Deanna Dannels

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Bio

Dr. Deanna Dannels serves as the dean of NC State’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS), one of the university’s largest colleges, a role she has held since 2021. Leading over 4,600 students across eight academic departments, two schools, and two centers, she advocates for the centrality of the human perspective in addressing technological, societal and scientific challenges.

As dean, Dannels spearheaded the development and implementation of a bold strategic plan focused on becoming the most innovative humanities and social sciences college in the nation. Her leadership has focused on transformative initiatives, such as undergraduate cohort scholar programs that provide underserved students with high-impact experiences and professional development and faculty research reboot programs supporting those disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dannels has also expanded humanities and social sciences outreach in North Carolina’s public schools, created wellness-focused initiatives like Wellness Week and a wellness and belongingness grant program, secured funding to support innovative projects addressing societal challenges, and tackled critical salary concerns for faculty, graduate students, and staff.

As an accomplished scholar and educator, Dannels has received numerous accolades, including the college’s Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor Award and Board of Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching; NC State’s Outstanding Teacher Award; and recognition from the National Council of Teachers of English for Best Article on Pedagogy or Curriculum. Her research emphasizes teacher training, faculty development, and incorporating communication instruction in scientific and pre-professional disciplines, such as engineering and design.

Dannels passionately advocates for the value of a humanistic education for all, frequently declaring that “EVERY NC State student is a CHASS student!” She underscores the transferable skills students acquire in the college and wholeheartedly embraces its role within NC State’s land-grant mission, showcasing the impact of the humanities and social sciences on North Carolina citizens and beyond. With heartwork at the center of her leadership, Dannels is dedicated to cultivating a community of care, while also seizing opportunities to embrace levity and lightheartedness.

Before becoming dean, Dannels served in various leadership roles, including associate dean of academic affairs, co-director of the Campus Writing and Speaking Program, director of graduate programs, and director of graduate student training. She also served as editor of Communication Education, a leading journal exploring the intersections of communication, teaching and learning.

Dannels holds a B.A. in communication and history from Gonzaga University and both an M.A. and Ph.D. in communication from the University of Utah.

Research Publications

Sample publications:

Editor-in-Chief, Communication Education (Volumes 67-69). 2018-2020: Leading national journal in field of communication focused on educational scholarship; sole editor for four volumes (each with four issues). Special forum in each issue titled “Wicked Problems: Imagining a New Landscape for Communication, Teaching, and Learning.”

Dannels, D.P., Palmerton, P., & Gaffney, A.L. (2017). Incorporating Oral Communication in the Disciplines: A Resource for Teacher Development and Training. Parlor Press.

Dannels, D.P.  (2015). Eight Essential Questions Teachers Ask: A Guidebook to Communicating with Students. New York: Oxford University Press.

Dannels, D.P. (2020). Ode to Light: a swan song. Communication Education, 69(4), 549-557.

Dannels, D.P. (2018). In the thresholds of scholarly transition. Communication Education, 67(1), 1-6.

Dannels, D.P. (2016). Opening lines: Scholarly inquiry and learning outcomes in communication. Communication Education, 65(4), 480-483.

Dannels, D.P. (2015).  Teacher Communication Concerns Revisited:  Calling into Question the Gnawing Pull Towards Equilibrium.  Communication Education, 64(1), 83-106.

Dannels, D.P., Darling, A., Fassett, D.L., Kerssen-Grief, J., Lane, D., Mottet, T.P., Neinby, K., & Sellnow, D. (2014).  Inception:  Beginning a New Conversation about Communication Pedagogy and Scholarship. Communication Education 63(4), 366-382.

Anson, C., Dannels, D., Flash, P., and Housley Gaffney, A. (2012). Big Rubrics and Weird Genres: The Futility of Using Generic Assessment Tools Across Diverse Instructional Contexts. Journal of Writing Assessment.

Dannels, D.P. (2011). Relational genre knowledge and the online design critique: Relational authenticity in preprofessional genre learning. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 25(1), 3-35.

Dannels, D.P., Housley Gaffney, A.L. & Norris Martin, K. (2011). Students’ talk about the climate of feedback interventions in the critique. Communication Education, 60(1), 95-114.