Melissa Rae Franke

7407 60th St. West #304

University Place, WA 98467

310-622-5663

Education

Ph.D., (2002 – present) University of Southern California. Annenberg School of Communication, expected completion: Spring 2007.

Dissertation Title: “Constraining Stories: Policy, Culture, and Meeting a Narrative Burden of Proof in Rhetoric about Cuba.”

M.A., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Department of Communication Studies, 2003.

Thesis Title: “Traveling to the Exterior: Antagonisms, Hegemony, and the Cuban Embargo.”

B.A., Willamette University. Double Major: Rhetoric & Media Studies and Philosophy, 1996.

Conference Presentations

“Stirring the Imagination: Narrative, Hegemony, and Universality in Foreign Policy Discourse.” Paper presented at National Communication Association 2006 Convention, San Antonio, TX.

“Telling a Better Story: Culture, Policy, and Public Diplomacy with Cuba.” Paper presented at National Communication Association 2005 Convention, Boston, MA.

“Toward a Theory of Radical Deliberation in Foreign Policy Debate.” Paper presented at 2005 Alta Argumentation Conference, Alta UT.

“Story Debate: Narrative Presumption and George W. Bush’s War Justifications.” Paper presented at National Communication Association 2004 Convention, Chicago, IL.

“Finding a Digital Voice: Community Digital Storytelling as Social Movement.” Paper presented at International Communication Association 2004 Convention, New Orleans, LA

“Reciprocity in Cross-Blog Debates: Blogging the Iraq War Debate.” Talk presented at Blogs and Deliberative Democracy Conference, University of Southern California, March 2004.

Research Experience

Editorial Assistant, Argumentation and Advocacy, (Fall 2003-Present)

Teaching Experience

Visiting Assistant Professor, Pacific Lutheran University (2006-Present)

Public Speaking

Argumentation

Introduction to Communication

Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Southern California.

Instructor: Rhetoric in Contemporary Culture (Spring 2006)

Instructor: Argumentation and Advocacy (Fall 2005, Spring 2005, Fall 2004, Fall 2003, Spring 2003)

Instructor: Public Speaking (Summer 2004, Fall 2002)

Teaching Assistant: Policy Task Force on Cuba: School of International Relations (Spring 2005)

Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Instructor: Argumentation and Debate (Spring 2002, Fall 2001)

Instructor: Public Speaking (Summer 2001)

Instructor: Oral Communication (Fall 2001)

Teaching Assistant: Communication and Social Process (Spring 2001)

Teaching Assistant: Environmental Communication (Spring 2001)

Teaching Assistant: Political Communication (Fall 2000)

Teaching Assistant: Introduction to Performance of Literature (Fall 2000)

Trainer, Provost’s Initiative on Academic Culture—Student Speakers’ Bureau, University of Southern California (Fall 2004)

Faculty, Claremont Parliamentary Debate Institute (Summer 2005, Summer 2004)

Faculty, National Parliamentary Debate Workshop, Willamette University (Summer 2005, Summer 2004, Summer 2000, Summer 1999)

Awards

Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Annenberg School of Communication, 2005

Departmental Service

Member of Search Committee, Communication and Journalism Position, (Fall 2005-Spring 2006)

Secretary, Annenberg Communication Graduate Student Association (2003-2004)

Treasurer, Communication Graduate Student Association, University of North Carolina, (2001-2002)

Debate and Speech Experience

Director of Forensics, Pacific Lutheran University (2006-Present)

Debate Coach, University of Southern California (2002-2004)

Acting Director of Forensics, Willamette University (Fall 1999)

Assistant Director of Forensics, Willamette University (1998-2000)

Speech and Debate Coach, Willamette University (1997-1998)

Assistant Director of Forensics, University of Puget Sound (1996-1997)