Dr. Twange Kasoma serves as an Associate Professor of Digital Journalism in the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University, where she joined the faculty in August 2024. Originally from Zambia, Dr. Kasoma brings a rich international perspective to her teaching and scholarship. She earned her Bachelor of Media Studies (B.M.C.) in Print Media Journalism from the University of Zambia, followed by a Master of Science in Mass Communication (M.S.M.C.) from Arkansas State University and a Ph.D. in Communication and Society from the University of Oregon. Deeply connected to her native country, she returns to Zambia annually to conduct field research, mentor students, and collaborate with local media outlets.
Junior Faculty Innovation Grant & Fighting News Deserts
Dr. Kasoma was named the 2026 recipient of the CFAA Jr. Faculty Innovation Grant for her project, "Community Journalism Revival: A Pedagogical-Cum-Research Approach to Combating News Deserts.” Her scholarship targets the growing national crisis of news deserts and the spread of low-quality "pink slime" journalism. At App State, her digital journalism capstone course which is designated as a service-learning class and recognized with a $1,000 seed grant from the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont, pairs students with local news partners including High Country Radio and Mountain Times Publications. Through this initiative, students help provide vital local reporting for roughly 100,000 residents across Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties. Alongside this hands-on work, she is collaborating on research with honors student Meg Frantz examining student positionality in community-engaged storytelling. That work has been accepted for a panel presentation entitled “Connections Beyond the Classroom: Student Knowledge, Community-Engaged Communication, and Public Life” at the 97th Annual Western States Communication Association convention slated for February 2027. Additionally, Dr. Kasoma will supervise Meg’s honors thesis which will investigate how local news access and relatability affect news literacy and comprehension among rural residents in Western North Carolina.
Beyond community journalism, Dr. Kasoma’s research centers on climate literacy and environmental justice. Her field studies in Zambia investigate how climate change messaging in a seminal African cartoon to stream on Netflix entitled, Supa Team 4, resonates with children 8-10 years old. From children to adults, she has studied women-owned media outlets in Zambia (identifying 11 such outlets, over half of which cover climate topics). This work will be published as a book chapter titled "Steering Environmental Advocacy, Awareness and Justice: A Case Study of Women-Owned and Headed Media in Zambia" in the forthcoming 2027 volume Journalism and Gender: Perspectives from the Global South. To further her global impact, she is also participating in African climate resilience deliberations and networking at the Council on International Educational Exchange conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
Impactful Work in Zambia
In Zambia, Dr. Kasoma translates academic scholarship into direct community action. She has spent some time in local newsrooms, including at Live FM, Zambia's only radio station dedicated exclusively to environmental issues, to promote climate awareness. Understanding that severe droughts frequently disrupt Zambia's hydroelectric power grid and limit community news access, she supports vital broadcast networks like Komboni Radio as well as solar-powered radio distribution programs for local farmers.
Upcoming Zambia Study Abroad Program
Building on her deep community roots, Dr. Kasoma anticipates launching a transdisciplinary study abroad program to Zambia soon that will be open to all students. Co-developed with Dr. Matthew Ogwu in Sustainable Development and Dr. Vicky Klima in the Honors College, the service-learning course titled African Climate Literacy and Development was awarded a $3,000 grant by the Office of Civic Engagement. Participating students will travel to Zambia to produce agricultural and environmental news stories for local media outlets, conduct research and leverage the Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre, the leader in smart agriculture and home to the largest organic farm in Zambia, as a partner. Recognizing that cost can present a major barrier, Dr. Kasoma is actively pursuing grant opportunities and scholarships to make the program financially accessible to all interested students.
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About the Department of Communication
One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University focuses on preparing students to succeed in the communication industry and beyond. The department offers five majors – Advertising, Communication Studies, Electronic Media/Broadcasting, Digital Journalism, and Public Relations – and minors in Advertising, Communication and Cinematic Production. Graduates work in a wide range of positions in media, corporate, agency, government, and nonprofit organizations.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University's College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences, and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
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