West Virginia University

Speech Pathology and Audiology

Professor

http://www.hre.wvu.edu/

Dr. Atkins is perhaps best-known at WVU as the originator and instructor of Speaking to Communities (known popularly as “Jock Talk”), which she designed in 1990 specifically for the more visible members of the WVU population—its student-athletes.

She has published numerous articles, has taken a turn designing Internet instructional materials for her classes, and has a shelf full of teaching awards large and small, including her most recent, the 2005 West Virginia Professor of the Year Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

A professor of speech pathology and audiology in the College of Human Resources and Education, Dr. Atkins has been on both sides of the desk at WVU. After obtaining a bachelor’s in speech in 1969, she earned a master’s degree in 1970, a master’s equivalent in speech pathology in 1974, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction in 1977.

I don’t have one proudest moment as a teacher; fortunately, I have had many.

They occur when I watch and listen to former students before an audience, large or small, outside of the classroom—for example, during interviews with the press or at celebratory events such as being the invited speaker at a dinner or at a middle or high school event.

I am filled with pride when they incorporate communication techniques that they learned and practiced in class and when they are praised by others. It is the same feeling that I have when others compliment me on my children.

When freshmen enter college, the key theme is "balance."

While it is exciting to become independent, they must remember that the college experience comes with responsibility. Part of the responsibility is finding the proper balance between their academic lives and their personal and social lives. De-emphasizing one typically leads to problems, some of which take a long time to overcome.

I have learned that students usually respond to my expectations of them. If I let them know that I expect more from them, they generally respond in kind. My interest in them leads to their interest in themselves. Their interest in themselves leads to greater self-confidence and stronger performance.