Lilley named mass communication senior of the year

     Melissa Lilley was recently honored as the Mass Communication senior of the year at Campbell University.
     “Melissa Lilley is a writer to watch,” said Michael Ray Smith, chair of the Department of Mass Communication. “In the years ahead, she will make her mark in journalism, freelancing, writing and in scholarly prose.”
     Smith went on to say Lilley has had the best record of freelance writing of any of his students at any of the universities where he worked, including a graduate journalism program. Lilley routinely writes for the “Fayetteville Observer” and other periodicals. In addition, her scholarship has led to a slot at a national academic conference in June in Washington, D.C. She is the only graduating senior to be presenting original research at that conference. Lilley worked with Smith on a study of volunteers in disaster relief projects.
     Lilley is from Elizabeth City, N.C. She has served as editor in chief of “The Campbell Times” for three semesters and is president of Lambda Pi Eta, the Mass Communication honor society. She has done internships with the “Biblical Recorder” and the Baptist State Convention of N.C. Lilley is active with the Baptist Student Union and is a member of Epsilon Pi Eta, Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Eta Sigma and Sigma Tau Delta honor societies.
     She is also well respected by the faculty for her love of the liberal arts, including literature and matters of faith, said Smith.
     “She’s a communicator with confidence,” Smith said. “She’s landed a job, but she’s headed to graduate school where she’ll be a first-class scholar.”