Paige Galperin is a second year undergraduate student double-majoring in communication analysis and engagement and in psychology. She’s maximizing her Ohio State experience, gaining valuable research skills from the School of Communication’s internationally-renowned faculty, building leadership skills through roles with the Public Relations Student Society of America chapter and with other on-campus involvement.
Galperin’s undergraduate research focuses on how people engage in political conversations and how those discussions can become more productive.
“Research is the driving force behind everything you’re doing in PR and comms. You want to know that those campaigns and strategies you’re using are actually effective, and research is how you do that. I think it also is connected to this idea of people better communicating with one another and working together,” said Galperin.
Through her research with the School of Communication, alongside mentors Professor William “Chip” Eveland and Professor Osei Appiah, Galperin studies how individuals navigate political discussion across racial and partisan lines. Her research explores active listening and communication networks, with the goal of fostering better dialogue in an increasingly polarized society.
“The more people dislike each other, the less they collaborate, which leads to problems in government and policy making, but this division starts at the everyday level,” Galperin said. “If we can encourage more productive conversations among regular citizens, the hope is that it will trickle up to policymakers.”
Currently, Galperin is a part of three different research projects. One covers political communication networks, looking at who people talk to about politics, how those conversations go and whether certain factors like race or political affiliation influence these interactions.
Another project looks at social media and racial discrimination stories, analyzing how people react to posts about racial discrimination and whether it sparks empathy or deepens divides.
In her team’s third project, the research looks at active listening and political conversations, studying nuances in people’s reactions, like whether knowing someone trained in active listening makes people more willing to have conversations with them, especially across different backgrounds.
While the results of these studies are ongoing, Galperin shares that what excites her the most about this research is the optimism it gives her.
“People often get discouraged by polarization, thinking it’s an impossible problem to fix,” Galperin said. “But by studying this issue, I’ve seen small signs of progress—moments where people make meaningful connections despite their differences. That gives me hope.”
This summer, Galperin is participating in the Big Ten Academic Alliance Summer Research Opportunities Program at Northwestern University.
The eight-week program pairs participants one-on-one with a faculty mentor from top-ranked research institutions where they will participate in educational and enrichment activities to strengthen technical skills, participate in workshops and present the results of their research findings during a symposium at the end of the summer.
In addition to her research, Galperin served as the 2024-2025 member relations director and was elected as the 2025-2026 vice president of programming for the PRSSA chapter at Ohio State. She traveled to Anaheim, Calif. for the PRSSA International Conference in 2024 and helped increase membership in the PRSSA chapter at Ohio State to 162 members.
Galperin also worked for Ohio State’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, where she developed web content, conducted student interviews and told their stories through written articles and video projects. In addition, she serves as the director of marketing of the Boo Radley Society at Ohio State, a student organization that focuses on small acts of kindness to make Ohio State’s campus a better place, and is on Ohio State’s 2025 Homecoming Court.
Galperin also stands out as a part of Ohio State’s Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program, which aims to “cultivate leaders that affect positive change within their professions and communities locally, nationally and globally.”
As a Stamps Eminence Scholar, Galperin is working with a cohort over a four-year period to address the dementia infrastructure in the Columbus area through partnership with the Golden Buckeye Center. The initiative seeks to support both individuals with dementia and their caregivers by implementing Memory Cafés.
Galperin said these cafés are beneficial because caregivers have the opportunity to bring their loved ones for an hour of activities with student volunteers, allowing them to socialize and engage in meaningful interactions. Meanwhile, the caregiver can take a break, run errands or attend trainings.
Galperin plans to graduate in May 2027 and will consider pursuing a PhD to continue her research in political communication or a career in strategic communication.
“Ohio State is great, because whether I go to grad school and pursue research and get my PhD, or whether I go into strat comm, I feel like I am being set up for success, and that’s not something you would get at every school,” Galperin said. “It’s the resources, it’s PRSSA. It’s the fact that I can do research as a freshman. But also, the connections, and knowing that there are people who have been in my shoes, no matter which path I go on, and they want to help me.”
Article by student Ava Bockbrader
