Profile:
Dr. Jaclyn S. Marsh, “Dr. J", is an Assistant Teaching Professor and Basic Course Director for COMM 1020: Introduction to Public Speaking. In her role, she oversees the training and development of graduate instructors, equipping them with the tools to teach in their own voice while maintaining program-wide consistency and standards.
Dr. J is currently a provider on a $2 million National Science Foundation grant focused on strengthening graduate students' instructional skills and professional growth through peer mentoring and structured professional development. Her commitment to innovation in the classroom is equally evident in her pioneering use of virtual reality technology in the public speaking curriculum — a forward-thinking initiative made possible through collaborative leadership within her department.
A dedicated educator at heart, Dr. J finds her greatest reward in guiding students to their "ah ha" moments — those transformative instances when a subject clicks and confidence begins to grow. That passion for accessible, impactful communication education is also reflected in her scholarship. She is the author of Public Speaking Simplified: Removing Speech Anxiety, published by Kendall Hunt in 2026.
Education:
Ph.D. Interpersonal and Family Communication, The University of Nebraska – Lincoln
M.A. Communication, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
B.A. Broadcasting and Mass Communication, Baldwin-Wallace University
Courses Taught:
Introduction to Public Speaking
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal Communication – Non-Majors
Family Communication
Business and Professional Speaking
Dark Side of Interpersonal
Selective Representative Work:
Marsh, J. S. (2026). Public speaking simplified: Removing speech anxiety. Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
