Our Faculty

Dr. J. Dean Farmer (Chair and Assistant Professor) received his Ph.D. from Ohio University in 1999. He has been published in Southern States Communication Journal. He has given conference presentations at National Communication Association, Eastern Communication Association, Carolinas Communication Association, and at the International Conference of Learning and Teaching, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Professional career includes being a writer, producer, videographer, and editor in broadcast and non-broadcast television in video production. He teaches Organizational Communication, Communication Theory, Health Communication, Public Relations, Communication Internship, and Traditional Broadcasting courses.

Michael Ray Smith
michaelraysmith.com

Michael Ray Smith is leading the new media/online emphasis in the department. He earned a Ph.D. from Regent University and taught at state and private universities, at graduate and undergraduate schools and is a professor of communication studies at Campbell University. An award-winning writer and photographer, he has been quoted in the New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Arizona Republic, The Christian Science Monitor, The Louisville Courier-Journal, Editor & Publisher, Christianity Today, Writer¹s Digest and many other periodicals. He has been a guest on radio and TV including French TV 24, a Paris-based television broadcast, and online sites such as Ourblook.com.

He has written five books, 12 journal articles and hundreds of articles for the popular press. eHis chapter on ³Labels in Media Bias² is part of the 2007 book, Media Bias, Finding It, Fixing It, ³FeatureWriting.Net,² explores popular writing and ³The Jesus Newspaper² explores the idea of the Christian journalist. His Free press, Free hand: The handwritten newspapers of John McLean Harrington: A cultural approach is scheduled for release in 2011. Michael spent a decade working in the newsroom and more than two decades working in the classroom.

In 2008 Shippensburg University, his graduate school, honored him as a Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, the highest award presented by the university. That same year Prince George¹s Community College in suburban Washington, D.C., recognized him as one of its top 50 graduates.

He has presented workshops on writing in the United States and overseas including a weeklong seminar on magazine writing for Magazine Training International. He works with the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication on issues of equity and disability. Michael and Barbara Smith have two daughters, both involved in media and the arts.

Dr. Edward Johnson (Associate Professor) received his Ph.D. from the University of Alabama in 1995. His professional career includes Advertising manager, PR manager, photojournalist, and consultant. He has been published in works such as The Biblical Recorder, What Is An Educated Person? Introduction to Mass Communication, as well as multiple marketing, advertising and public relations journals. He teaches Advertising, Photography, Web Page Design, Media Buying, and Capstone Seminar.

Ms. Rebecca Soper (Adjunct Lecturer) has a Master of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado. She teaches Interpersonal Communication, Presentational Speaking, Communication Theory, Communication Internship, Small Group Communication and Public Relations.

Mr. Peter Kenny (Adjunct Lecturer) has a Master of Arts from Regent University. He teaches Digital Video Production, Writing for Broadcasting and Electronic Media, and Publication Design.

Mr. William Boatwright (Adjunct Lecturer) has a Master of Arts from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. He was Communication Director for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina for many years. He teaches Writing for Mass Media and Public Relations Writing.