Honors College Faculty/Staff

Bio

I joined the Honors College full time during the Spring of 2020, after having taught for over 20 years in the Communication and Media Department at West Chester University. My appointment in Honors really combines two of my academic passions.

That first passion is for public speaking. My interest in public speaking started all the way back in high school when I competed on my school's debate team, and that interest further developed when I became involved in college forensics (competitive public speaking) as an undergraduate at the University of Maryland. Much of my teaching and research in graduate school (M.A. in Speech Communication at the University of Maryland and Ph.D. in Communication Studies at the University of Kansas) and since graduate school has revolved around public speaking (courses I have taught include basic public speaking, advanced public speaking, speechwriting, and a graduate level course on training public speakers). I also continue to work as a speechwriter and as a speaker trainer for individuals both within and outside the University. Now I bring that passion for developing public speakers to the HON 211 (Decision Making and Public Discourse) course.

My other real academic passion resides in the area of political communication. Much of my teaching and research in this area centers on the concept of public opinion—how we define and construct the meaning of public opinion in our political discourse. I now bring that passion and interest in public opinion research to the HON 313 (American Government, Democracy and Public Opinion) class.