Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Diane Badzinski

Meet Dr. Diane Badzinski

Degrees and Experience
  • Ph.D., Communication (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
  • M.A., Communication (University of California-Santa Barbara)
  • B.A., Communication and Criminal Justice (St. Cloud State)
Biography and Professional Achievements

Dr. Diane Badzinski says that it has been such a joy for her to serve as a faculty member at CCU for over ten years. She delights in sharing her passions and giftedness with CCU's students, equipping and encouraging them to think critically and creatively, to speak eloquently, and to write effectively. Badzinski prays that her students are well-trained to be a powerful voice for faith in their chosen professions.

Badzinski teaches a wide variety of communication courses — public speaking, interpersonal, nonverbal, cross-cultural, research methods — all from a biblical perspective. She loves to write on the intersection of communication and Christianity, inviting students to join her on those projects. It is Badzinski's hope that students catch her passion for research and writing, and the ways faith is reflected in those practices.

Publications
  • Saint Benedict of Nursia: Wisdom from the Rule for Rethinking Relational Dialects Theory, in Words and witnesses: Communication studies in Christian thought from Athanasius to Desmond Tutu. Hendrickson Publishers.
  • An essential guide to interpersonal communication: Building great relationships with skill, faith, and virtue in the age of social media. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
  • Challenging sacred spending: Evangelicals’ consumption of Jesus merchandise. In Evangelicals and popular culture: Pop goes the Gospel. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
  • Sacred symbols with a secular beat: A content analysis of religious and sexual imagery in modern rock, hip-hop, Christian, and country music videos. Journal of Religion and Popular Culture.
  • Gender, religiosity, and the telling of Christian conversion narratives. The Journal for the Sociological Integration of Religion and Society.
Awards and Honors
  • Recipient of the Faculty Scholarship Award, College of Undergraduate Studies, Colorado Christian University.
  • Selected to serve on the Christianity and Communication Studies Network (CCSN) Advisory Board, developing an online social network for teachers, researchers, and others engaged in the study of Christianity and communication studies.
  • Recipient of Colorado Christian University “Apple Awards” for contributions to students, and “Favorite Professor” recognitions presented from student athletes to their favorite teachers.
  • Recipient of the Outstanding Affiliate Faculty Award for contributions in the Masters of Communication Program [online], Spring Arbor University.