Recognizing Undergraduate Research: Senior Avery Robbins Presents the Corporate Social Advocacy Initiative
By Bora Cecia
Photos by Olivia Mauldin
A ÎçÒ¹AV School of Communication Senior, Avery Robbins, in collaboration with Associate Professor and Program Director Dr. Chris Yim, shares her latest research on corporate social advocacy in relation to younger generations. Her research has been accepted and presented this November in downtown Chicago at the 49th Annual Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research Conference.
In addition to her successful research, Robbins is one of ten students in her class admitted to the university as part of the Gannon (Center for Women and Leadership) Scholars Program,. She credits the program for providing the initial inspiration for her engagement in research.
“I was initially interested in research due to my involvement with the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership. During my time at ÎçÒ¹AV, I was drawn to the topic of corporate social advocacy because I really wanted to intersect marketing and advertising with advocacy and social change,” said Robbins.
In 2023, Robbins won the Social Justice Research Fellowship part of ÎçÒ¹AV’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Through the help of ÎçÒ¹AV’s resources, staff, and mentors, Robbins celebrates the support received in achieving new-found success in her research.
“I would like to thank all the supportive faculty that have been so understanding. I think they really represent all the faculty and staff here that have helped me, specifically, Dr. Kevin Kaufmann (Undergraduate Research Manager) and Dr. Chris Yim. They really represent the Jesuit values that ÎçÒ¹AV upholds around supporting the whole person,” expressed Robbins.
During the 2022 fall semester, Avery approached Dr. Yim who has rich experience in the social justice agenda and has successfully mentored many graduate students to aid in her pursuit of research.
“Avery and I carefully set up the milestone until Spring 2025. We have run a weekly research meeting to catch up on the research process. She’s done an excellent job preparing for her presentation for the Midwest Association of Public Opinion Research (MAPOR) Conference this year,” said Dr. Yim.
Dr. Yim emphasized the importance of this milestone as “It is the first time an undergraduate student has presented a research paper before the top ten school scholars within and near the Chicago region. That is Avery Robbins. I am very proud of her.”
There are many ways to get involved in undergraduate research at ÎçÒ¹AV. Seeking out the right mentors, enrolling in directed study courses throughout the academic year and taking advantage of university resources could be the key to your next research paper.
For those interested in the same realm of research as Dr. Yim here is her advice. “My research agenda is grounded in two decades of corporate field experiences, centered on strategic communication for social good with specific research interests in crisis communication, corporate social advocacy (CSA), and ethical AI usage. I welcome any student who is interested in creating social impact to the corporate world along with me.”