I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing from Millikin University in May 2007. In the fall, I began graduate studies at Clemson University, pursuing my Master of Arts in Professional Communication. My research interests include visual argument, animated media, alternative pedagogies, and the role of objectivity in American journalism. 
Welcome
I have never considered writing a one-dimensional, linear technology. Even in my childhood, when my classmates were writing and submitting standard five-paragraph essays, I recognized the creative and visual impacts of writing. My papers were often accompanied by graphics, unique font choices, and, as I learned new technology, non-traditional layouts and graphical cover pages. I was never satisfied by simply completing a composition. Indeed, my compositions were never complete without some creative element. Writing as creative action really drew me to study the art.
On the other hand, professional communication, a field not often recognized for its creative endeavors, caught my attention primarily because of its unfortunate stereotype. As I explored the possibility of studying professional communication, my literature professors chided me for choosing a discipline with such “boring” content, insisting that more creative fields might better suit my abilities. The more I learned about professional communication—even in its most “boring” manifestations: manual writing, technical editing, scientific writing, etc.—the more I realized its potential for creative expression. Manuals, for example, are not inherently boring, difficult to use, or aesthetically unattractive. Their content and design result from their writer. When writers detach themselves from the product, no matter its shape and content, the intended audience suffers. In this suffering, I find a tremendous need for creativity and genuine concern. I plan to bring both to my field of study and eventual career.
As a visual rhetorician, I acknowledge and welcome the pervasive nature of visual discourse across academia, striving to understand and incorporate this relatively new study of a modern communicative genre in every facet of my research. Though my interests remain primarily in visual argument, my scholarship spans a broad spectrum of related topics including pop culture and social justice pedagogy (with an emphasis on animated media), information design, and the cultural/professional influences of “new media” and “infotainment.”
Recently, I presented two papers at the Central States Communication Association Conference: “All the News You Need to Know: An exploratory rhetorical analysis of infotainment programming targeting the 18 to 24-year-old demographic” (coauthored with Kyle Fritz of the University of Florida) and “Taking Humor Seriously: A Pedagogical Approach in Challenging Prejudice” (co-authored with Dr. Priscilla Meddaugh of Millikin University).
I hope you enjoy reading and viewing this portfolio as much as I enjoyed creating it. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Daniel T. Richards
