Get to know our graduate, research and teaching assistants
We’re excited to have so many talented students working in the Diederich College of Communication as teaching, research and graduate assistants. Read on to get to know them better!
Oluwaseyi Ambrose
My name is Oluwaseyi Ambrose, and I am originally from Nigeria. I have a bachelors degree in english and literary studies Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria. My research interests are women and media studies and family communication. I am excited to be a research assistant and am a lover of God.
Drew Bailey
Hello! My name is Drew Bailey, and I am a teaching assistant here at Marquette in the Diederich College of Communication. This is my second year in the communication and media studies master’s program, and I absolutely love it!
I am originally from a small town called Burley, Idaho. Something unique about me is after high school, I moved to the middle of Siberia, Russia, and spent a couple of years really learning where I fit into the grand scheme of things. I am married to my best friend (Caitlyn), and we have a sweet little girl named (Emerson) that is 16 months old. I completed my undergraduate degree at Utah State University in communication studies. My goal after graduating from Marquette is to continue my education by completing my Ph.D. My dream is to teach at the university level and use my research to make the world a better place.
I have spent the majority of my professional career in the realm of marketing and communication strategy. Although my background has been more centered around business and organizational communication, I have used these experiences to better understand the role of interpersonal communication in our everyday lives. Within the realm of interpersonal communication, I have focused most of my research on disclosure, specifically, communication privacy management theory. I have always been interested in and involved with the topic of mental health. I spent the majority of my master’s program researching and learning about suicide and the communication surrounding suicide-related conversations.
What I love about Marquette and the communication and media studies program is the focus on empathy and understanding. I can’t say enough about the leadership and mentorship I have received here. Not only have I received a quality education, but I have been given the opportunities and freedoms to grow in my teaching and research abilities. I am grateful for the many relationships I have developed, and I look forward to creating even more memories here at Marquette!
Noelle Douglass
I am from central Illinois (Bloomington/Normal) and graduated from Marquette with a bachelors degree in communication and philosophy in 2021. This will be my first year as a COMM 1100 teaching assistant, but I’ve worked in the MIC Speakers Lab for several years and loves all things public speaking. I am also interested in the intersection of communication and ethics, especially in media, social media, and political contexts.
Quinn Faeth
My name is Quinn Faeth, and I’m a first year graduate student studying communications and media studies here at Marquette University. I’m a recent graduate from Marquette with a bachelors degree in journalism and communications studies. I’m excited to continue my journey here at MU as a teaching assistant for Comm. 1100. I was born and raised in Minneapolis, although the longer I live in Milwaukee, the more it starts to feel like home. In addition to being a student and teaching assistant, I am also part of the O’Brien Fellowship for Journalism where I work as a reporting intern for Sari Lesk of the Milwaukee Business Journal. Off-campus, you can expect to find me outside running, fishing, hiking or listening to music.
Ziyang Fu
I am a first-year graduate student from Zhejiang, China. I graduated from Marquette in 2020 with a bachelors degree in public relations and decided to come back for a master’s degree which I expect will allow me to dig deep and eventually promote an ethical communication industry. I am also now a graduate assistant working at O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism.
Maddy Henry
My name is Maddy Henry, and I am an Omaha, Nebraska native who is returning to Marquette to complete a masters degree in communications. I attended Marquette University as an undergraduate student, playing goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team and double majored in public relations and theology. I will be a teaching assistant for media studies and hope to utilize my experience to one day work in a communications career centered around gender and media studies or something within the world of sports.
Ellie Hope
Originally from the south side of Chicago, I am in my second year of the communication and media studies master’s degree program. I pursued my undergraduate degree at Marquette, double majoring in communication studies and french. I am currently a teaching assistant for COMM 1100 — Professional Communication. My research interests lie in political communication, critical studies, and media studies, with career interests in journalism and news production. When not in the classroom, I can usually be found spending time with my cat, Zuko.
Laura Nootbar
My name is Laura Nootbaar, and I am a graduate student in the Digital Communication Strategies program. I also attended Marquette University as an undergraduate student for a bachelor of arts degree in public relations and a minor in writing-intensive english. I was motivated towards this field of study because of my love of meeting new people and my passion for writing. My passion for writing began early on, and is a key aspect of who I am.
This passion for interaction led me to create my company, Nootbaar Communications, LLC, as it allows me to take full advantage of my education and the skills I have developed. I specialize in content and copy creation for a variety of mediums such as web pages, advertisements, and social media. I also specialize in media outreach, the creation of individualized media lists, and researching third party media opportunities for clients. In my free time, I enjoy swimming and reading.
Patrick Sullivan
Hi, my name is Patrick Sullivan, and I am a first-year graduate student! I recently graduated from Marquette in spring 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in digital media production. I am very excited to come back to Marquette University to pursue my MA. My ideal career goal would be a leadership role in the digital production industry, such as a project manager or lead producer. For a bit of my interests, I love spending time exploring Milwaukee and being outdoors (when it’s warm), playing basketball, and watching movies/sports.
Hannah Swarm
I am from Naperville, IL ,and I graduated from DePauw University with a double major in communication and spanish. I am currently a teaching assistant for COMM 1100 — Professional Communication. My research interests include political communication, mass media effects, and intercultural communication. After my M.A., I plan on pursuing my Ph.D. in communication and becoming a professor. Outside of school, I enjoy running by the lake, trying new restaurants in Milwaukee, and watching college football and basketball.