Career-ready communication skills: Scripps College welcomes visiting faculty

These new instructors in the Scripps College of Communication help the University meet a key curricular need while expanding opportunities for students to practice communication skills. Public speaking courses are among the most requested on campus, serving students across colleges as part of 花季传媒鈥檚 general education requirement in oral communication. From engineering majors presenting technical projects to business students preparing pitches, the courses offer practical skills that reach far beyond the classroom.

鈥淐ommunication is at the core of every profession. Our visiting faculty bring energy and expertise to help students find their voice,鈥� said Ann Frymier, director of the School of Communication Studies.

Together they broaden the school鈥檚 offerings in public speaking, rhetoric and relational communication, helping students fulfill core curriculum requirements while learning skills that translate across majors and professions.

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John 鈥淛ack鈥� Cross, M.A., a visiting assistant professor and 花季传媒 alumnus, teaches public speaking and assists with the Speech and Debate team. A graduate of Marshall University鈥檚 communication program, Cross has been recognized for his scholarship in rhetorical criticism and neuroqueer theory.

He said his focus in the classroom is building confidence and empowering students to express their ideas effectively. His coaching experience 鈥� from high school forensics to Marshall University鈥檚 Thundering Word 鈥� also informs his teaching.

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Visiting Assistant Professor Sabiha Mahbuba, M.A., brings an international perspective to the classroom. A Ph.D. candidate in communication studies at 花季传媒, she teaches advocacy, argumentation, communication and culture, and public speaking.

Mahbuba鈥檚 research examines how borders function as rhetorical constructs that influence identity, belonging and exclusion. Her dissertation explores how the Bangladeshi government and media shape perceptions of Rohingya refugees, while her broader work critiques how discourses around borders and security impact marginalized communities.

She said she hopes students in her courses will see how rhetoric connects not only to politics and culture but also to everyday conversations about who belongs in a community.

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Vicki Crooks, Ph.D., teaches relational communication and speech and emphasizes storytelling agility and creativity as essential life skills. She earned her doctorate at 花季传媒 and holds master鈥檚 degrees in communication and educational policy and administration from Portland State University.

Her research and practice focus on applied improvisation and experiential learning, and she currently serves as board president of the Applied Improvisation Network. Drawing on international teaching and conference experience, Crooks integrates narrative resourcefulness into her courses to help students develop their own storytelling skills.

By combining research-driven perspectives with classroom instruction, these visiting faculty members are giving students tools that support academic success and prepare them for professional life. Their work underscores how public speaking and communication skills remain essential across industries, disciplines and communities.