![\"Taylor](\"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Taylor-Kiffel-3H5A5844.jpg\")
Taylor Kiffel, a junior communication student, talks with Professor Wade Lee-Smith, a research engagement librarian and science reference librarian, about her research on mother-daughter relationships in media at the Office of Undergraduate Research\u2019s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Exhibition at Carlson Library.\u00a0Kiffel was a finalist for her research poster.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cI assumed all research was number-driven and that I wouldn\u2019t be able to feel passionate and expressive while doing it, but wow, was I wrong,\u201d she said. \u201cThrough my journey at UToledo, I have found that there are so many different ways research can be done, and that it can truly be a fun and fulfilling experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kiffel\u2019s research focuses on how mother-daughter relationships are portrayed in media, specifically how reality TV constructs narratives that shape cultural assumptions and expectations of what these relationships should look like.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up working class and watching shows like \u2018Dance Moms\u2019 and \u2018Toddlers and Tiaras\u2019 with my mom, and I have always been aware of how media portrays certain types of families in dramatized and stereotypical ways,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
What began as a research proposal for Dr. Tasha Dunn\u2019s fall 2025 course in advanced interpersonal communication, quickly evolved into a full-length independent study project. With support from Dunn, an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Media at UToledo, Kiffel pursued and received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for her research. Through focus groups, Kiffel was challenged to explore how others interpreted media portrayals of mother-daughter relationships and connected them to their own lives.<\/p>\n
Additionally, she was introduced to critical autoethnography, a method of exploration for her own interpretations and experiences.<\/p>\n
Kiffel said the independent study with Dunn pushed her and helped her grow.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe made sure I had the tools I needed to succeed and was always there to answer my questions,\u201d Kiffel said. \u201cBut something I especially appreciated was that she made sure I was taking the lead. The balance between mentorship and autonomy that we had certainly helped me gain more confidence in myself as an emerging scholar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kiffel is a first-generation college student who transferred to UToledo after taking some time away from her studies. Dr. Dunn said the independent study with Kiffel represented a full-circle moment, as it allowed the UToledo faculty member to give back in the same way that former professors had once supported her own journey as a first-generation undergraduate student.<\/p>\n
\u201cI provided guidance along the way but tried my best to encourage Taylor and cultivate her scholarly independence,\u201d Dunn said. \u201cTaylor rose to the challenge in every phase of the project, demonstrating maturity, intellectual curiosity and a genuine commitment to doing the work well.\u201d<\/p>\n