Lynnette Grace Leonard

Lynnette Grace Leonard
Associate Professor
* Persuasion, Rhetoric, & Social Influence, * Media Technology, Ethics, & Criticism
A teacher/scholar interested in media technology, persuasion, and communication pedagogy. I am particularly interested in how media technology is challenging traditional views of communication, rhetorical theory, and teaching to reveal opportunities for innovation.
I received the University of Nebraska at Omaha 2011 Excellence in Teaching Award and continue to work each semester to learn with my students and innovate to meet the ever-expanding challenges to higher education. I have taught classes across the communication discipline. Below are the courses organized by general topic.
Media Technology, Ethics, & Criticism
Media Criticism, Communication, Media, and Society, Media Law and Ethics, Global Comparative Media, Computer-Mediated Communication, Modern Public Address.
Persuasion & Social Influence
Persuasion, Propaganda, & Protest, Challenging Extremism, Persuasive Strategies in Advertising and PR, Advertising Fundamentals, Persuasion, Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, Introduction to Rhetoric and Social Influence.
Writing
Exposition,Persuasion, Writing for Media.
Public Speaking
Public Speaking, Introduction to Speech Communication-Hybrid Speaking/Theory.
Communication
Communication, Leadership, & Power in Organizations, Interviewing, Introduction to Organizational Communication, Effective Business Communication, Communication in Small Groups
Current Research
Women's protest speech and visual rhetoric
Bilingual advertising
Uncertainty management and online communication
Selected Publications
Leonard, L. G. & Withers, L. A. (2019). Place and Discourse in Virtual Environments. Electronic Journal of Communication, 29(3/4). http://www.cios.org/www/ejc/v29n34toc.htm
Leonard, L. G. (2019). Book Review: Lydia Sigourney: Critical Essays and Cultural Views. Early American Literature, 54(2), 545-550.
Leonard, L. G., Sherblom, J. C.,Withers, L. A., & Smith, J. S. (2015). Training Effective Virtual Teams: Presence, Identity, Communication Openness, and Conversational Interactivity. Connexions, 3(1), 11-45.
Leonard, L.G. & Toller, P. (2012). Speaking Ill of the Dead: Anonymity and Communication about Suicide on MyDeathSpace.com. Communication Studies, 63 (4): 387-404.
Tyma, A. & Leonard, L. (October 2011). It’s Not All Zeroes and Ones Moving Toward an Online Identity Assembly Theory. Selected Papers in Internet Research. Association of Internet Researchers, IR12. http://spir.aoir.org/
Expanded Publication List
Grants and Fellowships
AUBG Institutional Grant to the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) Innovation Hub grant, Contributor- 2016-2017. $300,000.00.
American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) International Conference Presentation Travel Grant, Fall 2011-$800; Spring 2013-$800; Fall 2014-$800; Spring 2016-$800,Fall 2017-$800, Fall 2018-$800.
COX Communication program support for North Omaha Media Alliance. Spring 2011- $1,500.00
Scholarship of Engagement Travel Grant. University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). 2010-$850.00
Social Media for Citizen News & Civic Engagement in North Omaha: A NOMA project. Midwest Consortium for Service-Learning. Spring 2010-$800.00; Fall 2010-$999.00
University Committee for the Advancement of Teaching (UCAT) Workshop Development Grant. Fall 2010-$1,300.00
UCAT Travel Grant for the National Communication Association Conference. UNO. 2007, 2008 & 2009-$800.00 each year
UCAT Teaching Circle Materials Support Grant. UNO. 2008 & 2009-$500.00 each year
Center for Collaboration Science Summer Grant for UNO/CMU/UMaine Second Life Project. UNO.2008-$1,500.00; 2009-$500.00
Social Media for Citizen News & Civic Engagement in North Omaha: A NOMA project. (PI). Midwest Consortium for Service-Learning. 2008-$10,000.00
Civic Participation Grant for NOMA. Service Learning Academy at UNO. 2008-$900.00
Education
Ph.D., Communication Studies, University of Kansas, August 2006.
M.A., Communication, University of New Mexico, December 1998.
B.S., Rhetoric & Communication, Kansas State University, May 1995.
Recent Presentations
Avramova, K. & Leonard, L.G. (November 2018). “Mergers and Acquisitions in the Media Industry: The Implications of the AT&T-Time Warner Merger.” Presented at Prague Media Point International Conference, Prague, Czech Republic.
Leonard, L.G. (November, 2017). “Mothering in a Strange Land: Online Social Support for Uncertainty Management.” On the panel, I’ve Got Friends in Virtual Spaces: Current Issues in Online Social Support Research. Presented at the National Communication Association Conference, Dallas, TX.
In the Media
Interviewed for Guarina, B. (August 28, 2018). Speaking of Science: When the ancient taboo of speaking ill of the dead goes online. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/08/28/when-ancient-taboo-speaking-ill-dead-goes-online/