Ashley Kennard
Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for Encouragement of Teachers (2024)
Since she arrived at OWU, Dr. Ashley Kennard has taught ten communication courses, supervised multiple independent studies and directed readings, and served as faculty for OWU's Summer Bridge Program. Dr. Kennard serves on OWU's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Council and is co-chair for the biennial Melvin Van Peebles Symposium. In the classroom, "Dr. K," as her students fondly call her, doesn't just teach students; she engages and encourages them, challenges them, and inspires them. A colleague once said that "she demonstrates the hallmark characteristics of intellectual curiosity and is a person we could all learn from." Dr. Kennard teaches the whole student and recognizes individual struggles as well as individual strengths.
She's known for the rigor of her courses, holding students accountable for their learning, but students also hail her approachability and flexibility—something not easily achieved. Advocacy and activism are central to Dr. Kennard's research, as evidenced by her work on intercultural and conflict communication, and her pedagogy is DEI work in action. In 2023, she was honored with the Ohio Communication Association's Distinguished New Teacher Award. Dr. Kennard is an exemplary teacher-scholar who remains committed to her students, is steadfast in her pursuit of social justice and higher learning, and is truly a treasure to OWU.