The Institute of Applied Agriculture welcomed five new members to its oral communications department this fall.
Image Credit: Institute of Applied Agriculture
The College of Agricultural and Natural Resources welcomed a number of new faculty members prior to the start of the 2014 fall semester. Each Friday we're introducing a few of these newcomers and providing some details about their work and/or research interests.
This week, we meet five new oral communication faculty members hired by the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) this summer – nearly tripling the size of the IAA’s oral communications department. Welcome to Dr. JoEllen Barnhart, Dr. Eric Dunning, Ms. Amy Fisher, Ms. Michelle Molinaro and Dr. Gerald Powell!
Dr. JoEllen Barnhart: Oral Communication Lecturer, Institute of Applied Agriculture
Students in Dr. JoEllen Barnhart’s INAG 100 Oral Communication course will be learning from a seasoned professional who has worked in the past as a radio and television reporter and anchor, voice over talent, marketing and communications professional, media relations specialist and college-level instructor. Before coming to the IAA, Barnhart taught courses at numerous colleges and universities including Frostburg State University, Hagerstown Community College, Salisbury University, University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies, and Penn State University. She was also appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley to the Maryland Disability Development Council and the Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council. Barnhart enjoys motivational and informational speaking on topics involving parenting children with disabilities and transformative learning.
Dr. Eric Dunning: Oral Communication Lecturer, Institute of Applied Agriculture
Originally from Atlanta, GA., Eric Dunning holds a Ph.D. in Communication and Information Sciences from The University of Alabama, where he also holds an M.A. in Communication Studies with a focus on Rhetorical Criticism and Cultural/Social Movement Theory. While at The University of Alabama, Dunning was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication where he taught a variety of courses, including Organizational Communication, Rhetoric of Social Media, Communication & Social Identity, Interpersonal Communication, and Introduction to Public Speaking. Prior to entering the education field, Dunning spent several years in Los Angeles working for entertainment companies such as New Line Cinema and Paradigm Pictures. In his free time, he enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and training in Muay Thai kickboxing.
Amy Fisher: Oral Communication Lecturer, Institute of Applied Agriculture:
Amy Fisher brings an extensive teaching background to the oral communications department at the IAA. She has worked as an adjunct communication professor for numerous universities and colleges in Maryland and Virginia including George Mason, Montgomery College, Frederick Community College and Northern Virginia Community College. Fisher has experience teaching not only public speaking, but interpersonal communication, intercultural communication and group discussion. She retired from United Airlines in 2012 after 22 years, which included experiences in customer service, conflict resolution and problem solving, training, operations, supervision and communication in a diverse work environment. Originally from Western Pennsylvania, Fisher has lived in the DC Metro area for more than 25 years.
Michelle Molinaro: Oral Communication Lecturer, Institute of Applied Agriculture
Michelle Molinaro first discovered a passion and knack for public speaking during an undergraduate oral communication course she took while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in criminology and forensic psychology with a minor in physics from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (now Notre Dame University). Her enthusiasm for public speaking led her to attend graduate school and eventually obtain a master’s degree in contemporary communications from the same university. Before joining the IAA team, Molinaro worked for a local property management corporation. An avid sports fan and exercise enthusiast, Molinaro also works as a coach for the Beachbody fitness program.
Dr. Gerald Powell, Oral Communication Lecturer, Institute of Applied Agriculture
As a researcher, Dr. Gerald Powell is interested in “the evolutionary limitations of being human.” His current research looks at the intersections of technology, sustainability and anthropology. Powell has an interdisciplinary range of written publications, screened films, and expertise within the fields of oral communication, rhetorical theory, ethnofiction, semiotics, film, biomedia, mass media and philosophy. Before joining the team at the IAA, Powell taught or lectured at New Hall College (Murray Edwards College), University of Cambridge, The New School, Fatih Üniversitesi and Ècole Polytechnique de Tunisie. In his spare time, Dr. Powell enjoys caffè Americanos, and is a competitive shuffleboard player.
