Beloved Communications Professor John Daly Named Distinguished Scholar

By Rebecca Fontenot in Blog on November 19, 2010 at 2:03 pm

One of UT’s most popular professors, interpersonal-communications guru John Daly, has been named a Distinguished Scholar by the National Communication Association.

The prolific and dynamic Daly is the third UT professor to win the distinction, the NCA’s highest award (Dean Rod Hart and Professor Mark Knapp are the other two), since it was first awarded in 1991.

Daly teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on organizational behavior, customer service, and advocacy and persuasion. His interpersonal communications survey class is a campus favorite, and his 11 teaching awards speak for themselves.

“Teaching is, at its best, seduction,” Daly once said. “Your goal is to have students leave each class thinking what you are teaching is the most interesting, most important topic in the world.”

Daly has published more than 100 scholarly articles and six academic books; he is one of fewer than 60 scholars in the world who are Fellows of the International Communication Association.

Take a peek inside Daly’s office, which we at The Alcalde magazine believe reveals him to be a “well-intentioned whirlwind.”

Don’t yet get The Alcalde? Join the Texas Exes.

Photo courtesy of the College of Communication