our Faculty
Jonathan Shailor, Professor of Communication; Certificate Program in Conflict Analysis and Resolution Director
By developing their abilities to communicate effectively, I want my students to gain a greater sense of meaning, purpose, and connection. I want them to see themselves as agents of change, as people who will go on to make a difference in the world.
Degrees Held:
- Ph.D. - University of Massachusetts at Amherst
- M.A. - University of Massachusetts at Amherst
- B.A. - University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Career Highlights:
- Recipient of the 2023 University of Wisconsin System Teaching Excellence Award
- A professor at UW-Parkside for 28 years, teaching 22 different courses
- Applies teaching and learning to unconventional spaces beyond the university classroom
- Engaged his students in numerous regional organizations that serve elementary and high school students, as well as the incarcerated and homeless
- Founded and directed the Certificate Program in Conflict Analysis and Resolution
- Founded and directed the Shakespeare Prison Project between UW-Parkside and the Racine Correctional Institution, inviting inmates to explore new ways of expressing themselves and productive ways to address conflict through acting in Shakespeare plays
- Participated in UW System professional development programs, often as a facilitator and leader
- Earned the Sister Joel Read Civic Engagement Practitioners Award from Wisconsin Campus Compact in 2017 and the Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Educators Award in Racine and Kenosha in 2015
In which online program(s) do you teach?
What do you want students to take away from your classes?
By developing their abilities to communicate effectively, I want my students to gain a greater sense of meaning, purpose, and connection. I want them to better understand and exercise their own power by seeing how their moment-to-moment choices of action and interpretation help to create the worlds in which they live. I want them to see themselves as agents of change, as people who will go on to make a difference in the world.
Why did you start teaching?
My life was changed by three teachers: one who taught me the value of ensemble work and artistic expression, another who ignited my passion for literature and performance, and a third who showed me that communication is the key to a connected, meaningful, and purposeful life. Knowing how essential these teachers were in my own personal development, I wanted to give back.
What advice would you give to your future online students?
When you commit to an online course, commit to the entire seven weeks. Do not plan to start late, or end early, or to take time off during the time that you are enrolled. Expect to dedicate a significant amount of time to the course each week.
What is the value of a higher degree in the field in which you teach?
Employers agree that communication and conflict resolution are essential skills for employees who intend to rise through the ranks. They want leaders who turn toward, not away from problems; leaders who can engage with and manage a diverse workforce.
What is the one book you think everyone should read?
“A Call to Cosmopolitan Communication: A Narrative of Richness and Mystery” by Arthur Jensen. This book is both theoretical and practical. It shows us the profound implications of understanding the richness and complexity of communication, and demonstrates how communication is the fundamental process through which we create our social worlds.
What do you do when you need a laugh?
I play with my cats!
Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students might not know.
For my 50th birthday, I ran and successfully completed the Boston Marathon, raising $11,000 for cancer research in the process.
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