Communication Professor Recognized as Outstanding Teacher-Scholar

Ryan Neville-Shepard, vice chair and associate professor in the Department of Communication in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Michael M. Osborn Teacher-Scholar Award from the Southern States Communication Association. The Osborn Award honors one member of the association each year who has achieved excellence throughout their career in all three areas of teaching, scholarship, and service.

Neville-Shepard has recently completed his tenth year at the University of Arkansas and has taught undergraduate and graduate courses primarily in political communication, rhetorical theory and criticism, and argumentation. For his work as graduate director in the M.A. program in the Department of Communication, Neville-Shepard has been previously recognized with the Outstanding Mentor in Master's Education Award by the National Communication Association, Fulbright College's Nolan Faculty Award, and the Southern States Communication Association's J. Donald Ragsdale Award for Mentoring. He was also recently recognized as Educator of the Year by the National Communication Association's Argumentation and Forensics Division.

Neville-Shepard's research focuses on the communication of political outsiders. He has published nearly 50 journal articles, book chapters, and select papers, and currently serves as the editor of the National Communication Association's journal, Communication and Democracy. For excellence in scholarship, Neville-Shepard has previously been recognized as the recipient of the Fulbright College Outstanding Researcher Award, the Judith S. Trent Award for Early Career Excellence in Political Communication, and outstanding article awards from the National Communication Association.

Matt Spialek, chair of the Department of Communication, nominated Neville-Shepard and noted that in 2023 he was rated as the "sixth most productive scholar in the entire field" according to research published in the journal, Communication Education. Moreover, Spialek added, "His teaching has had tremendous impact, as he has taught over twenty-five different courses since 2011, led our graduate program, helped develop some of the best junior scholars in the country, and continues effective mentoring long after students graduate." Commenting about his service, Spialek concluded, "He is one of the most active scholars I know, serving as vice chair and leading course scheduling and assessment, leading a journal, planning divisions, and jumping onto any departmental and university committee where he is needed."

Neville-Shepard was honored at an award reception on April 12, 2026, during the annual convention of the Southern States Communication Association in Birmingham, Ala.