Specialization—

Rhetoric / Persuasion

Rhetoric is the art of effective communication, often connected to persuasion. The rhetorical arts account for context, audience, time, genre, style, and other factors to calculate optimal connections with specific readers or listeners. In short, by thinking more rhetorically, one can communicate more rhetorically.

Professional Communication

Speaking or writing in the workplace is no simple task. Sometimes, we must delicately balance a variety of aims and audiences. Whether managing teams, presenting pitches, or responding to interview questions, we seek to be eloquent and relevant.  Appropriate workplace communication helps us get the right things done—and motivate others to get the right things done, too.

Writing Arts

Although speaking is a crucial means of communication, writing can be more difficult. After all, a writer often cannot instantaneously react and adjust to his or her audience in real time. Accordingly, effective writing requires deliberate foresight before a composition goes live. Such foresight requires rhetorical vigilance.

Contemplation

The “vita contemplativa” or the contemplative life can help cultivate attitudes and habits that outwardly manifest themselves in actions. For our purposes, contemplation helps guide effective communication. It establishes a deeper and stronger foundation to build rhetorically-minded speaking and writing habits.

Storytelling

As we pursue communication excellence, we can embrace how and why stories operate. Powerful storytelling demands a rich understanding of human experience. When more deeply examining story, we can optimize our own storytelling and connect to others in dynamic and memorable ways.