Communication-Across-The-Curriculum Expert to Visit, Wednesday, March 5

Dr. Chris Anson, Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Campus Writing and Speaking Program at North Carolina State University will visit campus on Wednesday, March 5, 2014.  Dr. Anson is an internationally recognized expert in communication-across-the-curriculum programming.  He will be at Radford University as a guest of the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Communication-Across-the-Curriculum (CAC) Task Force.  

Dr. Kate Hawkins, Dean of the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences (CHBS), charged the CHBS CAC task force, chaired by Dr. Bill Hrezo, Professor of Political Science, with investigating how our academic programs in CHBS could incorporate elements of CAC to improve our students' achievement of learning outcomes in oral and written communication.  As you may know, the #1 skill set employers report seeking in new hires is the applicant's ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.  So, any investments we make in improving our students' ability to communicate will pay dividends for them as they compete for internships while they're enrolled at Radford University and seek to secure good jobs after graduation.  Dr. Anson's first visit to Radford will include a variety of opportunities for our faculty to meet with and learn from Dr. Anson.

Faculty will have the opportunity to attend either of two public presentations Dr. Anson will make while he's visiting Radford.  While the CAC initiative is a CHBS undertaking, any member of the Radford faculty with an interest in communication-across-the-curriculum programming is welcome to attend either of these public presentations:

Wednesday, March 5th, 10:00-11:30, Heth 022

Wednesday, March 5th, 1:00-2:30, Bonnie 248 

The 1:00 presentation is intended as a repeat of the 10:00 presentation, so attendance at only one of the two sessions is necessary.  Dr. Anson will begin the presentation with an overview of best practices in communication-across-the-curriculum programs.  He will then offer some examples of the diverse means by which faculty members can incorporate CAC elements in their academic programs.  The members of the task force fully realize a one-size-fits-all approach will not be successful in CHBS.  Rather, we hope to offer faculty members a variety of options to consider for activities and assignments they may choose to integrate into what they are already doing in their classes and in their programs.  Handouts will be provided to those who attend and will be posted on the CHBS website for those who are interested in Dr. Anson's work, but are unable to attend either of the presentations.

It is our hope Dr. Anson will return to Radford for future visits with our faculty, so if you are unable to attend one of the presentations on Wednesday, we hope you will have an opportunity to attend a communication-across-the-curriculum presentation or workshop sponsored by CHBS in the future.  

If you have any questions about this information you can contact Dr. Kate Hawkins or Dr. Bill Hrezo.

Mar 2, 2014
CHBS
540-831-5149
chbs@radford.edu