Communication Center Journal 39 - Volume 4:1, 2018 - A Case Study of Outside Events Verses the Thriving Speaking Center

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore

A case study in Communication Center Journal examines how unexpected outside events influence the sustained success of a university speaking center managed through student employees. It recounts the author’s transition into directing the center, the priorities shaped by a national conference, and the mentoring principles used to help students succeed and learn from errors. The narrative emphasizes critical evaluation of communication-center practice and invites discussion on how peer-centered education and guiding approaches affect resilience, learning, and organizational thriving.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Priorities

Communication Center Journal 39 Volume 4:1, 2018 A Case Study of Outside Events verses the Thriving Speaking Center Kimberly M. Cuny The University of North Carolina Greensboro In April, at the Excellence at the Center Conference, I participated in a national discussion in my role as Managing Editor of Communication Center Journal (CCJ) . During my contributions to that larger discussion I noted that I believe it is time for writers and future writers of our subset of communication studies to begin to view our work more critically. While I made no mention of it, I was thinking about opportunities to engage from a critical perspective put forth by the publication of a communication center manuscript outside of CCJ in the last year. As Editor-in Chief of CCJ, Carpenter (2017) provides an outline of the many ways he sees CCJ fitting the growing roles of the communication center community. But first, Carpenter more broadly states that journals “provide a forum for exchanging new ideas and approaches, while also challenging or adding to previous knowledge”(p.1) . It is from a place of wanting us to begin to challenge previous knowledge that I encouraged others to do so. I suspect this might be a difficult shift for some and so I have written this case study as a first step. I put myself atthe center of this manuscript and offer my own experiences for critical evaluation. As a storyteller, I have used narrative and reflection in the telling of this true story. Some of this particular case was first introduced by one of our students at that same April national conference. The student’s presentation of the situation garnered much follow up discussion then. I believe that alone or coupled with Kramer and Bisel’s 2017 student centered organizational communication textbook, this case study both challenges what we know and adds to communication centers knowledge development. Background As I drove to work on the first day that our speaking center would be open for business in 2017, I wondered if I had done enough to help our student employees to succeed. I tried to understand what had allowed this dynamic student-run workplace to thrive for 15 years; I wanted to fully understand the impact that unexpected events happening around the country had on the workplace; and I needed to understand what would still have to be done if the organization was to thrive once again. I have attempted to capture all three in this case study and invite criticism of the story byway of discussion questions at the end. I was hired in February of 2003 to direct the university speaking center at amid-sized public university in the Southeast; the position would start in August. The campus had high ethnic diversity, low male to female diversity, most students were from the same state where the university was located, and the largest age demographic was between 18 and 24 years old. I took on this leadership role in what would be year two of the center’s operation. The job offer included the opportunity to attend the national speaking Communication Center Journal 40 Volume 4:1, 2018 center conference. While I had plenty of communication subject classroom teaching and higher education administrative experience, I had no communication center experience. Taking advantage of opportunities is what I credit for my professional successes. I seized the opportunity to attend Excellence at the Center, the national communication center conference in April. Connecting with and speaking to many center directors, sitting in on panel discussions, and attending the business meeting at the conference all helped me to begin the process of better understanding the new position. The best advice I got came from the late Paul Sandin who told me to setup a system where the student employees can both succeed and learn from their mistakes and then get out of the way. The conference attendees were overwhelmingly undergraduate students. This meant most of the voice

FAQs

What motivates the author to write this case study?

The author aims to encourage writers of communication studies to view their work more critically. The manuscript is positioned as an early step toward challenging existing knowledge and inviting evaluation through discussion.

How did the national conference influence the author’s leadership approach?

By connecting with other center directors, attending panels, and hearing mainly undergraduate student presenters, the author framed priorities and developed a management style grounded in student voices and peer education challenges and rewards.

What does the author identify as the twofold priorities for a speaking center director?

The author prioritizes supporting student staff to develop a highest-quality peer education center, and also arriving ready to learn from students using a “guide from the side” approach that is less directive and facilitative.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore