Faculty Directory

Shannon Dyer is an associate professor of communication serving on the faculty at Ottawa University since 2005. She served as chair of the communication studies division for the residential campus in Kansas from 2005-2015. Prior to joining OU, Dyer served as a summer program instructor at Yale University and Northwestern University and has taught courses for Cornell University, Northwestern University, Loyola University of Chicago, and Lake Forest College. Her current projects include authoring and co-authoring web-based, open-source communication textbooks and conflict management program development.

Dyer completed her PhD in communication at Northwestern University. Her work with a top trial consulting firm in Chicago lead to her research on persuasion in juries and influence in groups.  She earned a Master of Science in Communication from Cornell University, and she has a B.A with majors in communication, psychology, art, and Spanish from Southwest Baptist University. Dyer coached five national championship teams for both Pi Kappa Delta and one for Delta Sigma Rho. PKD and DSR are national honor societies in speech and debate.  As an undergraduate competitor, Dyer’s team went undefeated for four years, including defending the PKD title for all four years.  Her award-winning undergraduate speeches were featured as examples in two speech textbooks.