Samford University Journalism and Mass Communication students Sarah Anne Elliott and Rebekah Robinson will present their senior theses at the American Journalism Historians Association—Southeast symposium later this winter. 

Elliott’s paper, "Where was God on 9/11? Christianity Today Offers Answers,” examines the coverage of Christianity in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and the world’s focus on Muslims and Islam.

Robinson’s paper, “Fathers on American Sitcoms: Married vs. Single,” compares how married fathers and single fathers have been portrayed on television sitcoms in the last 60 years.

The AJHA-SE symposium is an all-student conference, meaning that only students nominated by their professors will be presenting research papers. JMC professor Dr. Julie Williams nominated Elliott and Robinson’s papers.

“Faculty members nominating papers pledge only to submit papers of high quality,” said Williams, “And there is a competitive situation to it, in that each school is limited to two undergrads.”

The professors at the symposium will also conduct a contest for the top undergraduate and graduate papers, and hopes are high for Elliott and Robinson.

“Each year the contest has been going, Samford students have won awards,” said Williams.