Loryn Rumsey

Loryn Rumsey grew up in a very small town in Northeast Iowa, where the main sources of entertainment were the public library and a 99-cent movie theater. The amount of time she spent at both attractions helped foster a deep love of learning and an innate fascination with all thing’s media. She attended the University of Northern Iowa, where she earned a B.A. in interactive digital studies and public relations and an M.A. in communication education. After a few years away from academia, she also attended the University of Denver, where she earned two more master’s degrees in public communication and media and higher education.

At Penn State her research revolves around the historical and contemporary relationships between news organizations and the public. More specifically, she uses critical and feminist perspectives to understand how news organizations’ dissemination of information influences individuals’ willingness to engage in political and civic engagement. Additionally, how has this exchange of information made the political sphere more difficult for female political candidates.