The Department of Communication Arts comprises a varied and active faculty dedicated to developing learning communities in its many areas. Over ninety percent hold a terminal degree—either a doctorate or (in the creative and performance fields) a master of fine arts degree. They are supportive of professional organizations at the state, regional, and national levels, presenting papers and creative works at annual conventions and holding offices in various academic and professional organizations.
Mass Media Faculty
Frank Barnas, Ron DeMarse,Larry Etling, Heeman Kim, Mark Kiyak, Patrick McGuire, Mike P. Savoie, Michael Taylor
Frank Barnas, m.f.a.
Frank Barnas is an Associate Professor of Mass Media at Valdosta State University, where he serves as the Mass Media Area Chair. He has taught classes in all emphases of the Area although he specializes in Broadcast Journalism, International Media, and Senior Seminar.
His current projects include co-authoring a textbook that will be published in 2006 by Allyn & Bacon. His most recent script, Antibiotic, was completed in September of 2005, while his next script, Taggers, will be finished in Spring 2006. He advises the VSU chapter of the Society of Collegiate Journalists and serves on the SCJ National Council.
In the past five years, he has received Fellowships from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Radio/Television News Directors Foundation, Radio in American Sector in Berlin, Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, the Sasakawa Foundation, and the Fulbright Commission.
LARRY W. ETLING, PH.D.
Larry Etling is Assistant Professor at Valdosta State University. He holds a B.A. from Saskatchewan, an M.A. from North Dakota, and a Ph.D. from Georgia. His current interests include audience perceptions of women sportscasters. He has worked for many years as an announcer and reporter in private and public radio stations in Canada and the U.S.
letling@valdosta.edu
PATRICK MCGUIRE, m.f.a.
Patrick McGuire is Assistant Professor at Valdosta State University. He received both his BA and MFA at the University of New Orleans. His teaches Media Law, Media Ethics, Media Diversity and Introduction & Advanced Studio. He is currently chair of the Valdosta Metro Film Commission and faculty advisor for the Valdosta State Film and Video Society. Upcoming presentations include "Deviance: Identity or Lacking Thereof" at thePopular Culture of the South Conference and "Errol Morris: Sunken Treasures through Visual Design" at the Film and History League Conference. This summer he will being teaching in Paris as part of VSU Summer Studies Abroad Programs.
Michael P. Savoie, M.F.A.
Mr. Savoie is an Associate Professor of Mass Media. He has been at Valdosta State University since 1998. Before his tenure at VSU, he worked in the commercial and music video production industry. He has worked on numerous professional film projects including national commercials and he has directed several MTV videos. Mr. Savoie brings this knowledge and experience in the professional media environment to the Mass Media area of the Department of Communication Arts.
During his tenure at VSU, Mr. Savoie has continued his production activities including several video productions for the University System of Georgia. Mr. Savoie has supervised the production of internationally based projects in the United Kingdom, France, Hungary, and Russia. He is the coordinator of the newly created International Documentary Production emphasis in Mass Media. He also serves as a Faculty Associate at the Center for International Programs.
In addition to his international activities, Mr. Savoie has overseen the development of the video and digital media areas of the Mass Media area. He is the webmaster for the area and coordinates VSU TV programming and streaming video projects for the university.
Michael Taylor,M.A.
Instructor of Communication Arts
M.A., 1993, Eastern Washington University
B.A., 1991, Eastern Washington University
Research Interests--Contemporary Radio History (1950s to 1980s), Radio Economics
mktaylor@valdosta.edu
Go to the personal web page at http://www.valdosta.edu/~mktaylor/
Speech Communication Faculty
Charles Beadle, Carl Cates, Michael H. Eaves, William Faux,John C. Gaston, John Magnasco, Suzanna A. Patterson, Deborah Robson, Ray Young
Dr. Charles Beadle, Jr, ph.d.
Dr. Beadle has served on the faculty of Texas Christian University and Southeastern Louisiana University. He came to Valdosta State College in 1986 as Head of the Department of Communication Arts. Upon receiving tenure and promotion to Professor of Communication Arts in 1991, he resigned the Head position and returned to full-time teaching.
He has served as Chair of the Telecommunications Area and currently serves as Chair of the Speech Communication Area. He teaches Integrated Communication and Computer Applications Courses in the Public Relations emphasis. An advocate of instructional technology, Dr. Beadle recently served on the University System of Georgia E-Core Subcommittee.
Dr. Beadle created and maintains the websites for the Georgia Communication Association and the First Christian Church of Valdosta. He is also the Speech areas web representative at VSU.
Dr. Beadle holds the Bachelor of Science and Master of Art degrees in Radio-Television-Film and the Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Texas at Austin.
You can contact Dr. Beadle at: |
Charles F. Beadle, Jr.
Dept. of Communication Arts
College of the Arts
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA 31698 |
Office:
Phone:
E-mail: |
Nevins Hall 1024
229-333-5831
cbeadle@valdosta.edu |
Check his website:
www.valdosta.edu/~cbeadle/ |
Carl M. Cates, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Communication Arts
Department Head
Ph.D., 1994, Florida State University
M.A., 1985, Abilene Christian University
B.A., 1982, Abilene Christian Univesity
Research Interests--Mentors, Cults, Speech Pedagogy
ccates@valdosta.edu
MICHAEL H. EAVES, PH.D.
Associate Professor of Communication Arts and Debate Coach
Ph.D., 1993, Florida State University
M.A., 1989, University of Georgia
B.A., 1987, University of Alabama
Research Interests--Debate, Rhetoric, Post-modernism, Feminism, Film Criticism
meaves@valdosta.edu
Go to the personal web page at http://www.valdosta.edu/~meaves
WILLIAM FAUX, PH.D.
Dr. William Faux is an Assistant Professor in the area of speech communication at Valdosta State University. He teaches in the areas of organizational communication and intercultural communication.
Dr. Faux's dissertation focused on the cultural identity of Anthracite coal miners of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Currently, Dr. Faux is researching the impact of accent in interpersonal communication contexts. Dr. Faux’s research interests include Organizational Culture and Intercultural Communication.
Dr. Faux received his Ph.D. from the University of Denver (2004).
You can contact Dr. Faux at: |
William Faux
Dept. of Communication Arts
College of the Arts
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA 31698 |
Office:
Phone:
E-mail: |
Nevins Hall Room 1016
229-333-5826
wvfaux@valdosta.edu |
sUZANNAH a. PATTERSON, PH.D.
Assistant Professor of Communication Arts
Ph.D., 1998, University of Southern Mississippi
M.A., 1978, Bowling Green State University
B.S., 1966, University of Southern Mississippi
Research Interests--Organizational Culture, Applied Public Relations Theory
spatters@valdosta.edu
DEBORAH ROBSON, ph.d.
Assistant Professor of Communication Arts
dcrobson@valdosta.edu
Karen Sodowsky, ph.d.
Karen Sodowsky is Assistant Professor of Speech at Valdosta State University. She recieved her BA from Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois in Elementary Education. She also received a M.S.W. in Social Work and Ph.D. in Speech Communication at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her areas of research interest include uncertainty in illness, social support seeking, and narratives. A recent NCA presentation was given as part of her findings from her dissertation entitled Spousal Caregivers: Caregiving in Their Own Words. Her career experiences include fifteen years in medical social work and social services.
rAY YOUNG, PH.D.
Professor of Communication Arts
Ph.D., 1986, Purdue University
M.A., 1981, Cal State University, Sacramento
B.A., 1979, Cal State University, Sacramento
Research Interests--Mentoring, Leadership, Creativity, Interpersonal Communication
ryoung@valdosta.edu
Theatre/Dance Faculty
Jimmy Bickerstaff, Michael Elliott, Duke Guthrie, Richard Haptonstall, Marty Lynch, Sarah McCalister, Deborah Morgan, Eric Brandt Nielsen, Catherine Schaeffer, Jacque Wheeler
JIMMY BICKERSTAFF, ph.d.
Jimmy Bickerstaff is Assistant Professor of Theatre at Valdosta State University. He received his B.A in Theatre/Drama from Lawrence University, Wisconsin, his M.F.A. in Directing from the Goodman School of Drama in Illinois and his Ph D in Theatre fosusing in LIterature, Theory and Directing at the Univeristy of Oregon.
His dissertaiton was entitled The Collaborative Artist: Creativity Theory for Theatre Production. At VSU he teaches Improvisation, Play Analysis for Production, Theatre History, Fundamentals of Play Directing and Period Styles of Acting. He recently directed Shadowlands in VSU's Lab Theatre.
He has taught at Miami University, Osord, Ohio and Eastern Mennonite Uinversity in Harrsonburg, Virginia. He has also been the assitant artistic director for Northlight Theatre in Evanston, Illinoi and the Organic Theatre Company in Chicago. He has been a stage director for over 25 productions in professional and academic theatre in around Chicago, Portland, and the above Universities from 1983 to the present.
MICHAEL ELLIOTT, M.F.A.
DUKE GUTHRIE, m.f.a.
H. Duke Guthrie is an associate professor of theatre at Valdosta State University where he teaches theatre management, voice and diction,and portfolio & resume presentation. In addition to his teaching duties he serves as Area Chair for the Theatre Area and serves as Managing Director of the Peach State Summer Theatre, a professional extension of the VSU Theatre Program.
Before joining the VSU Faculty in 1999, Duke worked for KL Management, a division of Martini Entertainment Company,Inc., a New York City-based theatrical general management firm specializing in touring theatricals. He was company manager and general manager for various productions including CHITA AND ALL THAT JAZZ starring Chita Rivera, FAME, the Musical, THE GREAT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL SPECTACULAR starring the Radio City Rockettes, and three tours of FOREVER PLAID. While much of his time was spent touring, he has also worked on and Off-Broadway. He has also worked with such stars and celebrieties as Sir Ian McKellen, Richard Harris, Nicol Williamson, Sandy Duncan, Susan Anton, and Rip Taylor.
He has played leading and featured roles in THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (Sheridan Whiteside), HELLO, DOLLY! (Horace), MY FAIR LADY (Alfred P. Doolittle), and 1776 (Benjamin Franklin). He has directed MARVIN'S ROOM, PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE, LOST IN YONKERS, ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN, FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS, and Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN.
He has served as Vice President of Programming, two terms as Treasurer and President of the Georgia Theatre Conference.
Guthrie is a member of the Board of Directors (as Georgia's State Representative), Finance Committee and Nominating Committee of the Southeastern Theatre Conference.
Guthrie holds the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre from VSU, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Georgia, and a Master of Fine Arts in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College.
You can contact Mr. Guthrie at: |
H. Duke Guthrie
Dept. of Communication Arts
College of the Arts
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA 31698 |
Office:
Phone:
E-mail: |
Fine Arts Building Room 209
229-333-5307
dguthrie@valdosta.edu |
RICHARD HAPTONSTALL , M.f.a.
rhapton@valdosta.edu
Marty C. Lynch, M.f.a.
Marty Lynch is an assistant professor of theatre at Valdosta State University where he teaches technical theatre, scene painting, and stage management. He has also works as the technical director for every production at VSU as well as the past two summers at Peach State Summer Theatre.
Prior to teaching, Marty worked as a set designer for the Theater at Monmouth, the state Shakespeare theatre of Maine. He also worked for Royal Caribbean International on the Majesty of the Seas, the first ship in the RCI fleet to partake in concert itineraries (Dave Matthews and Kenny Chesney). Previous jobs have taken him to theatres such as Stagedoor Manor (Loch Sheldrake, NY), The Lost Colony (Manteo, NC), West Virginia Public Theatre (Morgantown, WV), and Round House Theatre (Silver Spring, MD).
Marty has traveled around the southeast as an adjudicator for the Kennedy Center of the Arts Festival region IV. He also presented a paper on Comedy in Design at the Southeastern Theatre Conference in 2008.
Marty holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Tech/Design from West Virginia University, and a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Tennessee.
mlynch@valdosta.edu
sARAH MCCALISTER, M.F.A.
Sarah McCalister, Assistant Professor of Dance in the Department of Communication Arts at Valdosta State University, is originally from Southern California. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a strong emphasis in Psychology from Beloit College, Wisconsin, where she served as both dancer and choreographer for Chelonia Dance Company. While at Beloit, she was honored to be a McNair Scholar, receiving support and funding to conduct independent psychological research at the Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center, which she presented at the University of California, Irvine.
Ms. McCalister received her MFA in Contemporary Dance at Case Western Reserve University. She has taught Modern Dance at Case, and co-directed and choreographed two seasons of Mather Dance Collective (MaDaCol) productions. During her tenure at Case, Ms. McCalister was honored to receive a Baker Nord Center for the Humanities Research Grant to study in Turkey. She also received a School of Graduate Studies Faculty Mentor Grant. With this funding, she co-presented on the integration of Dance and Technology at the International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities in Italy with Professor Gary Galbraith. Their co-authored paper has been accepted for publication into the International Journal of the Humanities. In addition, she received scholarship monies from Friends of Mather Dance Center and Non-Solo Danza to participate in a dance workshop in Milan, Italy.
Prior to teaching at VSU, Ms. McCalister taught and Modern, Jazz, Tap, Choreography, Improvisation, and Ballet in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and California. Her teaching style of any technique incorporates both classical and contemporary forms, with a focus on proper alignment, kinesthetic awareness, and a clear sense of space, time, energy, and dynamics. Ms. McCalister’s choreographic repertoire is continually growing, with works that represent a broad kinesthetic and aesthetic range of genres and movement vocabulary. Her works have been produced in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio. In additon to dance works, she has choreographed several Musical Theatre productions.
Ms. McCalister’s Modern Dance training has focused on the techniques of Martha Graham, Erick Hawkins, Jose Limon, Lester Horton; her ballet training was primarily in the Vagonova school, with influences from Laura Alonzo and the Cuban school. She studied the jazz and musical theater styles and techniques of Joe Tremaine, Gus Giordano, and Bob Fosse; her Tap studies were influenced by Al Gilbert, Freddy Finn, and Gil Stroming. Somatic studies include Bartenieff Fundamentals, Laban Movement Analysis, and Alexander Technique. She has performed the works of Martha Graham, Pascal Rioult, Gary Galbraith, Richard Dickinson, Judith Moss, Chris Johnson, Jane Hawley, Augustine Bolanos, Linda Kahn, Paloma McGregor, and Liz Young.
In addition to teaching, choreographing, and performing, Ms. McCalister has a great passion for research. She is currently studying the relationship between depression and disordered eating in college-level dancers, and will present this research at the Conference for the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science in Stockholm, Sweden.
You can contact Ms. Mcalister at: |
Sarah McCalister
Dept. of Communication Arts
College of the Arts
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA 31698 |
Office:
Phone:
E-mail: |
Fine Arts Building Room 273
229-219-1298
smccalister@valdosta.edu |
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DEBORAH MORGAN, M.F.A .
Associate Professor of Communication Arts
M.F.A., 1988, Virginia Commonwealth University
B.A., 1981, Bridgewater State College
Research Interests--Dramaturgy
dmorgan@valdosta.edu
ERIC BRANDT nIELSEN, M.F.A.
Eric Brandt Nielsen is a Professor of Communication Arts and Dance Area Head at Valdosta State University. He created the dance emphasis program in 1986 and was the founding director of the VSU Repertory Dancers. Besides teaching at the the college level for thirty years, Professor Nielsen is also a professional dancer, choreographer, and director. His performances range from classical ballet companies throughout the U.S. to show dancing at the MGM Grand Hotel in Reno, Nevada. He has served 31 consecutive summers as a choreographer/director in professional summer stock.
Nr. Nielsen was the Southeastern Theatre Confernce's auditions choreographer for eighteen years. He has had numerous articles published and wrote the award-winning book, Dance Auditions: Preparation, Presentation, and Career Planning.
Professor Nielsen has been on two faculty exchanges in Russia, one in China and one in Hungary. He has also tuaght on the summer studies abroad program in Great Britain in 2004 and 2006. . A documentary on his first exchange experience was entitled, Dancing on a Jeweled Egg: The First American Dance Faculty Exchange in Syktyvkar, Russia. A documentary on his residency in China, Eric's Yangzhou Stage, was produced and telecasted in Yanzhou, China.
Nielsen holds the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre and a Master of Fine Arts in Modern Dance Choreography from the University of Utah. In 2003 he received the Dance Educator of the Year Award from Georgia Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
You can contact Mr. Nielsen at: |
Eric Brandt Nielsen
Dept. of Communication Arts
College of the Arts
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA 31698 |
Office:
Phone:
E-mail: |
University Center 2109
229-333-5840
enielsen@valdosta.edu |
Visit his website at:
www.valdosta.edu/~enielsen |
CATHERINE SCHAEFFER, M.F.A.
Catherine Schaeffer, Assistant Professor, Valdosta State University, is originally from Pennsylvania where she earned a B.S. Degree in Art Education from Kutztown University and an M.Ed. in Dance from Temple University. After completing these degrees she performed professionally, touring both nationally and internationally with a variety of modern dance companies based in New York City, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Phoenix. In 1993 she earned an MFA in Performance and Choreography from Arizona State University and was awarded the outstanding graduate teaching award. She subsequently founded her own company, Site Specific Danceworks AZ, creating collaborative artistic performances in natural and man-made settings.
Ms. Schaeffer has performed in the work of renowned choreographers Cliff Keuter, Doug Varone, Gary Masters, Maida Withers, Janis Brenner, Bill Evans, Ann Ludwig, and Juliet Forrest. In NYC she performed with the companies of Wendy Osserman and Mark DeGarmo and presented her own choreography at Dance Theater Workshop and the Laban Institute for Movement Studies. As well as intensive study of all major modern dance techniques, from classical (Humphrey/Limon) through contemporary styles, Catherine has studied ballet (Zena Rommett, Finis Jhung) and jazz (Lynn Simonson, Luigi) throughout her career.
Ms. Schaeffer specializes in teaching all aspects of Modern Dance, Floor Barre Ballet, Improvisation, Choreography, Dance Kinesiology, and Somatics. From 1995-1999, she was an Assistant Professor in the Mercyhurst College Dance Department and guest performer with the Erie Ballet Theatre in Erie, Pa. Catherine has taught master classes and as adjunct faculty for numerous colleges, public, and private schools. A partial listing includes the Georgia Governors’ Honors Program, Dickinson College, the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Arizona, A.S.U., G.W.U., and Temple University. She has made professional academic presentations at ACDFA, GAHPERD, IADMS, and NDEO conferences in the area of Somatics, Technique, and Dance Pedagogy.
A prolific choreographer, Catherine has created sixty original works in modern, jazz, contemporary ballet, and multi-media genres produced at colleges, conferences, and professional venues. Along with her choreography for the VSU Repertory Dancers, and for ACDFA adjudications, she continues to create work as an independent choreographer, most recently being selected to perform in the "Dance in The Desert International Festival" in Las Vegas.
Catherine has assisted in developing the newly approved Dance Minor program at VSU, and in writing the proposed BFA dance major. She serves as the faculty advisor to the VSU Repertory Dance Club outreaching dance in the community. Although the predominant focus of her career has been dance, she is also a producing visual artist, licensed massage therapist, and yoga enthusiast. She is well on her way to earning national and international certifications in Dance Somatics, an area of dance science.
You can contact Ms. Schaeffer at: |
Catherine Schaeffer
Dept. of Communication Arts
College of the Arts
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA 31698 |
Office:
Phone:
E-mail: |
University Center
229-333-5825
caschaef@valdosta.edu |
| You should also check out her website at www.valdosta.edu/~caschaef/ |
JACQUE WHEELER, M.F.A.
Jacque Wheeler holds a B.A. degree from Collge of St. Teresa, an M.A. from Southern Illinois University and a M.F.A. from Virgina Commonwealth University. She is a Professor of Theatre at Valdosta State University where she teaches, directs and choreographs. She served as the Artistic Director for the Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival and is currently Artistis Director of the Peach State Summer Theatre where she directs, choreographs and performs. She received the Leighton Ballew Award for Distinguished Service to Theatre in Georgia. She is a past president of the Georgia Theatre Conference and an active member of the Southeastern Theatre Conference and the National Association for Schools of Theatre. Mrs. Wheeler has served as a Theatre Panelist for the Georgia Council for the Arts. She has spent past summers as guest artist and director in Glassboro, New Jersey. She is the co-author of a children's play Tall Tale Betsy and the Crackerbarrel Tales and a musical theatre acting text, Assignments in Musical Theatre. She has also been stage director for various VSU scholarship productions including the annual Cabaret and collaborative productions with the Valdosta School of Ballet.
jwheeler@valdosta.edu
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