Lipscomb instructor leads D.C. business communication seminar
Chris Pepple |
The Association for Business Communication (ABC), an international organization promoting excellence in business communication scholarship, research, education and practice, recently completed their 72nd annual international convention in Washington, D.C. The membership of the ABC is interdisciplinary, drawing members from such fields as management, marketing, English, speech communication, linguistics and information systems and encompasses members in North America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
Leanne Smith (’89), instructor in management with Lipscomb University and ABC member, recently led a 25-minute session at the D.C. conference speaking on the conference theme of “Influence and Responsibility: Expanding Roles, Relationships, Requirements.” After submitting an abstract detailing her communication lessons learned from the movie CastAway, Smith was selected as a presenter for one of the sessions at the three-day convention.
“As I watched the movie CastAway with Tom Hanks, I realized it illustrated several principles I hoped to emphasize to students in upcoming classes,” said Smith. “First, it teaches the importance of telling our stories. Second, it reminds us that people need relationship. Third, it shows the importance of jobs and occupation in our lives.”
Smith, who holds a master of science in mass communication from Middle Tennessee State University and is completing a Specialized MBA at Lipscomb with an emphasis in leadership, relays to students the importance of choosing work that fits their calling and the value of their relationships in life. She appreciates her opportunity to teach and reach out to students through the business communication class.
“I also enjoyed the opportunity to travel to Washington. It is exciting to be around people who do what I do, who teach what I teach,” said Smith, who previously wrote a weekly family humor column for the Hickman County Times and the Buffalo River Review. “There’s a lot of variety within the business communication field. Many different perspectives were represented at the conference. I appreciated the opportunity to represent Lipscomb University and speak from a Christian perspective.”