2025 Graduate Spotlight | Lilian Onianwa
College of Communication and Fine Arts
I’ve always been curious about the psychological side of communication.
What we watch, read and scroll through daily shapes our emotions, relationships, decision-making processes and even our sense of self.
My fascination with the media’s role in society isn’t new. I was immersed in the world of journalism from an early age. My parents and grandfather were journalists, so the media was always around me.
I spent a lot of time in radio studios, especially at Radio Nigeria, where my parents worked. I remember watching people behind the microphone, editing stories and reading the news in live studios.
Coming from a media background, I saw firsthand how powerful the media can be, but I also saw how it could overwhelm people. Constant exposure to certain media, narratives and images could lead to stress, anxiety or even reinforce harmful stereotypes.
That’s what catalyzed my research.
I realized I wasn’t just interested in how media is made but also how it affects people. This curiosity led me to study psychology, and I eventually earned a master’s degree in personality and social psychology.
During this time, I never imagined studying in the United States. But as I grew in my career and started thinking more deeply about the role of the media in social issues, especially topics like identity, inclusion and advocacy, I knew I wanted to expand my knowledge and reach.
I wanted a program that offered a marriage between the classroom and the newsroom.
The University of Memphis’ Journalism and Strategic Media program was the perfect opportunity for me.
What I Discovered
My research at Memphis deepened my perspective. I started to see digital well-being as more than just an individual issue, like doom scrolling, but as a broader social issue.
Who controls the narratives? Who gets represented, and who doesn’t? How do marginalized communities experience media differently?
These questions became central to my research and thesis, especially around LGBTQ+ narratives in Africa.
My research has become more intersectional over time. It’s not just about media effects in general but about whose stories we tell, how we tell them and what that means for people’s mental health, identity and social inclusion.
Looking ahead, I hope to apply my expertise in academia and industry to critically interrogate and improve how media technologies shape our mental, emotional and social well-being.
Across Nigeria and the United States, media, particularly digital and social media, have become a powerful force in constructing identity, influencing behavior and even framing public discourse. Yet, the psychological toll of this media saturation, ranging from anxiety and disconnection to distorted self-image and political polarization, is often underexamined or misdiagnosed.
I plan to focus on research that studies how media, especially social media, impacts our everyday lives.
This includes how certain types of content affect our mood, how algorithms keep us hooked and how media can sometimes reinforce harmful ideas about body image, success or identity.
I want to develop more media literacy programs so people can better understand and manage what they see online.
In the classroom, I hope to create space for students to think critically about the media they consume and how it shapes them.
In industry, I want to work with media and tech companies to design platforms that are healthier and more supportive of users’ well-being. This includes rethinking attention metrics, challenging addictive design patterns and advocating for features that support the intentional use of these social media platforms.
Finding My Balance
My daughter recently turned 10.
Raising her while balancing graduate school and my research has been no small feat. There have definitely been moments when I felt stretched in every direction.
I think what helped me the most was building a solid routine and being intentional about my time. I learned to prioritize and create a schedule that allowed me to dedicate focused time to my studies and research.
I also made sure to carve out time for my daughter and me. It wasn’t always perfect, but that structure helped.
Support-wise, I am incredibly thankful for my village — my mentors. Dr. Robby Byrd taught my qualitative research methods course, and Dr. Chalise Macklin introduced me to coding, thematic analysis and the world of academic conferences. They both understood the multiple hats I was wearing and consistently encouraged me to keep going, even on tough days. They have truly been my rock.
One of my biggest productivity hacks was giving myself grace.
There were times when I had to pause and say, “Lilian, you are doing your best, and that’s enough for today. Go to bed.”
But at the end of the day, being a mom was actually the strongest incentive to persevere.
My daughter is my biggest motivation.
My Advice
One guiding mantra that has carried me through both the most challenging and the most fulfilling parts of my journey is, “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”
It sounds simple, but for me, it holds so much power.
Being a finalist at the Broadcast Education Association conference was incredibly amazing, not just for the recognition but also because it affirmed that starting where I was, using what I had and doing what I could was enough.
That moment reminded me that excellence doesn’t always look like what we are taught to expect. It is often rooted in authenticity, consistency and the courage to speak from where you stand, even when that place feels uncertain.
If there’s one thing I’d like to share with anyone reading this, it’s that your starting point is valid.
You don’t need to be the loudest, the most polished or the most connected to make an impact.
Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can and trust that it’s enough to begin with.
