Alumni in Action: Dr. Victoria Ledford

Spotlight on Dr. Victoria Ledford ('22) for "Alumni in Action!"

As the deadline for Ph.D. applications approaches, we want to highlight one of our outstanding Ph.D. alums, Dr. Victoria Ledford. She earned her Ph.D. in Communication Science and Social Cognition from the University of Maryland. Ledford's dissertation was entitled, "Overcoming Opioid Stigma Through Communication: An Extension of the Model of Stigma Communication." 

Victoria Ledford is an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Auburn University. Dr. Ledford’s research expertise is in health communication, message effects, and stigma, and she researches and teaches these topics. In addition, Dr. Ledford studies supportive and effective teaching strategies in her research and believes that high-quality teaching practices, like effective practices across all areas of communication, serve students best when they are derived from evidence-based strategies.

We caught up with Dr. Ledford to ask her some questions about her current work and her experience at Maryland. 

When we asked her what she loved about her current job at Auburn University, Ledford stated, "I like that I get to teach courses in what I research related to stigma and health & that I get to mentor graduate students as they’re choosing their next steps in life." 

She felt prepared for her role as Assistant Professor, in part because of her time at Maryland. Ledford reflected on the excellent friendships and rigorous academics in the COMM Department: "UMD COMM fully prepared me for this job, and I am always thankful for the ways Maryland trained me to design a good research study. On a personal note, I also met some of my closest and now lifelong friends in the program, so I’m extra thankful for the COMM Terps!"

We couldn't resist the opportunity to ask Dr. Ledford for her best piece of advice for students, especially prospective Ph.D. students. She responded, "You have to believe in what you are doing for the people around you to believe in it. And you have to keep believing in it until and even after the people around you do too."

Thank you, Dr. Ledford, and congrats on your many accomplishments. We are honored to have you represent us so well!