I view my role as a teacher←→learner to engage students with tools for questioning and coming to fuller understandings of how communication shapes our lives. My approach to communication is informed primarily by rhetorical criticism and critical cultural frameworks. These
schools of thought shape how and what I teach. I view identity and power as crucial to the
understanding of communication. That is, who I think I am shapes how I view others,
and how power operates across messages, interactions, relationships, and
institutions is central to the study of communication. My biggest goal as a teacher is to inspire students to excel and pursue their own curiosity.

Media Studies…

I’ve been enjoying teaching a course called COMM 190: Media Literacy in an Age of Social media, with my WCU colleague, Dr. Grace Cheshire. Lately in the course we have been discussing Bo Burnham’s Netflix special, Inside, as a way of unpacking how social media impacts identity construction, with help from Dr. Hans Moeller and his notion of profilicity. I’d highly recommend Hans Moeller and Paul D’Ambrosio’s book, You and Your Profile: Identity After Authenticity, along with Moeller’s excellent YouTube channel.

We also teach about classic media theories and theorists. I enjoy talking with students about Marshall McLuhan, and apply his concepts to social media, particularly nostalgia discourse on TikTok.

The project students seem to love the most is the final, on conspiracy theories. We have a lot of fun analyzing conspiracies and understanding their appeal and impacts on society.

Public Speaking

In COMM 201: Foundations of Communication, students spend a lot of time practicing public speaking. I’ve been particularly proud of my students who have participated in the Communication Department’s student-organized “Speak Your Mind” public speaking competition. Here’s a picture of me with some of my students from the 2024 Speak Your Mind competition!