Course Offerings: Communications
| Full-Time | |||
| Karen Brown ...at the North Campus | 362-7236 7517 | Office: S200D NA317 | |
| Frank Carter | 362-7431 | Office: S202D | |
| Paige Clark | 362-7518 | Office: S200K | |
| Jason Earnhardt | 362-7441 | Office: S200K | |
| Tom Green | 362-7206 | Office: S602N | |
| Philip Jacobs | 362-7568 | Office: S411 | |
| Amanda Lee | 362-7440 | Office: S200J | |
| Melissa Reynolds | 362-7439 | Office: S200J | |
| Ericka Shepard | 362-7561 | Office: S202B | |
BIOS:
Karen Brown
I was born in a small town in Southern Illinois. I married my high school sweetheart and have been married to him for 28 years. We have one daughter who attends Cape Fear Community College.
I got a B.A. degree from Southern Illinois University where I majored in Early Childhood Education. I worked in offices at colleges and universities (athletic office, plant pathology, etc.) for years helping my husband with his higher education. We lived in Kentucky, Illinois, and Texas. Twenty years after I finished college, I decided it was time for me to go back to graduate school. After spending five years working at a large institution, I became fascinated with a new field in communication called Organizational Communication. I began my studies at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky where I was a graduate teaching assistant. I taught four lab sections for Public Speaking and Interpersonal Communication. My family moved to Louisville, after that spring semester at Murray State. To continue my studies in Organizational Communication, I drove from Louisville to Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green every other weekend for 2 years. I received my Master of Arts in December 1997. I taught “part time” in Louisville after that at University of Louisville, Jefferson Community College, and Bellarmine College.
I was hired full-time at Cape Fear Community College after one semester and one summer session of being part time. I’ve been here for six years. I am presently the communication instructor with seniority at CFCC. I love my job.
Teaching Philosophy and Methodology:
My philosophy of teaching involves “a hands on” approach. I believe in letting students be responsible for their education, but at the same time I try to make learning fun and exciting throughout the semester.
I involve students in the learning process through interactive projects and assignments. With a background in early childhood education, I believe adults learn the same way children do, through their senses. I agree with John Dewey’s “learning by doing” philosophy, and I try to integrate this into the classroom. By doing so, I believe in giving students assignment choices; it empowers the students to have control over what they learn about a particular chapter. Students get a sense of ownership and it excites them about what they are learning in class.
I believe that with these philosophies I am making some sort of a significant difference in these student’s lives. I am helping them create goals and set standards for themselves, as well as helping them communicate more effectively. By doing this I am showing them the pathway to a more enlightened future.
Frank Carter is originally from the Piedmont region of North Carolina and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio-Television-Film from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s Degree in Speech Communication from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.Carter has spent most of his career in the North Carolina Community College system where he has taught Television and Film Production, Theatre, Photography and Communication. During his career he has also worked in the Cable TV industry serving as Special Projects Coordinator for cable operations of the Daily Press/Times Herald Newspapers of Newport News, Virginia. He also served in several capacities with the Virginia Cable TV Association as well as serving as a liaison between the Cable industry and the U.S. Congressional committees on communication, specifically dealing with copyright issues before congress. Today, Frank Carter chairs the Humanities and Fine Arts Department at Cape Fear Community College. This department includes Music, Art, Theatre, Foreign Languages, Religion, Philosophy and Film. He is married with two daughters, both of whom have either majored, or are currently majoring in Communication.
Jason Earnhardt I love teaching. I think this is the best job in the world and I look forward to each day in the classroom. I grew up in Concord, North Carolina listening to my father talk about his experiences in the classroom (he taught at a community college for thirty three years before retiring). The study of communications affects everyone in subtle and not so subtle ways and my goal is to have the material impact each person and make it applicable to their experiences.
My journey to Cape Fear began at UNC Charlotte where I received a bachelor’s degree in communication and entered the workforce as a Public Relations Practitioner in downtown Charlotte. Also, after graduating, I worked as a seasonal Park Ranger in Yellowstone National Park for a few summers. These experiences served as a catalyst to return to school and I received my master’s degree in 2001 from UNC Chapel Hill. While at Chapel Hill, I was able to teach a few classes and decided that was what I wanted to do as a career. After teaching at several other community colleges and universities, I am happy to be here at Cape Fear, close to the water and waves.
Philip Jacobs holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Arts degree in Communication from Southern Illinois University. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia and a Master of Arts degree in Religion from the University of Virginia.
He is the author of The Life and Photography of Doris Ulmann, University of Kentucky Press and A Guide to the Study of Greco-Roman and Jewish and Christian History and Literature, University Press of America. His Glossary for the Study of Works of Art on Paper and Antiquarian Books is forthcoming. Presently, he is working on The Other Person in the Picture: The Portrayal of Joseph the Carpenter in the History of Western Art. He has also curated several photographic shows on the life and photography of Doris Ulmann. His work in the humanities and the arts has been acknowledged by numerous scholars.
Today, Philip Jacobs serves as an Instructor in Humanities and Communication in the Humanities and Fine Arts Department at Cape Fear Community College where he teaches Critical Thinking, Bible, World Religion, Technology and Society, Public Speaking, and Introduction to Communication. He is the proud father of two wonderful young adults.
Amanda Lee
If you take any of my classes, I tend to go into boring detail about my background. In order not to test your patience, I will provide just the highlights. It is my hope that sharing this information with you will explain a little about my perspective on teaching and better establish my credentials. I was born in Texas but raised in Richmond, Virginia. I returned to Texas for college. I attended Baylor University in Waco and earned a BA degree in Telecommunications (Radio, TV, Film) and a MA degree in Communication Studies. After graduating with my Masters and while waiting for my boyfriend to propose marriage to me, I taught Public Speaking at Texas A&M. Finally, my boyfriend proposed and we married. At which point, I was ready to move back to Virginia. Instead, we settled on North Carolina and moved to Roanoke Rapids. There I worked for a national home oxygen company and was the Director of Personnel, Training & Development, Quality Assurance (all of the jobs no one else wanted). This job provided great "real world" experience and I am a much better instructor because of this opportunity. Once I left the corporate world, I returned to academics by teaching Communications at Nash Community College in Rocky Mount, NC. Next, my family moved to Wilmington and I began to teach at Cape Fear Community College. I have been married for nearly fifteen years and love being married. I have two wonderful girls, ages nine and four. Currently, I am working on my PhD in Communication.
When teaching, I see my role as a mediator and want to guide the learning as opposed to forcing students to learn. I try to provide flexibility in my courses to allow students some control over the format and discussions within the classroom. I love teaching and hope that my passion for Communication and my job is evident.
Ms. Lissa Reynolds, Communication Instructor Humanities/ Fine Arts DepartmentCape Fear Community College B.A., Auburn University - Journalism/ PR M.A., Auburn University – Communication Ms. Reynolds has worked professionally in public relations with United Way and Big Brothers/ Big Sisters and various other organizations in Atlanta, Georgia, Dothan, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky and Texas. After working in PR corporate positions, she worked full time as a personal trainer for a year in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ms. Reynolds began her teaching career as a graduate assistant at Auburn University where she taught public speaking classes. She moved to San Angelo, Texas where she became a full time instructor and taught public speaking classes at Angelo State University. In 2000, Ms. Reynolds moved to Wilmington, North Carolina to teach as a full time communication instructor. She continues to teach, do some personal training and is currently taking acting lessons.
