blast, and I know the knowledge and experiences I’ve gained will be instrumental in my future success.”

Heather Prasse,  Outstanding Student in Public Relations: “I will forever be thankful to the School of Communication for shaping my college experience, helping me find my passion and allowing me to grow into the communication professional I am today. Thanks to professors like Bobbi Doggett and my advisor Ashley Washington, I can confidently say I am entering the workforce with the skills and knowledge to be successful. My most memorable experience was getting to serve Spinnaker Media as the promotions director through the onset and the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am grateful for the hands-on experience I gained during my time there. After graduation I’ll be joining United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties as a resource development manager. I’m thankful to the School of Communication for allowing me to find a career path that I’m passionate about.”

Jade Basilius,  Outstanding Student in Communication Studies: “I would say that the achievement I am most proud of in my time at the School of Communications would be receiving the Oscar Patterson Scholarship Award. I was selected to receive this award based on my leadership and academic achievements. It made me so proud to represent my school because not only have they supported me in my career, but they have helped me financially to get there as well.”

In addition, the School of Communication recognizes the undergraduate and graduate students who achieved the highest grade point average for the academic year. Selected for this award are Amy Wisenbaker (M.S.), Kathleen Radican (B.A.), Kayla Chouinard (B.S.) and Sarah Joram (B.S.).

The faculty and staff of ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ's School of Communication wish to congratulate and honor these outstanding student award winners wishing them all the best in their future endeavors.

Glimary Negrón Muñiz is a B.A. in Communication Studies spring graduate.

ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ’s Osprey Community Engagement Medallion “recognizes students who demonstrate exemplary commitment to the greater Jacksonville community through activities such as community-based learning, volunteerism, community or social advocacy, community-based Federal work-study, and political engagement during their years as a ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ student.” Recent graduate Glimary Negrón Muñiz exemplifies the spirit of the award.

“I’m proud to have passionately engaged with communities both in Jacksonville and Puerto Rico during my pursuit of a higher education,” she said. Whether it was pushing disaster relief, giving toys to children for the holidays, or mentoring to student with differences, I learned that, in the end, communities empower individuals.” 

She said that “through these experiences, I confirmed that selfless acts are the most rewarding actions you can participate in. Now that I graduated, I know the friendships I established and the memories I carry are what made my time at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ impressionable.” 

By Dr. Stephynie Perkins 
Associate Professor of Public Relations and Graduate Director 

Grace Gillen's research focuses on health communication. 

The year 2021 wasn’t just a good year for Grace Gillen. It was an award winner.   

The 20-year-old DeBary, Florida, native won $2,000 based on presenting her undergraduate research at the 2021  Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship.  Gillen’s poster for the SOARS conference investigated health care coverage on news websites in the Deltona, Florida, area.  

“I was surprised,” Gillen said. “ I was under a lot of pressure because you know, this was my final semester, and I had a bunch of stuff that I was trying to juggle.”  

The award recognizes inquiry, investigation and the production of knowledge, said Dr. Karen Cousins, whose office of undergraduate research sponsors SOARS. Cousins said she was impressed by Grace’s initiative and her project proposal. “We were pleased to support her with a grant,” Cousins said. “While research and analysis on the local presentation and dissemination of information is always interesting, it is especially critical now.”  

Gillen credits Dr. Berrin Beasley, her professor in mass communication research, for deepening her interest in scholarly and practical inquiry. Gillen’s love of health care-related topics is all her own. The spring 2021 graduate wants to take her skills in multimedia journalism toward a profession as a medical translator for native Spanish speakers. 

“Everyone deserves quality care, and they should be in a position where they’re knowledgeable about the healthcare they’re receiving,” said Gillen. “That’s empowering the patients and giving them the tools that they need to be able to advocate for themselves.”  

That goal of helping others to educate themselves drove Gillen’s research project, which was titled “Use of framing in online healthcare reporting by local news stations.” Having grown up in Volusia County, Gillen reasoned that communities with aging populations should be fertile ground for health-related information. She scoured the websites of TV stations based in the Orlando-Melbourne-Daytona market to evaluate their images, videos and information. 

The stories were not as in-depth as Gillen had anticipated. The lack of continuous connections, she found, prevented users from gathering comprehensive, accessible health coverage. The websites’ sporadic coverage did not highlight connections between the stories, she discovered.  

“They’re meant to be just kind of a rotating main screen, you know,” she said.   

Initially, Gillen said she was disappointed with her findings, but she realized the process of compiling and analyzing the results taught her more about the newsgathering process and the way the websites work.  

“As long as you’re doing your best to contribute to research,” Gillen said, “it helps and increases understanding.”  

Dr. Berrin Beasley published a book review of “ Journalism’s Ethical Progression: A Twentieth Century Journey” in Journalism History.

Dr. Junga Kim published “Developing Brand Advocacy through Brand Activities on Facebook” in Journal of Consumer Marketing.

Dr. Chunsik Lee and Dr. Junga Kim published "Spillover Effects of Brand Safety Violations in Social Media" in Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising. 

Dr. Siho Nam presented “Scratching the Surface: The Discursive Construction of Facebook Scandals in Defense of the Economic Status Quo” to the International Communication Association conference. 

Dr. Jae Park presented “The Spiral of Political Youth Voice: An Application of the Spiral of Silence Theory to Opinion Expression among New American Voters” to the International Academy of Business Disciplines conference.

Dr. Nataliya Roman, Dr. Berrin Beasley, and Dr. John Parmelee published “From Fiction to Reality: Presidential Framing in the Ukrainian Comedy ‘Servant of the People’” in European Journal of Communication. 

Dr. Nataliya Roman and Dr. Stephynie Perkins published “Displaced and Invisible: Ukrainian Refugee Crisis Coverage in the U.S., UK, Ukrainian and Russian Newspapers” in Negotiation and Conflict Management Research.

There are eight great ways to stay connected with the School of Communication:

1. Join the School's Professional Advisory Board.

   The board helps us make sure we are getting students prepared for the current media environment. If you have risen to a position of leadership at a news organization, PR firm, advertising agency or other media outlet, please contact the school's director, John Parmelee. Even if you don't want to be on the board, feel free to email the director with any advice on making the curriculum better.

2. Join the School's Alumni Association.

   This is a great chance to interact with fellow communication alumni and current students. To join, please contact the School's Alumni Association, mention your interest in joining, and please include your name, contact information, year of graduation and track. Also, all communication alumni are invited to be a part of the conversation on Facebook. This is the "go to" spot for ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ communication alumni. The Facebook group includes information about alumni social events, recently posted communication jobs, tech tips, departmental news, and pictures/video from school events such as Media Week. In addition, communication faculty members have joined the group, so you can connect with your old professors. Here's how to join the alumni Facebook group: Search for ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ communication alumni and ask to join.

3. Let faculty know how you're doing.

   Below is a link that lists faculty and their email addresses. Faculty love to hear what their former students are up to and are always happy to offer advice.

4. Participate in the Internship + Job Fair.

   Every spring, representatives from companies such as WJXT, The Florida Times-Union, United Way and Mayo Clinic meet with communication students to discuss upcoming internships and jobs. If you are a leader at a company that is looking for interns to do advertising, public relations, journalism or production, please contact professor Bobbi Doggett to participate.

5. Be a guest speaker or mentor to our students.

   Your expertise in advertising, public relations, journalism or production could be a real benefit to current students. We are always looking for guest speakers to come to communication classes. A good time to do this is during the fall semester when the school hosts Media Week, an opportunity for media professionals to speak with students and faculty about the media landscape. Contact John Parmelee for more information. If you want to mentor our students, please fill out a profile on our mentoring website.

6. Contribute to Alumni Notes.

   This is your chance to let faculty and fellow alumni know of any big career or personal changes in your life. Also, consider contributing a 300- to 500-word piece on which professors made the biggest impact on your career. Submissions will be published in the alumni newsletter. Contact John Parmelee to submit.

7. Donate to the School.

   Even a small gift can help us enhance our facilities, academics and recruiting of top-quality students and faculty. To contribute, please go to our 

8. Join us on ,  and .

By Dr. Stephynie Perkins
Associate Professor of Public Relations and Graduate Director

Andrew Baker and family celebrate his ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ graduation.

When it was time for Andrew Baker to apply to college, the South Florida native made a choice that other ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ students were literally sidestepping. 

“He fell in love with the geese,” his father, Patrick Baker, recalled. “In conversation, he said the people were friendly, too, but he’d talk about the geese.” 

At the time, the geese roamed the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ campus freely, and they probably reminded Andrew of fun times at camp in North Carolina, his sister Gillian McLaughlin surmised. Whatever their pull, the geese left an impression, and Baker decided to study marine biology almost 300 miles from his hometown of Green Acres, Florida. 

“We were all very surprised,” Andrew’s father said of his decision to attend ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ. “There were a number of interesting things about the campus that he liked, and then he was hooked.”  

Baker dove into activities at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ, including the SWOOP squad, and the zipline tower was one of his favorite activities, McLaughlin said. 

“He was always talking about the zipline,” she said. “We heard about it 500 times. He had bad allergies, but even in the midst of the season, he would say, ‘Oh, I’m riding my bike.’”  

Baker earned a reputation as young man whose personality was as colorful as his socks and rainbow wigs. At home in South Florida, Baker had been reserved, his sister said; in Jacksonville, Baker embraced life in Technicolor. 

“Jacksonville looked at him in a different light,” his dad said. “Every single day it was a different group, activity, joining friends. The number of people, young and old who told me, ‘He helped my daughter,’ or ‘My parents love him.’” 

The elder Baker said he learned about his son’s reach in March 2021. That’s when the 26-year-old runner collapsed unexpectedly after completing the Gate River Run. He had finished the 15-kilometer race in the top 10 percent of runners before suffering a series of strokes. He died in the hospital a few days later.     

“When I heard about Andrew’s death, my heart was broken,” said Bobbi Doggett, one of Baker’s public relations professors. “I can still see his infectious smile and feel the energy he had when he came in the room. He was such a delightful student -- full of joy and laughter, yet very serious about his schoolwork and his love for ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ×ÊÁÏ. I was blessed to have known him.” 

Before he graduated in 2018, Baker had switched his major to public relations. The former marine science major took to PR, his dad said, like a fish to water. 

“If you look PR up in the dictionary, it’s his face you’re gonna see,” he joked.  

The elder Baker said he has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for his son. He said Andrew found his place in Jacksonville. 

“He took on all of the other people who were previously like him on the fringe, and he pulled them in very close. We said he was our Andrew, but he was clearly not ours.  He made himself a friend to everyone.”