Adam Gaffey
View Adam Gaffey’s complete academic profile.
Educational Background
- PhD: Communication | Texas A&M University (2013)
- MA: Communication and Rhetorical Studies | Syracuse University (2008)
- BA: Communication | University of Minnesota-Duluth (2005)
Personal Statement
I joined the faculty at Winona State University in Fall 2016. Professional and educational prospects led me to New York, Texas, and South Dakota, but I’m very glad to once again call Minnesota home.
When not teaching classes or writing, I enjoy taking in the scenery of Bluff Country, trying my hand at amateur photography, and strumming a ukulele to my family’s amusement. Though the organization has disbanded, I remain a card-carrying member of the Corduroy Appreciation Club.
Professional Statement
As a scholar of rhetoric and public affairs, I’m interested in how people use messages to influence others and reconcile competing commitments and perspectives. Since communication is the best way to understand culture, I study a broad range of rhetorical artifacts from political oratory to popular film.
My research has been published in Southern Communication Journal, Western Journal of Communication, Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Communication Teacher, and Rhetoric Society Quarterly. My favorite topics for classroom discussion are presidential rhetoric, public art, and emerging trends in technology.
Courses Taught
- CMST 191: Introduction to Public Speaking
- CMST 266: Professional Communication
- CMST 283: Introduction to Rhetorical Studies
- CMST 292: U.S. Multicultural Rhetoric (Civil Rights)
- CMST 380: Communication Research Methods
- CMST 383: Rhetoric, Culture, and Power: Analysis of Public Communication
- CMST 389: Creating Change through Persuasion
- CMST 452: Topics (Visual Culture)
- CMST 475: Argumentation and Advocacy
- CMST 485: Senior Seminar