David Palmer

• PhD, Bowling Green State University, Communication, Bowling Green, Ohio
• MA, Ohio University, Communication, Athens, Ohio
• BA, Wheaton College, Communication, Wheaton, Illinois

• Professor, University of Northern Colorado: 2014-Present
• Associate Professor, University of Northern Colorado: 2004-2014
• Assistant Professor, University of Northern Colorado: 1999-2004
• Instructor, University of Northern Colorado: 1997-1999
• Graduate Teaching Associate, Bowling Green State University: 1994-1997
• Instructor: University of Virginia’s College at Wise: 1992-1994
• Graduate Teaching Associate, Ohio University: 1991-1992
• ——————-
• Past Chair, Activism and Social Justice Division, National Communication Association: (incremental roles) 2019-2021
• Dr. Palmer has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Communication and Social Activism, Communication and Power, Music as Social Commentary, Rhetorical Theory, Communication Theory, Pedagogical Communication, Relational Communication, Organizational Communication, Small Group Communication,  Intercultural Communication, Nonverbal Communication, and Public Speaking.
• Dr. Palmer was the Basic Course Director of the Public Speaking Program at UNC from 2002-2011.

Education Theory and Critical Education, Activism Pedagogy

Books:

Frey, L. R., & Palmer, D. L. (Eds.). (2014). Teaching communication activism: Communication education for social justice. New York, NY: Hampton Press. *Awarded the 2015 Edited Book of the Year Award by the Applied Division of the National Communication Association.

Notable Scholarship:

Palmer, D.L. (2024, November). And Justice For All: Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Ideological Diversity in Communication Activism Education. National Communication Association Conference; New Orleans, LA.

Palmer, D. (2021). Student activist mentor letters as a form of social movement-building in communication activism pedagogy (pp 133-162). In K. Blinne (Ed.) Grading justice: Teacher-activist approaches to assessment. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.

Palmer, D. L. (2019, February). Navigating the Civic Volunteer—Activist Pluralism in Communication Activism Pedagogy. Western States Communication Association Conference, Seattle, WA.

Palmer, D., Artz, L., McConnell, K., & Russel, V. (2018, November). Current Dilemmas in Communication Activism Pedagogy. Presented at the National Communication Association Convention; Salt Lake City, Utah.

Palmer, D. L. (2017). Exploring how communication is central to social activism. In C. K. Rudick, K. B. Golsan, & K. Cheesewright (Eds.), Teaching from the Heart:  Critical Communication Pedagogy in the Communication Classroom (pp.125-131). San Diego, CA: Cognella.

Frey, L. R. & Palmer, D. L. (2017). Communication activism pedagogy and research: communication education scholarship to promote social justice.  Communication Education 66, 3, 362-367.

Frey, L. R. & Palmer, D. L. (2017). Turning communication activism pedagogy teaching into communication activism pedagogy research.  Communication Education 66, 3, 380-382.

Palmer. D. L. (2016). Advocacy and the perils of group membership. In A. Kurylo (Ed.), Negotiating Group Identity in the Research Process: Are You In or Are You Out? (pp. 169-186). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.

Palmer, D. L., Del Gandio, J., and Huffman, T. (2016, November). National Communication Association Preconference Workshop: Teaching Communication Activism for Social Justice. Philadelphia, PA.

Palmer, D. L., & Frey, L. R. (2015). Fostering civic resilience and hope through communication activism education. In G. Beck & T. Socha (Eds.), Communicating Hope and Resilience Across the Lifespan (pp. 235-257). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishers.

Palmer, D. L. (2014). Communication education as vocational training and the marginalization of activist pedagogies. In L. R. Frey & D. L. Palmer (Eds.), Teaching communication activism: Communication education for social justice (pp. 45–76). New York, NY: Hampton Press.

Frey, L. R., & Palmer, D. L. (2014). Introduction: Teaching communication activism. In L. R. Frey & D. L. Palmer (Eds.), Teaching communication activism: Communication education for social justice (pp. 1–42). New York, NY: Hampton Press.

• 2025 UNC Sears-Helgoth Distinguished Teaching Award
• 2025 UNC Athletic Department Faculty of the Year Award
• 2023-2024 UNC College of Humanities and Social Sciences Award for Excellence in Teaching