Graduate Student Highlight: Tahereh Rahimi

Name: Tahereh Rahimi

Tahereh Rahimi, a Ph.D. candidate in the SJMC, was awarded the Top Student Paper Award from the International Communication Association’s (ICA) Communication History Division. Her paper, “The Institutionalization of Press Control in Iran During the Qajar Era,” was recognized for its scholarly contribution to understanding historical media systems and power structures. According to the ICA newsletter, the competition was fierce, and Rahimi’s work stood out among a strong pool of submissions.

The Communication History Division of ICA supports research investigating how media and communication systems evolve over time, emphasizing contemporary and historical contexts, including marginalized perspectives and global viewpoints.

In her paper, Rahimi explores the evolution of press regulation in Iran. Rahimi argues that media regulation began with managing state publications under the Qajar dynasty and only later expanded to newspapers due to their growing influence. This shift, she suggests, has been misunderstood through a modern lens shaped by later events.

Rahimi shares what the award means to her, the value of staying true to your academic interests and her favorite memories from the SJMC community.

Winning the Top Student Paper Award from the ICA is a big achievement; what part of this accomplishment makes you the proudest?

ICA is a major conference in the field of communication studies, and papers submitted are reviewed through a blind review process by experts in each area. Knowing that my paper was selected by the Communication History Division through this process is meaningful. It tells me that the quality of my work stood out among many other student submissions.

What advice would you give SJMC students hoping to pursue high-level academic research?

Stay focused on the area you genuinely care about, even if it’s not considered mainstream or trendy at the moment. If you’re passionate about your topic and enjoy writing about it, there will be readers who connect with it and will enjoy reading it.

What is your favorite SJMC memory?

There isn’t just one specific memory, but I’ve always loved spending time with other SJMC grad students, both on and off campus. I especially enjoyed being part of the J202 community, the students who TA-ed for this course. There are inside jokes, many of which revolve around Stoughton and the “memorable” incidents that happened there during the course of J202!

Why did you choose the SJMC?

SJMC is a highly respected and well-ranked department in communication studies, and I was drawn here by the opportunity to work with some prominent faculty members whose work I admired. After arriving, I also discovered the work of many others whose research I’ve come to really value. It’s been a great environment for intellectual growth and collaboration.