Let’s offer a hearty welcome to Kathy Byars, our new department secretary! While Kathy has only been on board in the Communication Studies Department since the end of January, she is not new to the University.

Kathy had worked for one and half years in the Office of the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences. But her position there was slated to become a full-time job. Happy with the part-time hours, Kathy just wanted to remain on an 8am-3pm shift.

Meanwhile, Ellen Whiting, our former devoted secretary, was seeking a full-time position. So with little fanfare, a workable agreement was reached. Ellen and Kathy were offered the opportunity to swap posts.

While Ellen says that she dearly misses our department’s faculty and students alike, she is happy in her new role. If you would like to contact her, you may still write to Ellen at: ewhiting@cnu.edu

We are certain that she would love to hear from you!

Kathy Byars would like to meet you as well. She can be reached at: kbyars@cnu.edu

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Michaela D.E. Meyer, the Communication Studies Department has been awarded a charter of Lambda Pi Eta, the official academic honor society of the National Communication Association. Lambda Pi Eta is

an accredited member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS). It has nearly

420 active chapters at colleges and universities worldwide. Among

its many goals, Lambda Pi Eta recognizes, fosters and rewards outstanding scholastic achievement in communication studies. CNU’s Sigma Kappa Chapter will help organize and facilitate events within the department and on campus that promote these goals.

Lambda Pi Eta represents what Aristotle described in his book Rhetoric as the three ingredients of persuasion: logos (lambda) meaning logic, pathos (pi) relating to emotion, and ethos (eta) defined as character credibility and ethics.

In order to be eligible for induction into LPE, a student must have completed at least 60 semester hours in college, and at least 12 of those must be of communication study. He/she further needs to have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and a communication studies GPA of 3.25. The individual is to be currently enrolled as a student in good standing, and display a commitment to the field of communication.

Among the many advantages to becoming a member of LPE, chapter advisors and members are encouraged to participate and exhibit leadership in annual conferences and conventions. Moreover, individuals frequently receive national recognition and prestigious awards for their scholarship.  

For further information, contact Dr. Michaela Meyer, LPE Advisor, at mmeyer@cnu.edu.