Abstract
This collection of 10 My Favorite Assignments (MFA) was first presented at the 2023 Association for Business Communication Annual International Conference held Denver, Colorado, USA. Instructors can see innovative ideas for teaching current social issues, oral communication techniques, and methods to lead students to greater personal and professional development.
The 88th Association for Business Communication (ABC) meeting was held at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Denver, Colorado, USA, October 2023. Attendees who ventured from the conference hotel up into the eight mountain ranges that comprise the Rockies were likely to see the United States’ national bird: The Bald Eagle—named for its white cap of feathers. That magnificient bird soars high riding the heated thermal air rushing up from the pinnacles below. The 82 My Favorite Assignment (MFA) presenters also created upward spiraling energy as they described their innovations to rapt audiences—both virtual (two sessions) and in-person (three sessions)—at Denver’s Grand Hyatt hotel.
Instructor Resources
The MFA conference sessions and these BPCQ articles are designed to support the reader’s eagle-eyed hunt for new teaching ideas. When the reader espies an attractive assignment, they can grab all the tools they need to bring the learning experience to their classroom by visiting the ABC webpage. For example, ABC’s collection of teaching support materials includes instructions to students, stimulus and exercise materials, slides, grading rubrics, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and sample student work products. These materials can be found on the ABC webpage at https://www.businesscommunication.org/page/assignments, available to ABC members. Materials are also available on DePaul University’s Center for Sales Leadership page: https://salesleadershipcenter.com/research/business-professional-communication-quarterly-my-favorite-assignment
Social Issues
Using Social Entrepreneurship and Microfinance to Develop Social Justice, Team Research, and Presentation Skills
University of Southern California, USA
Genre
Teamwork, secondary research, report writing, presentations, critical analysis, proposal writing, team presentations, rhetoric, social justice
The Assignment
Students explore the social entrepreneurial marketplace through this experiential learning assignment. The class delves into pro-social charitable giving as they analyze prospective micro-lending grant recipients for possible funding. Working in teams, learners select an individual or project to help apply for a loan. Students research, analyze, then create a persuasive presentation pitching their client to the class. The class selects the winning proposal for funding. The assignment is framed using the social justice model: Service is for the greater good built; and that everyone deserves equitable rights and access to self-sufficiency.
First, students learn about Kiva, an international nonprofit based on the social justice model designed to expand financial access to underserved communities through micro-loans (www.kiva.org).
Next, students explore the Kiva website to select a specific individual/entrepreneur seeking funding for their small business.
Then, teams develop a research-based assessment of the intended borrower’s entrepreneurial venture (context, objectives, outcomes, loan amount, repayment schedule).
Next, the student teams present a research-based, persuasive presentation to their classmates on the selected borrower/business venture. The winning team is determined by their persuasive rhetoric (ethos, pathos, and logos) and effective presentation skills.
As they experience actual engagement in charitable giving, students practice their skills in the following:
• Research
• Critical thinking
• Teamwork
• Marketing campaign development
• Visual communication
• Persuasive presentation skills
Most importantly, they expand their individual worldview and understanding of how their personal and collective works can benefit individuals and global communities.
Target Learners
Community college, undergraduate, graduate
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Become proficient in understanding linkages between social justice, social entrepreneurship, micro-finance, and micro-loans to benefit individual entrepreneurs seeking business venture funding.
• Develop research skills.
• Gain teamwork skills through collaboration on written and oral assignments, including proposal development, presentation development, research, and critical analysis.
• Demonstrate persuasive rhetoric (ethos, pathos, logos) and marketing “pitch” skills through a practical, relevant, and applied approach.
• Experience an analytic approach to charitable giving.
• Expand their worldview and knowledge of how individuals may support each other directly.
Time to Complete the Assignment
4 weeks
Materials, Equipment, Special Considerations (Short list)
• Optional—Professor may donate their personal funds to the selected recipient on behalf of the class.
• Website access to Kiva.org
• Voting ballots
Evaluating Outcomes
The assignment is graded on the following metrics:
• Proposal effectiveness (research/quality of evidence; development of context on proposed borrower/business venture; objectives; outcomes; quality of writing, organization, narrative flow, tone, language)
• Presentation skills: individual and team skills (content, quality of presentation/oral skills)
• Persuasive rhetoric
• Teamwork/peer evaluations (individual team member contributions)
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Lecture and assignment slides
• Grading rubric
Environmental Social Governmental Business (ESG) Philosophy and Standards Topic Selection
University of Arkansas, USA
Genre
Project topic selection, Environmental Social Governmental Business (ESG) social justice, presentation, secondary research, teamwork
The Assignment
This one-class learning experience quickly engages students as they see how corporations operationalize social justice through their Environmental, and Social, Government (ESG) practices.
First, before the teams begin their project, the instructor explains ESG and shows a video explaining the concept and answers any questions. See Support Materials, below.
Then, the students are presented a list of companies listed on the ESG News website. See Support Materials, below.
Working in groups of 3 to 4 students are charged with identifying a for-profit business that uses ESG philosophy to guide its decision making. They uncover the set of standards that guide the company’s behavior.
The class then discusses the TOMS shoe company’s ESG practices: TOMS shoe company ESG = Annual Impact Report. See Support Materials, below.
Students are charged with the following:
• Selecting a for-profit business from the ESG website list.
• Determining which standard(s) the for-profit business applies as it conducts business.
• Delivering a 1- to 2-minute presentation describing the for-profit ESG company they selected and their reasons for picking it.
There is an added benefit that accrues as the students declare their topic selection statement before their peers. This commitment and consistency anchors the students’ topic decision and avoids the students’ common post-topic selection doubt and vacillation.
Next, teams conduct research into the company’s ESG policies. Students give a 1- to 2-minute presentation about the company selected and ESG efforts.
Time limit
Students have 30 minutes to select a company and discuss the ESG philosophy of the selected company.
Following this in-class topic selection process, students are equipped with a topic: an ESG following for-profit business, for which they will prepare and deliver an informative speech.
Wide application
This learning design can be applied to any project category that requires students to pick a topic. Experienced teachers know that like jumping into a pool of cold water, students can become befuddled when asked to pick a topic for their class project. They can be mired in inertia by the vast range of topics from which they can choose. Instructors can use this MFA’s methodology to help students more quickly and easily pick an ideal topic for their project. The key is the instructor narrows the vast topic window by first choosing a broad category, and then walking the class through an interactive in-class process leading to a topic selection.
By easing the learners into their topic selection through a step-by-step process that gives them a guided initial exploration they avoid the cold-water shock of “go pick a topic.”
Target Learners
Sophomores and seniors
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Experience a guided process for project topic selection.
• Commit to the topic by making a brief presentation about the topic before the class.
• Identify a for-profit business that uses ESG philosophy to guide its decision making.
• Analyze and explain the ESG standards that guide the company’s behavior.
• Create a short presentation to explain the for-profit business and ESG philosophy.
Time to Complete the Assignment
50-65 minutes
Materials, Equipment, Special Considerations
• Laptop/computer/smart phone
• Students receive a class participation grade
• Grading rubric provided (see Support Materials, below)
Evaluating Outcomes
• Rubric provided (see Support Materials, below)
• Class participation points
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Grading rubric
• Links to online material
• What is ESG? video: https://youtu.be/Dg8nTJ0cHVI
• ESG News website: https://esgnews.com/category/sustainable-business/
• TOMS shoe company ESG = Annual Impact Report https://www.toms.com/us/impact/report.html
Oral Communication
“What Did You Learn?” Video Presentation
Middle Georgia State University, USA
Genre
Receiving coaching, oral presentation, reflection, video production
The Assignment
Instructors give considerable effort and time to crafting meaningful project/performance feedback to their students. This assignment increases the impact and utility of the professor’s coaching by leading students into more deeply processing and reflecting upon the teacher’s well-considered insights.
First, students complete weekly written assignments throughout the semester. Instructors give feedback to their students typically through the rubrics in the learning management system, assignment comments, and inline annotations.
Then, at the end of the semester, students review the weekly feedback they have been given on all their assignments. They then create video presentation that includes the following:
• A brief introduction
• An overview of all the feedback from their assignments
• An analysis/summary of the feedback (trends or repeated problems, ways they’ve improved during the semester, etc.)
• Ideas on how they can improve their communication skills based on their summary and analysis of the feedback
The video acts as a lensing device causing the student to reengage with the professor’s feedback. As they translate their thoughts into comments delivered on camera, deeper understanding emerges, and the teacher’s feedback become more integrated in the leaner’s memory.
Target Learners
Sophomores
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Reflect and engage with professor feedback.
• Create a summary video assessing and discussing the feedback they have received.
• Demonstrate good oral presentation skills.
• Recommend improvements to their communication skills.
• Interpret feedback from multiple sources.
• Organize feedback into a logical and concise summary.
Time to Complete the Assignment
30 minutes review and summarize assignment feedback
15 minutes: analyze trends
30 minutes: organize a presentation
15 minutes: record presentation
Materials, Equipment, Special Considerations
A device such as a phone or webcam for filming a video
Evaluating Outcomes
Grading rubric is provided (see Support Materials, below)
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Grading rubric
Using TED Talks to Improve Presentation Skills
Stephen F. Austin State University, USA
Genre
Presentation, storytelling, TED Talk, analysis, rehearsal, iterative learning, motivational talk
The Assignment
The popular TED Talks enter the classroom in this lively interactive assignment. Students improve their own presentation skills by analyzing selected TED Talks. As business communication professors know well, student presentations often lack substance and an engaging delivery. At all class levels, their style can be dry as the speakers read their slides or script. This assignment pushes students to find ways to create more engaging presentations. By watching, analyzing, and mimicking TED talks, students will improve their perceived and actual presentation skills.
This project includes several assignments that build to a final presentation.
First, students read chapters in Talk Like TED (Gallo, 2017) to gain a background in presentation skills.
Second, they watch selected TED Talks where the speaker demonstrates the presentation skills from the text.
Third, students find and analyze a TED Talk.
Fourth, students practice the skills they have seen and analyzed by producing their own recorded video. The instructor and classmates provide feedback to the student.
Lastly, in their final class project, students create and record their own motivational speech directed to their (potential) employees and incorporate at least five elements referenced in the book. A few of these elements are:
• Using hand gestures to illustrate your points
• Incorporating pictures and graphics, demonstrations and props
• Telling a story
• Moving around on the stage to emphasize points
• Using voice inflection for emphasis
• Telling jokes appropriately
These speeches are recorded on their own so they can practice and have as many takes as necessary to produce a polished product.
Target Learners
All levels
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Define characteristics of an effective and engaging presentation.
• Find and analyze examples of engaging presentations.
• Design and deliver presentations that apply concepts.
• Reflect on feedback and determine actions for further improvement.
Time to Complete the Assignment
8-10 weeks
Materials, Equipment, Special Considerations
Textbook: Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo (2017)
Internet access and video recording software (such as Zoom)
Evaluating Outcomes
A grading rubric is provided (see Support Materials, below)
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Grading rubric
Personal and Professional Development
Self-Reflection Focusing on Anxiety Reduction and Professional Posture Awareness
University of Alabama, USA
Genre
Self-reflection, written communication, analysis, critical thinking, teamwork, anxiety management, oral communication, cross-cultural communication, presentation, experiential learning
The Assignment
Students explore the impact that movement has on their breathing, mobility, and vagal nerve tone. They learn metabolic downregulation techniques to better navigate the ever-present anxiety that abounds in our increasingly demanding technological society.
First, in groups of three to four, students reflect and discuss these four provided prompts:
Current daily movement and breathing habits caused by technology use
Postural and mobility issues affecting business communication practices in both current and future work environments
Learner attention is directed toward mindful identification of business and cultural practices; students describe cross-cultural professional behavioral awareness and discuss how posture and mobility will play a role in their respective fields of study and/or careers (e.g., typing all day, cubicles, standing interviews)
Best practices in their various chosen career fields for repetitive movement reduction (e.g., break for lunch, mobility tools, dynamic workstations, standing desks, cultural practices)
Best practices for anxiety reduction (e.g., effective breathing, downregulation, vagus nerve stimulation); students are encouraged to discuss anxiety in general (include past speaking experiences if necessary) and how and why they feel these methods would work best for anxiety reduction in today’s modern technological world
Then, students build and deliver a 5- to 7-minute presentation based on their discussion of the four prompts above.
Target Learners
Undergraduate
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Identify and analyze anxiety.
• Assess repetitive body movement, current and future technology use.
• Explore professional posture in various career fields.
• Deliver a presentation using best speech practices for increasing professional posture and awareness and decreasing anxiety.
Time to Complete the Assignment
3 class meetings
Materials, Equipment, Special Considerations
Grading rubric provided (see Support Materials, below)
Evaluating Outcomes
5- to 7-minute small group presentations to class reporting their discussion/research (oral presentation)
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Grading rubric
Creating Confident Communicators Through a Confidence Guide and the Personal Credibility Inventory
Indiana University, USA
Genre
Confidence, credibility building
The Assignment
Experienced instructors can identify the more trepidatious communicator among their students. This learning experience is designed to help boost students’ confidence for both rookie and experienced communicators, alike.
The process starts with a confidence guide, entitled “Every Leader’s Guide to Confidence” (see Support Materials, below), that reminds participants:
• They belong in the room no matter what their mind (or anyone else) tells them.
• That audiences want to hear from them, even when it doesn’t look that way.
• No one has their exact experiences and when they inventory those experiences, they can consider them as assets
• It’s then the participants’ choice whether they share those experiences with others, but when they do, they give a gift to others.
Next, participants are given a Personal Credibility Inventory (see Support Materials, below) to complete. The inventory instructs them to think of three examples from their own experience in the following categories: (1) work (both professional and formative experiences), (2) education, (3) home, and (4) internship experience, training, as well as the good and bad experiences of life.
Then, participants provide three examples of things they do well, drawing from interests, talents, or other things they do well.
The inventory becomes a guide for participants to draw increasing confidence by
• Coaching others
• Seeking personal inspiration
• Engaging in job interviews
• Mentoring with others
• Preparing for upcoming presentations
• Telling stories
and anything else they can imagine where they need to gain confidence from the many diverse experiences they have already encountered.
Participants often remark that they gain confidence from accounting for experiences they have not considered for some time or judge appropriate to present challenges.
Target Learners
undergraduate, graduate, executive education, and corporate clients
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Explore, both internally and externally, confidence issues in a safe and shared environment.
• List a wide range of experiences that demonstrate their vast and sometimes overlooked credibility.
• Share from experiences and generate ample amounts of material for coaching others, personal inspiration, job interviews, mentoring with others, upcoming presentations, and storytelling.
• Discuss critically past experiences with existing and upcoming challenges.
Time to Complete the Assignment
45 minutes
Materials, Equipment, Special Considerations
• Slide deck
• Handouts available in class or electronically
• It helps students embrace the concept if the instructor models their own Personal Credibility Inventory or provides them with a sample, depending on their comfort.
Evaluating Outcomes
Ungraded assignment
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Stimulus and exercise materials
• Personal Credibility Inventory
• Slides
• FAQs
• Sample student work product
• Every Leader’s Guide to Better Confidence
The Listening Gift
California State University, Sacramento, USA
Genre
Listening skills, reflection, role play
The Assignment
When people feel truly listened to, they sometimes describe it as receiving a gift. Listening shows appreciation and positive regard, even in disagreement. In this eight-step assignment, students work in pairs to discover the power of listening.
Step 1: Students are given an overview of the importance of listening in interpersonal and business communication settings. They are prompted to “Describe a time when you felt really listened to.” Students are directed to pay particular attention the behaviors exhibited by the listener.
Step 2: Students pick one of the following prompts: a recent personal or professional accomplishment or recognition, a recent or current hardship, a time when you personally felt at your best, or a person that you care about who is making a difference in your life and why.
Step 3: Pairs take turns sharing and listening from Step 2, modeling behaviors from Step 1 when they felt listened to.
Step 4: Students write down how they and their partners listened and note how they felt during the activity.
Step 5: Pairs rotate roles of listener and sharer, receiving/offering feedback on their listening experiences.
Step 6: Students record 2 specific areas for improvement or maintenance.
Step 7: Students are prompted to think about a friend, family member, or work colleague who may not feel seen, heard, or respected. They develop a plan to pass on the listening gift to the person they identified.
Step 8: A debriefing follows that addresses differences between listening and hearing, behaviors that demonstrate listening, how they felt when they were listened to, etc.
Target Learners
Undergraduate
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Identify verbal and nonverbal listening behaviors.
• Practice listening skills in a dyad.
• Reflect on their and the other party’s listening behaviors and provide feedback.
• Apply perspective taking by empathizing with someone who needs support and developing a plan for engagement.
Time to Complete the Assignment
One 75-minute class period
Evaluating Outcomes
Students provide a written reflection
This can be a credit or no-credit activity
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Slides
Dirty Jobs: Exploring Intrinsic Benefits
University of South Carolina, USA
Genre
Small group, in-class exploration assignment, job description, analysis, attitude management, creative thinking, promotional messages
The Assignment
The great philosopher Mary Poppins taught us: “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” One’s point of view regarding inherently odious tasks can be shape shifted through a positive frame of mind. As Monty Python’s Eric Idle sang, “Look on the bright side of life.”
To enhance students’ understanding of the positive emphasis concept in business communication they grapple with the concepts of extrinsic and intrinsic benefits. In small groups of 2 to 4 participants, the students generate a job advertisement that highlights the intrinsic benefits of a seemingly noxious occupation. For example, the jobs assigned can include garbage collector, sewage treatment plant operator, middle school janitor, crime scene cleaner, road kill technician, or mortician.
The activity is best conducted verbally by the instructor with a minimum of direction and explanation other than to be sure the students generally understand what their assigned job entails. Each group must generate a list of general requirements for the job. Following this, they generate a list of intrinsic benefits the applicant would get by performing the job. Following this, they write a realistic job advertisement for the position. Because this exercise focuses on intrinsic benefits, items such as salary, health benefits, and leave time do not apply.
At the end of the allotted time, a representative from each team reads their advertisement to the class. Activity options include class voting for best overall ad, best use of job specifics, and best intrinsic benefit gimmick.
Students’ attitudinal horizons are expanded, their latitude of acceptance for others’ occupations increases, their creative thinking ability grows, and their spirits are invigorated.
Target Learners
Undergraduates
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Learn to think about motivators beyond extrinsic benefits.
• Apply intrinsic benefits to real-world examples.
• Practice brainstorming in a targeted way.
• Practice curating content.
Time to Complete the Assignment
10-15 minutes
Evaluating Outcomes
How well the teams understand the intrinsic benefit concept by examining how effectively the intrinsic benefits are deployed in the job advertisement.
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• FAQs
• Sample student work product
Craft Your 60-Second Story From an Intellectual Biography
University of Michigan-Dearborn, USA
Genre
Storytelling, personal biography, elevator pitch, self-knowledge, personal and career development
The Assignment
Students prepare for the frenetic, exciting career fair environment with a 60-second talk. We learned to frame their verbal presentation of self through the work of interdisciplinary thinker and researcher Phillip Repko’s model “Intellectual Biography” (IB) (Szostak et al., 2014). Repko’s framework is designed to help students who lack confidence or experience in telling their youthful life stories. The IB methodology typically answers the question “Why do you think the way you do?” or it functions as a metacognitive act, exploring capacities, values, traits, and skills.
To create their 60-second story, students will do the following:
• Commit to attend a career fair on campus, either during class or outside of class.
• Outline personal goals for career fair. How many contacts do they want to make? Which companies will they visit in particular? Whose internship program do they wish to join?
• Answer the questions/prompts in the Intellectual Biography Assignment. Cultivate a rich catalog of events and content to choose from.
• Shape the most relevant answers into a personal story. Feel free to add pertinent details for the situation/company, etc.
• Practice multimodal composing by recording it as an audio or video file. Prepare it as if they are delivering it to the actual audience. Polish and practice is a must.
• Receive feedback from peers/instructor to edit message and shape for Career Fair audiences.
• Post to learning management system (Canvas/Blackboard) for grade.
• Deliver 60-Second Story with confidence to their future employer at career fair.
• Engage in reflection. Then, they report what they have learned/discovered in either a video or voice recording.
Read accompanying articles: “Find Your Story” (Mycoskie, 2012) “Purpose Beyond Profits” (Branson, 2018)
Target Learners
Any level college student visiting a career fair
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Practice self-reflection
• Explore business storytelling
• Use new media for crafting assignments
• Approach/contact and deliver 60-second story to new audience (potential employer)
Time to Complete the Assignment
Two class periods:
• One for assigning and development
• One for attending Career Fair
Materials, Equipment, Special Considerations
• Calendar of upcoming career fairs
• Copy of “Intellectual Biography Assignment” from Repko (see Support Materials, below)
• Accompanying articles to reinforce the concept: ○ “Find Your Story” ○ “Purpose Beyond Profits” (Branson, 2018)
Evaluating Outcomes
Students who are well-prepared often return from career fairs with lots of stories to tell classmates. To prepare, clearly articulate your findings about your intellectual journey. Try to employ self-reflection (thinking about behaviors and beliefs) and metacognition (thinking about your own thinking that is evidenced in your attitudes, behaviors, and experiences).
10 points Successful identification of personal traits and skills
20 points Strong sense of critical thinking, self-reflection
10 points Skilled and appropriate use of the audio/video medium
50 total
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Stimulus and exercise materials
• Slides
• Grading rubric
• Sample student work product
• Links to online material
• FAQs
Adventures in Networking: Choose Your Own Career Path
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
Genre
Email formatting, reflection, thank-you notes, career fair, artificial intelligence
The Assignment
Professors, guidance counselors, parents, and hiring managers tell students the most important part of a career fair is not what happens at the event; rather, it’s how they follow up afterwards. This exercise allows students to prepare meaningful thank-you messages, and then send them in well-formatted, professionally composed emails.
First, after attending a career fair, students are asked to reflect upon the experience.
Next, they compose a personalized message of thanks/networking. Learners also compare self-composed messages with those generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
Finally, students consider if they are ready for an employer’s response. For example: Do students have the following?
• Professional signature block
• Professional voicemail
• Privatized social media accounts
The parts and pieces of this lesson may be separated or presented together as part of one larger composition assignment.
Target Learners
Undergraduate and graduate
Learning Objectives
Students will do the following:
• Discuss what “An Email Should Be. . .”.
• Reflect upon a recent networking event or career fair.
• Compose an email of appreciation to a recruiter or future employer after a networking event or career fair.
• Consider the differences between AI-generated thank-you messages and personalized networking notes.
• Apply grammar, mechanics, usage, tone, style, and format to an email composition.
• Prepare for networking events by making professional choices in dress, social media, outgoing voicemail, and signature block
Time to Complete the Assignment
Two class periods
Evaluating Outcomes
• Grading rubric provided (see Support Materials, below)
• Grammar/mechanics/usage, tone and audience, and formatting style (open, close, signature block, paragraph spacing) are assessed
Support Materials
• Instructions to students
• Stimulus and exercise materials
• Slides
• Grading rubric
Summary
New leadership will coordinate MFA articles for the 2025 BPCQ. Andrew Cavanaugh, MFA’s long-time technical director, managed the October ’24 conference and will serve as first author for the 2025 BPCQ articles. A fine writer and deeply experienced instructional designer, Andy will advance MFA into its future. Joel Whalen will serve Andrew as an assistant.
MFA’s creator, the popular Dan Dieterich, gave Joel the MFA steering wheel in 2008. ABC members’ passion for teaching and innovative classroom methods can be seen in their MFA participation over the years. Since 2008, cumulatively, 640 ABC members have brought their ideas, energy, and enthuasism as MFA presenters at 43 Annual International Conference sessions. Over the past 16 years, BPCQ’s succession of brilliant editors, Kathy Riley, Melinda Knight, and Robyn Walter, have guided, informed, and encouraged MFA atricles through 30 issues featuring the work of a cumulative 340 contributors. The quality and utility of the MFA teaching innovations have been adjuged and ensured by a cumulataive 411 peer reviewers. The ABC website hosts over 1,000 teaching objects designed to support the MFA teaching innovation collection.
Charlie Drehmer has been a DePaul University Effective Business Communication partner for decades and, in recent years, a treasured coauthor of these articles. Since 1980 Tina M. Ricca has cocreated the effective business communication models and methodology used in courses, workshops, books, and these BPCQ articles. She is a brilliant partner.
This collection of Favorite Assignments was peer reviewed by 41 leading business communication educators. Their contribution is essential to ensuring MFA’s quality in advancing business communication pedagogy. Special thanks to Tina M. Ricca for her always excellent strategic insight and editorial guidance. DePaul University’s Jeff Sachs provided superb technical formatting. Andrew Cavanaugh produced the My Favorite Assignment conference onsite and virtual sessions with great skill and energetic labor. He and Jeff also serve as the My Favorite Assignment librarians for over 1,000 teaching support materials posted on the ABC webpage: businesscommunication.org
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
