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 This week on faculty spotlight we are highlighting one of our Speech instructors from KU’s Tallahassee campus, Katherine Francis-Belovary. She has been an instructor at KU since May of 1998! Take a look at this interview she participated in on campus:

What inspired you to become a teacher? 

Wow—where do I begin? I believe that effective communication is critical to our success as professionals and, more broadly, as human beings. It’s a tremendous joy to discuss this with students and an important challenge to attempt to model it as well. The field of communication is so huge—infinite. It’s constantly engaging.

 What three adjectives best describe you?

 Energetic, optimistic, and curious.

 What are your hobbies?

Cooking (Remember, we’re talking about enjoyment of a hobby, not necessarily excelling at it.)

 What is something unique or interesting that students do in one of your classes?

Though the idea of classroom discussion is not unique, I find that the discussions we have in relation to nonverbal communication and interpersonal/small group communication are always unique and interesting! We are, after all, discussing our relationships, our perceptions of ourselves and each other… and sometimes our assumptions and stereotypes. There are also two “be honest with yourself” activities I ask students to do. One involves a list of barriers that block one from engaged listening; each student has to choose which ones apply to him or her. The other is a self-assessment containing questions about conflict behaviors and determines likely conflict strategies.

Our silly question: What would you take with you on a deserted island?

 Survival stuff, my husband, and Alley, our dog.

STUDENTS: Please email your submissions/questions/comments to the ELSE Student Editor, Kayla Bianchi at: [email protected]