About our authors
Dr. George Grice taught at Radford University, Auburn University at Montgomery, Sam Houston State University, and Trinity University. He earned a BA from the University of Illinois, an MA from Western Illinois University, and a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Grice taught courses in introductory and advanced public speaking, persuasion and social change, business and professional communication, and argumentation and advocacy. Convinced that communication competence is essential for academic and professional success, Dr. Grice sought to equip students with the skills necessary to generate, interpret, apply, and share knowledge and beliefs. He integrated communication instruction in a variety of formats: the traditional classroom, lecture-labs, distance education, interactive multimedia programs, and co-curricular speech and debate programs. He is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the Southern States Communication Association's Excellence in Teaching Award.
Dr. Daniel Mansson was born in Sweden and lived there until he was 18 years old. He then decided to pursue his education in the United States. He earned a BA from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, an MS from Radford University, and a PhD from West Virginia University. He is currently an associate professor at Penn State Hazleton where he teaches business communication, interpersonal communication, public speaking, and research methods, among other special topics courses. His research focuses primarily on affectionate communication in the grandparent-grandchild relationship, but he also studies college students' out-of-class interactions with professors. His research is often presented at meetings of the Eastern Communication Association and the National Communication Association, and approximately 40 of his studies have been published in regional, national, and international journals. On the rare occasions when Dr. Mansson has some time off, he enjoys windsurfing, traveling, cooking, and spending time with his friends, family, and his cat, Leo.
Dr. John Skinner, Professor Emeritus of Speech Communication, earned his BA, MA, and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. His graduate studies focused on the performance of literature, including strategies for presenting the written word orally and visually. He taught public speaking, introduction to speech communication, interpersonal communication, and business and professional communication. He co-directed intercollegiate speech teams and directed theater productions at Trinity University and San Antonio College. His respect for the power of the spoken word is evident in his writing about the importance and potential impact of well-delivered speeches. Dr. Skinner's teaching experience at a two-year community college, a private four-year university, and doctoral-degree public university as a graduate teaching assistant provided him insights and examples of diverse student audiences.
