Elizabeth Ray is an Assistant Professor at Florida State University. Elizabeth received her Ph.D. in Communication and M.A. from FSU in Integrated Marketing Communication and is also a University of Florida graduate, with a degree in Telecommunication-News and a degree in Political Science. Before beginning the doctoral program at FSU, she served as the Communications and Marketing Director for a statewide hospitality trade association in Florida. Prior to moving to Tallahassee, Elizabeth worked as a television news reporter at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, WMBB-TV in Panama City and WUFT-TV in Gainesville. She's been a member of the International Communication Association (ICA), VISIT FLORIDA’s Global Communications Committee, the Council for State Restaurant Association’s (CSRA) Communications Committee and the Florida Public Relations Association’s (FPRA) Capital Chapter. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys playtime with her sons, Elijah, Isaiah, and Caleb, taking pictures of her rescue pup, Huckleberry, and sincerely appreciates that her loving husband, Whitney, is a phenomenal cook.
Education
- PHD 2020; Florida State University, Communication
- MA 2016; Florida State University, Integrated Marketing Communication
- BS 2008; University of Florida, Telecommunication-News
- BA 2008; University of Florida, Political Science
Research Interests
Public Relations, Health Communication, Media Effects, Persuasion, Political Communication
Publications & Research
Peer Reviewed Publications
Arpan, L., Ray, E. C., Sellers, N., Bravo, O., & Yan, Z. (2024). Self-effects of user-generated advocacy messages on self-identity, attitudes, and intentions to act. Communication Research Reports, 41(2), 117–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2024.2351368
Hendrickse, J., Ray, E. C., Arpan, L., Perko, A., Bradley, L., Oehme, K., & Clark, J. J. (2023). Well-Being on Campus: Testing the Impact of a Web-Based Intervention for Resilience on First-Year Students. Southern Communication Journal, 89(1), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/1041794X.2023.2250323
Arpan, L., Ray, E. C., Sellers, N., & Bravo, O. (2022). Self-effects of user-generated messages on pro-environmental identity. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 21(4), 368-382.
Ray, E. C., Perko, A., Oehme, K., Arpan, L., Clark, J., & Bradley, L. (2021). Freshmen anxiety and COVID-19: Practical implications from an online intervention for supporting students affected by health inequities. Journal of American College Health, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1965610
Ray, E.C., Merle, P.F. (2020) Disgusting face, disease-ridden place?: Emoji influence on the interpretation of restaurant inspection reports, Health Communication, DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2020.1802867
Perko, A., Oehme, K., Ray, E.C., Arpan, L., Clark, J. (2020). The Vulnerability Gap: Group Differences in Childhood Trauma and Resilience on a Florida College Campus. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 58(6), 1-19.
Hendrickse, J., Clayton, R.B., Ray, E.C., Ridgway, J.L., & Secharan, R. (2020) Experimental Effects of Viewing Thin and Plus-size Models in Objectifying and Empowering Contexts on Instagram, Health Communication, https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1761077
Ray, E. C., Arpan, L., Oehme, K., Perko, A., & Clark, J. (2020). Examining the Implementation of a Universal Approach to Student Resilience. Journal of Higher Education Management, 35(3).
Oehme, K., Perko, A., Altemus, M., Ray, E. C., Arpan, L., & Clark, J. (2020). Lessons from a Student Resilience Project. Journal of College Student Development, 61(3), 396-399.
Ray, E. C., Arpan, L., Oehme, K., Perko, A., & Clark, J. (2019). Helping students cope with adversity: The influence of a web-based intervention on students’ self-efficacy and intentions to use wellness-related resources. Journal of American College Health, 1-8. DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2019.1679818
Ray, E. C., Arpan, L., Oehme, K., Perko, A., & Clark, J. (2019). Testing Restorative Narratives in a College Student Resilience Project. Innovative Higher Education, 1-16. DOI: 10.1007/s10755-019-9464-4
Oehme, K., Perko, A., Clark, J., Ray, E.C. , Arpan, L., & Bradley, L., (2018, October). A Trauma-Informed Approach to Building College Students’ Resilience. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work. DOI: 10.1080/23761407.2018.1533503
Ray, E.C. & Merle, P.F. (2018) Dirty dining: how exemplification affects food safety perceptions. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 21:3, 315-328, DOI: 10.1080/15378020.2017.1399778
Book Chapters
Oehme, K., Ray, E.C., Perko, A., Bradley, L., Arpan, L., Clark, J.J. (2021). An Online Student Resilience Project Responds to the Pandemic. In: Carello, J., Thompson, P. (eds) Lessons from the Pandemic. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-83849-2_5
Conferences
Karimkhan, F., Arpan, L., Ray, E.C. (presented 2024, June) Effects of Message-based Affirmation on Responses to Environmental Risk Messages about Fast Fashion. Accepted for presentation at the International Communication Association (ICA) 2024
Ray, E.C., Merle, P.F., Lane, K. (presented 2024, March) Sticking to the Script: Can AI Craft Credible Crisis Responses? International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference (ICRCA), 2024
Arpan, L., Ray, E.C., Sellers, N. & Bravo, O. (presented 2021, May). Message Creation as Persuasion: The Influence of User Generated Promotional Messages on Message Creators’ Pro-Environmental Identity, Personal Norms, and Intentions to Reduce Residential Energy Use. Paper presented at the meeting of International Communication Association (ICA), Environmental Communication Division (International)
Hendrickse, J., Ray, E. C., Secharan, R., Ridgway, J. L., & Clayton, R. B. ( 2019, May). The Effects of Depicting Thin and Average-Size Models in Sexualizing and Empowering Contexts on Women's Body Image. Paper presented at the meeting of International Communication Association (ICA), Mass Communication Division, Washington, D.C.
Arpan, L., Bravo, O., Ray, E.C., Sellers, N. (2018, November). The Influence of User-Generated Public Service Announcements on Pro-environmental Behavioral Intentions. Paper presented at National Communication Association Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2018.
Ray, E.C., Merle, P.F. (2018, May). Can Reason Save Your Reputation in a Crisis?: How a Rational Crisis Response is Perceived by Highly Involved Citizens in a Health Crisis. Paper presented at International Communication Association Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, May 2018.
Ray, E.C., Merle, P.F. (2017, May). Dirty dining: how exemplification affects food safety perceptions. Paper presented at International Communication Association Conference, San Diego, California, May 2018.