Student Research Symposium Program Portal: Submission #156
Submission information
Submission Number: 156
Submission ID: 9004
Submission UUID: 7e287ae0-41a1-4e58-a16e-a28e1b91e0c5
Submission URI: /student-research/symposium/research-symposium-program-portal
Submission Update: /student-research/symposium/research-symposium-program-portal?token=qi9uexuJG4lgNqMCztsw3Opa-OXuTLu1z7o55cOVM2w
Created: Tue, 01/20/2026 - 01:00 PM
Completed: Tue, 01/20/2026 - 01:02 PM
Changed: Tue, 01/20/2026 - 01:02 PM
Remote IP address: 146.201.13.22
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Webform: Research Symposium Program Portal WF
Submitted to: Student Research Symposium Program Portal
| Primary Student Contact First Name | Dixie |
|---|---|
| Primary Student Contact Last Name | Collins |
| Pronouns | She/Her/Hers |
| Primary Student Contact FSU Student Email | dcw09d@fsu.edu |
| Photo of all individuals presenting this work |
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| Major(s) of all individuals presenting this work | Corporate & Public Communications (M.S.) |
| Bio of all individuals presenting this work | Dixie Collins is a graduate student and emerging researcher in the M.A. in Corporate & Public Communication program at Florida State University. Her academic interests are driven by a passion for creative inquiry, interdisciplinary thinking, and the exploration of leadership through unconventional and engaging frameworks. Drawn to both popular culture and complex public discourse, she embraces approaches that connect theory to lived experience and make scholarly concepts more accessible to broader audiences. Her current research examines The Walt Disney Company’s leadership response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, using characters from Wicked as an interpretive lens to illustrate and analyze contrasting leadership styles. This approach reflects her commitment to thinking beyond traditional academic boundaries while maintaining analytical rigor. Dixie’s professional background spans corporate and customer-facing roles, including experience working closely with executive leadership. These perspectives inform her research and reinforce her interest in how leadership decisions shape organizational culture and individual experience. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. and aspires to a career as a professor and researcher. |
| Poster Title | Messages, Magic, and Misalignment: Leadership Communication and Political Messaging at Disney Through Wicked |
| Abstract | Leadership communication plays a critical role in how organizations convey their values, respond to public scrutiny, and maintain trust during periods of social and political tension. In 2022, The Walt Disney Company drew national attention for its measured response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, often referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. As a company widely associated with inclusion and belonging, Disney faced heightened expectations for a clear, values-driven leadership response. This research proposal outlines a mixed-methods study designed to examine how audiences interpret Disney’s leadership communication. Drawing on leadership theory, values alignment, and crisis communication frameworks, the study employs narrative metaphors from Wicked: Part One as an interpretive lens to explore varying leadership styles. Planned analyses include film scenes, public social media discourse, and survey responses, offering a multidimensional view of how communication strategies shape perceptions of authenticity, trust, and organizational alignment. By blending creative, popular-culture approaches with rigorous leadership theory, this project seeks to make organizational communication concepts both accessible and engaging. The ultimate goal is to identify practical strategies that help organizations communicate values clearly and navigate politically sensitive topics with ethical and effective leadership. Through this work, the research aims not only to contribute to scholarly understanding but also to inspire dialogue about how leadership decisions resonate with diverse audiences. |
| Research Mentor Name | Dr. Brian Parker |
| Research Mentor's College (or High School) | Florida State University |
| Research Mentor's Department (or Subject) | Professional Communication |
| Research Mentor's Email | bparker@fsu.edu |
| Additional Research Mentor(s) | Dr. Sandra Pugh |
| Co-presenter(s) | |
| Keywords | Leadership Communication, Organizational Vales & Trust, Crisis Communication, Popular Culture in Research, Corporate Political Engagement |
| Poster Session/Number | |
| Work | Exploratory (the research question has been identified and design of approach is outlined) |
| Presentation Modality | Face to Face Poster session |
| Poster PDF | |
| Poster Thumbnail | |
| I will be printing my poster | Yes |
| Year | 2026 |
| Annual description | 5th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 17, 2025 |
| Update URL | https://pc.fsu.edu/student-research/symposium/research-symposium-program-portal?element_parents=elements/student_photo&ajax_form=1&_wrapper_format=drupal_ajax&token=qi9uexuJG4lgNqMCztsw3Opa-OXuTLu1z7o55cOVM2w |