Title
Associate Professor
Department
Communication Studies
Institution
Augsburg University
Education
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B.A. Macalester College
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M.A. University of Minnesota
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Ph.D. University of Minnesota
Research Interests
Biography
Being in the communication field, sometimes people ask me, “Communication: what’s to know about that? I communicate all the time!” Well, if simply talking is “communicating,” then I suppose that’s true. But of course, such a mindset doesn’t address the issue of whether we communicate well–and the reality is that most of us don’t. (I’m afraid that includes me, more often than I like to admit!) ; Half of all marriages end in divorce. Millions of employees are miserable because of the communication climate within their workplace. Huge cultural rifts exist in our world that help explain the violence we currently confront on an international scale. And I think we’ve all heard people give public presentations (sermons, lectures, sales talks, etc.) that cried out for more skillful execution. In short, effective communication is an important part of everyday life, and it’s my job to enable students to interact with the world in a more enlightened, capable, and credible manner. ; The communication major at Augsburg is designed to develop both awareness and skill in all contexts of communication: in interpersonal and small group settings, in organizational life, across cultures, in public speaking situations, and with the use of electronic media. I am a generalist in the field and regularly teach the following courses: Introduction to Communication Studies, Argumentation, Persuasion, Intercultural Communication, and Organizational Communication. I also teach a course on the Ethics of Communication in Augsburg’s Master of Arts in Leadership Program. Occasionally, I also teach Public Speaking and Interpersonal Communication. I’m also the only one in our department who, in a distant past life, taught high school for a few years–so secondary education licensure issues often wind up on my lap. Finally, I am Augsburg’s Director of Forensics–if you like the idea of going to college speech tournaments, have I got a program for you! (See our separate page about the Speech Team.) ; I’m a Minnesota boy. With the exception of a year and a half in Los Angeles, I’ve lived my entire life in the Twin Cities. Debate and journalism are a significant part of my background. I’ve traveled to Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, and much of Europe. And if you’re looking for an opening conversation topic, I’m into distance running—although you wouldn’t know it by looking at me, I have finished six marathons and more than thirty half–marathons. (I like to eat as much as I like to run!)
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Contact Information
612-330-1722
