In this two-part study, a value of communication (VOC) is conceptualized and operationalized to determine the worth an individual places on communication and its professional development for application in communication center training programs. In Study 1, a survey methodology evaluated the initially proposed VOC scale. An exploratory factor…

Student motivation has been researched from a variety of viewpoints such as that of student motivation and in the classroom, student motivation and learning, and student motivation and teacher immediacy. This study looks at the motivational factors of communication center tutors (n = 165) across the United States to determine what motivates them…

Prioritizing wellness and wellbeing is absolutely necessary for all schools, regardless of size or classification, and Communication Centers are uniquely positioned to serve their campus in impactful and meaningful ways. Communication Centers can and should develop into aspirational spaces where authentic experiences and stories are curated,…

The mission of university communication centers is to help all students succeed, and part of this mission is helping students with disabilities. The first component of helping students with disabilities within communication centers is to check that communication centers comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, compliance…

We offer as praxis--at the intersection between theory and practice--an essay examining what we are calling the "micro-geography" of the communication center. Specifically, we challenge communication center practitioners to think about the ways in which everyday practices and "bottom-up" efforts in our centers can work to…

At the University of North Carolina Greensboro's Speaking Center, recent formation of an Antiracist Values Committee, as well as former research completed by its members, have governed antiracist efforts. As one resource to students, the University of North Carolina Greensboro's Speaking Center offers tip sheets. These tip sheets are pamphlets…

Literary theorist and poet Kenneth Burke defines terministic screens as a rhetorical device that influences how individuals perceive and respond to a situation. They are a lens through which each individual looks at life, and are created through a person's experiences and language acquisition. The language used for one group may not be the same…

As a graduate assistant at the University Speaking Center (USC), Rebecca Ray investigated the ways how the diverse staff works together cohesively to be both fascinating and effective. She conducted two different focus groups at the USC during downtime to create an open dialogue for learning about what makes us diverse. She found that diversity is…

How humans learn is a topic explored by many disciplines. Eyler (2018) synthesized research from diverse fields such as developmental psychology, anthropology, and cognitive neuroscience to identify themes important for understanding the science behind learning. Three of these principles have important relevance for center work: curiosity,…

According to the National Council on Disability (2015), an estimated 2 million undergraduates have an identified disability and are, by law (i.e., the Americans with Disabilities Act [1990]), entitled to accommodations. The use of academic accommodations is positively correlated with increased grade point average (GPA), higher persistence rates,…

During Kellar Poteat's work as a graduate assistant at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) Speaking Center as well as her coursework in the UNCG Speech-Language Pathology master's program, she has begun to research the impacts communications centers can have on persons who stutter (PWS) or those with other communication disorders…

This paper looks at a mid-size state university's speaking center. At this speaking center, managing peers oversee consultants for hour-long shifts, and those who work together during these hour-long shifts are referred to as shift families. These families remain the same for the entire semester, and so effective personal communication between…

Communication Centers have traditionally been supportive campus places where students receive training and assistance with their communication skills. They are also often places where Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) principles are transformed into practice. This manuscript issues an invitation: that we intentionally expand those…

The UNC-Greensboro Speaking Center (SC) acknowledges the growing impact of social media as a means of sharing information, connecting with stakeholders, and fostering a community of practice. In this study, we review the history of social media integration into our center. After securing a presence primarily on multiple platforms, we shifted our…

Flourishing conversations between professionals in the public sphere are creating new opportunities for intercollegiate debate. This desire to expand debate outside of the Communication Studies community pushes the idea of debate beyond its traditional boundaries. Those who have witnessed these attempts to bring more disciplines into the world of…