Our professors are distinguished scholars, active researchers, published writers, and faithful Christians who demonstrate what it means to be both Christ-followers and leaders in their academic fields. As mentors and role models, they play a huge role in the integration of faith and learning at Bethel.
Department Chair
Peggy Kendall
Department Chair and Professor of Communication Studies | p-kendall@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1999
Kendall is a recent Fulbright Scholar who spent time in Poland researching issues related to eldercare. Her current field of study examines caregivers—specifically how culture impacts an individual's willingness to care for an aging relative and how COVID-19 has impacted the relationship between caregiver and elder. Her secondary research and writing focuses on how technology impacts faith, relationships, and identity.
Ripley Smith
Department Chair and Professor of Media Communication | r-smith@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2008
Smith has research interests in social networks and socio-cultural adjustment, trust development in partnerships across cultures and organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international crisis intervention processes, and prophetic rhetoric.
Faculty
Nancy Brule
Professor of Communication Studies | n-brule@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2004
Brule's research interests include family communication, adolescent/parent communication, high-risk adolescents, conflict, and abusive relationships.
Michael Dreher
Professor of Communication Studies | mdreher@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1997
Dreher's research and publishing have focused on political and religious rhetoric, the rhetoric of mathematics and science, and forensic pedagogy. He is also interested in issues of web accessibility and standards.
Andrew Gess
Associate Professor of Communication Studies, Director of Internships | a-gess@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2001
Gess conducts research in the areas of organizational and corporate communication, rhetorical theory, media ecology, and the study of social movements.
Abigail Ibisch
Adjunct Instructor of Communication Studies | abigail-ibisch@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017
Adjunct Instructor of Communication Studies
Jessica Samens
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies | j-samens@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2009
Samens' research interests include health communication, focusing on identity after an illness, disclosure of health status, and health disparity.
Scott Sochay
Associate Professor of Communication Studies | socsco@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1999
Sochay's research and teaching interests include media law, media technology, and Native Americans and the media.
Arthur Terry
Associate Professor of Communication Studies | a-terry@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2006
Terry's research interests include screenwriting, film, the history of film, and the films of African American filmmakers.