Research Overview: As an advertising professor, my research agenda centers on advertising messaging and creative strategy, advertising education, and advertising and media history. I always say that persuasion is peace. If we can use communication to convince others, we can avoid conflict and preserve individual freedom. I feel that advertising is key to this persuasive process, particularly the visual image.

Teaching Overview: I teach the advertising courses at NDSU including, creative strategies, media planning, and the advertising campaign practicum. My teaching philosophy focuses on experiential learning. Advertising involves both thinking and doing. If we don’t have a persuasive message, an audience, and a design, we don’t have advertising. My classes involve developing a unique skill set that integrates left and right brain thinking. Through their advertising coursework, students learn to integrate the analytical and aesthetic in a truly unique way by working with real clients to develop relevant advertising messages that complement efficient media plans. The culmination of this learning process is involvement in the NSAC student advertising competition. Through the competition and involvement in AdClub, NDSU advertising students are well prepared to enter the job market as advertising and strategic communication professionals. My former students are currently employed in positions related to strategic communication at Forum Communications, Kohler Co., Target corporate, Mayo Clinic, The City of Fargo, Emerging Prairie, REI, Schwan's Consumer Brands, The Buckle, Inc., American Red Cross, Olson Advertising, Botlink, Ameriprise Financial, Northwestern Mutual, theRLEgroup, Ulta Beauty, Sanford Health, Flint Group, International Dairy Queen, Periscope, Froedert Health, OMD, Absolute Marketing Group, Minnesota Twins, and NDSU.

2023 Teaching

• COMM 376: Advertising Creative Strategies
• COMM 470: Research for Strategic Communication
• COMM 476: Advertising Practicum
• COMM 750: Advanced Issues in Communication