Top Teaching Priority

Communication is as fundamental to life as breathing. There is no action we take or word we impart that does not constitute communication. Everything we say and/do is subject to a response or judgement. These truisms apply to those who earn a living in communication as well as to the rest of the population. In other words, it is universal. Thus, in the area of teaching there is no subject more relevant than communication. It is this basic notion as much as any I seek to drive-home in every class I teach - something I have been doing now for several decades.

Because the classes I teach revolve around communication or public relations, the great majority of my students are majors in this field and have hopes of making a career in it.  Whether they do or not, these young men and women have lives as do I and everyone else. They, too, face the day-to-day challenges of interacting with others, dealing with conflict, trying to get across various thoughts, ideas or information, and processing information. None of these efforts necessarily involve writing a press release, devising a formal strategic communication plan, preparing a speech, helpng organize a special event, or briefing others as to what they should or should not say - topics I cover in my various classes. Nevertheless, the lives of the students outside the classroom are dominated by communication challenges.

As I write this I am preparing for another semester of classes. I will, of course, be giving the more than 120 students I anticipate being under my charge the usual array of assignments, readings, and tests. Hopefully the result of all that I do with them will be students that are more appreciative, skilled and knowledgable about communication. Even more than that, however, the students will walk away with an understanding that for them to succeed in life, they must never stop working hard at trying to connect with others no matter whether they are getting paid for it.