Faculty Profile

A fifth generation Floridian, I came to Michigan in 1985 to pursue my Ph.D at Michigan State University after attending and later teaching English at another Christian college in Tennessee. During my tenure here I have served as a professor of English and Communication, as well as chair of the communication program, director of graduate studies in communication and brief stints as acting dean of the school of Communication, Media and Fine Arts.

My current research interest include design thinking and AI. I have received faculty development grants from the university to pursue projects in publishing, web-publishing, and user experience. I also received the Faculty Merit award twice. For over 20 years I advised student publications and have led cross-cultural trips to China, Ireland, Argentina, India, and Nepal, where I recently consulted on curriculum with the communication faculty at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu.

Professionally, I have served as program head, for the Small Program Interest Group of the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication and President of the Association for Christian Collegiate Media. Author of the Children’s Book of the Bible (Publications International) and the Santa Papers: An unauthorized autobiography of St. Nicholas of Myra, I’ve received awards in writing and editing from The Educational Press Association, the United Press Association, and Writers of the Future. I attended invitation-only workshops sponsored by Guideposts Magazine and the Clarion School of Science Fiction and Fantasy, and have worked as a newspaper reporter and associate editor of two magazines.

Outside my academic and journalistic work, I served as a pastor/elder at Countyside Bible Church in Jonesville, MI, for 12 years and currently serve in that same role at Falling Waters Bible Church, which meets on campus. I have tea every morning with my wife Katie; we have been married for 50 years.  We have four adult children and eleven grandchildren.

I was drawn to Spring Arbor because of its broad liberal arts approach, rooted in a clear mission statement referred to as the Concept.  This grounds the curriculum in a thoughtful and practical Christian worldview.  I also appreciated the hands-on approach of the communication program, balancing theory with practice.

I’ve stayed because of the unique opportunity to come along side students in both classroom and cross-cultural contexts, encouraging them to take the thoughtful and necessary risks to grow spiritually, academically and professionally.