Communication Studies Faculty
In Communication Studies, we examine human communication between and among people in many ways. Not only do we look at communication in one-on-one or work group/work team settings, but also in more formal settings, like presidential and other public speeches.
We also work to enhance student’s skills in writing, research, and presentation abilities.
Our department uses positive professional communication practices, a respect for diversity, and commitment to service and lifelong learning.
We teach students what they need to know to be successful and we try to model these traits as well.
Community engagement and scholarship enhance our teaching in the Communication Studies department.
Adam Gaffey organized a panel on power and representations of Native Americans in public art and storytelling as part of the 2023 WSU Consortium for Liberal Arts and Sciences Promotion series.
Emilie Falc’s Intercultural Communication class took part in the International Coffee Hour hosted by WSU International Services on Feb. 1, 2023.
In 2022, Tammy Swenson-Lepper led a community discussion on managing social media as part of Central Lutheran Church’s Parenting Teens Series.
Kelly Herold’s Disability and Culture class organized a “Disability Culture Celebration” event in 2022.
Ballard. R. L. & Swenson-Lepper, T. (2023). Examining students’ social media use and ethical awareness: Class activities and “Coastal Succulents” (PDF). Communication Teacher, 37(3), 198-206.
Swenson-Lepper, T. & Hanson, H. (2023). “Social media, COVID-19, Misinformation, and ethics: A Descriptive Study of American Adults’ Perceptions” (PDF). In Pamela A. Zeiser and Berrin A. Beasley (Eds.), Social media ethics and COVID-19: Well-being, truth, misinformation, and authenticity (53-82). Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.
Flynn, M. A., Veilleux, E., & Stana A. (2022). A post from the woods: Social media, well-being and our connection to the natural world. Computers in Human Behavior Reports (5), 100171.
Gaffey, A. J. (2022). Introducing the rhetoric of narratives with Barack Obama’s Of Thee I Sing. Communication Teacher, 36(1), 1-4.
Javanovic, S., Swenson-Lepper, T., McManus L., Velez Ortiz, M., Ballard, R., Leavitt, M., & Charron, L. (2021). Communication ethics: Activities for critical thinking and reflection. Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
Falc, E. (2020). Water is life: Shared destinies (PDF). In Casey R. Schmitt, Christopher S. Thomas, & Theresa R. Castor (Eds.), Water, rhetoric and social justice: A critical confluence (pp. 19-42). Lexington Books.