Visiting Scholar Offers Perspective on Instructional Communication

On October 22-24,2002 the Communication School will host Katherine Grace Hendrix, Ph.D.. (University of Washington, 1994), a 2002-2003 Western Michigan University Visiting Scholar. Dr. Hendrix, an Associate Professor in the Communication School at the University of Memphis, is an instructional communication scholar with teaching interests in argumentation, interpersonal and intercultural communication, and qualitative research methods. She is dedicated to the scholarship of teaching and studies professor and graduate teaching assistant (GTA) communicative actions that contribute to their classroom credibility.
Dr. Hendrix has a particular interest in the pedagogical contributions of and challenges faced by professors and GTAs of color. She will deliver a public lecture on this topic at noon on October 23 in Room 210 Bernhard Center. She also will guest lecture in several classes including Interracial Communication at the undergraduate level and Introduction to Communication Graduate Studies. Dr. Hendrix will be honored at a 5 pm reception to be held on the 10th floor of Sprau tower on October 23, 2002. The reception is open to faculty and students.
Dr. Hendrix's campus visit is part of the Western Michigan University Visiting Scholar Program. This program sponsors the visits of distinguished scholars from various areas of the country to the campus of WMU. These Visiting Scholars represent high academic achievement and frequently offer unique insights into the research and teaching in their various disciplines. Our Visiting Scholar, Dr. Hendrix, has been nominated for teaching awards at the University of Memphis and is the 2002 recipient of the Southern Speech Communication Association's John I. Sisco Award for Excellence in Teaching. In her recent research Dr. Hendrix examined the experiences of African-American professors and GTAs at predominantly White universities using auto ethnography, narratives, and interviews. She will discuss this research as well as other areas of interest during her visit to campus.