Dr. Jack Kay (1951-2015) was a distinguished member of the communication community. He was a past president of the Central States Communication Association, the Michigan Association of Speech Communication, the Nebraska Speech Communication Association, and Delta Sigma Rho / Tau Kappa Alpha. He served as chair at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, as Associate Provost for student services, Interim Dean of the College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs, Interim Dean of the College of Fine Performing and Communication Arts, and Professor of Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication at Wayne State, as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs and interim chancellor at the University of Michigan - Flint, and provost and executive vice president at Eastern Michigan University.
As a communication teacher-scholar, Kay was extensively published in the fields of argumentation, rhetoric and political communication. He researched and spoke on issues such as race, diversity and the language of oppression. He frequently presented on Anti-Semitism on the internet and hate in cyberspace. His publications include the book Argumentation: Inquiry and Advocacy, book chapters, journal articles, and many newspaper editorials. His contribution to doctoral advising was recognized with the Wayne State University Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award in 1998.
The Jack Kay Award for Community Engagement and Applied Communication Scholarship recognizes communication faculty who have achieved notable records of success in applying their work to solve issues of social injustice, inequality, intolerance and prejudice. As such, the award celebrates and promotes engaged and applied scholarship and well as activism informed by communication scholarly inquiry. The award is made possible through a generous gift from the Michigan Association of Speech Communication.
Applications for the 2018 award are being accepted through January 15, 2018. Applicants should submit the following:
The recipient will receive an honorarium to support their engaged scholarship. The selection will be made by a committee composed of:
Matthew Seeger, Chair, Wayne State University
Ruth Kay, Detroit Country Day Upper School
Mark McPhail, Indiana University Northwest
Donald Ritzenhein, Eastern Michigan University (retired)
Sharon (Shea) Howell, Oakland University
Applications should be submitted to:
Matthew W. Seeger, Ph.D.
Professor and Dean
College of Fine, Performing & Communication Arts
5104 Gullen Mall- The Linsell House
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI 48202
Past recipients are:
2017
Sharon (Shea) Howell, Oakland University