 Jim Shores
Jim Shores has been with Montreat College since 1997 and is currently the Communication Department Chair. Dr. Shores has a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Regent University and a M.S. in Environmental Science from UNC-Chapel Hill and is passionate about both fields of study. When asked what it means to integrate faith and learning, Shores stated that as a Christian everything in academics is related to Jesus and, “Mapping out specifically how the Christian faith and communication connect are really important pieces of the puzzle. How does my faith affect me as a film maker, a broadcast journalist, a politician, or a PR practitioner? These are vital questions. As Christians we should be getting out there and co-creating our culture with the rest of the world. If we don’t like the culture we live in, then we need to get out there and do something about it. We need to roll up our sleeves and get involved. My goal is to get each student to ask these questions of themselves regarding their chosen career field.”
Dr. Shores describes his philosophy of teaching and the atmosphere of his classroom by stating, “My goal is to create a stimulating learning environment in which students connect what we are studying in class with the bigger picture of their life, their career interests, and with the relationships around them. I also want students to ask how their faith and the subject matter connect.” He is passionate about what he teaches because he believes, “We all communicate. I love to communicate ideas and concepts. I love to see the light bulb come on above somebody’s head. Such an integral part of who we are as human beings is the ability to communicate with each other, with God, and to influence one another. Studying these dynamics never ceases to fascinate me.” Shores favorite class to teach is Communication and Culture because the class leads to great discussions about how the nature of communication shapes our sense of who we are as individuals and as a culture.
E-mail: jshores@montreat.edu Phone: 828-669-8012 ext. 3314
 Cathy Adams
Cathy Adams arrived at Montreat in 2005 and has since become an important asset to the faculty of the Communication Department. Her passion is to write and when asked to briefly describe her philosophy of teaching and the atmosphere of her classroom she replied, “Anyone can be a better writer and everyone should want to! Writing is more than a means of recording, it is a tool for thinking. In my class we ‘share the love’ and help one another.” Professor James agrees with Montreat’s philosophy of integrating faith and learning and believes this means one should, “honor God by searching for the right answers.” Professor Adams has completed a M.F.A in Creative Writing at Pacific Lutheran University. She also has a M.A. in English from Western Carolina University and a B.A. from the State University of West Georgia.
E-mail: cadams@montreat.edu Phone: 828-669-8012 ext. 3222
 Michael Flynn
With years of experience in his profession, Michael Flynn began teaching at Montreat College in 2008. Flynn was a history major and philosophy minor at Vanderbuilt University (B.A., 1986). He received a J.D. from Duke Law School, and after shifting gears to journalism, earned a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication from UNC Chapel Hill. When asked to describe his philosophy of teaching and the atmosphere of his classroom, Flynn said, “As a practicing journalist, I try to bring a professional, interactive approach to the classroom. Students write articles on the same topics – local news, features, crime stories, business articles, enterprise projects – that local reporters are covering. To gain experience editing, students also read their colleagues’ papers and offer one another grammar and style guidance. We begin each class with a typical budget or planning meeting, discussing what stories are needed in the next day’s newspaper.” Newswriting is Flynn’s favorite class to teach because he has been a journalist for about eight years, and enjoys the challenge and ongoing education that comes with reporting and writing articles for newspapers and other publications. He tries to convey this passion and enjoyment to students. Even though the media industry is undergoing a business transformation, people will always need coverage of noteworthy events in their community.
Montreat College emphasizes the importance of integrating faith and learning. Flynn believes, “It means being who you are in the classroom, and not eliminating a central element of student’s lives from daily discussion. Matters of faith have an important role in the media, because it’s a topic of profound importance to so many audience members.” Before Flynn became a journalist, he practiced cooperate law for more than a decade. Flynn stated that he teaches in this discipline because, “To me, it’s more fun and rewarding covering the news, including talking to people and telling their stories in the paper, than spending the day in a law office. I’ve covered everything from business to health to crime to entertainment. As noted above, my goal in class is to convey the importance and fun of journalism to my students.”
E-mail: mflynn@montreat.edu Phone: 828-280-7026
Callan White-Hinman
Callan White-Hinman began teaching at Montreat in the fall of 2007 after acting in television, film and stage for over twenty years. When asked why she chose to teach in this discipline, Professor White-Hinman stated, “I have enjoyed the success of television, film and commercials. It has been an honor to be acknowledged for my work on stage, and it has been a privilege to work with some of the ‘greats’ in this profession. I have been passionate about theatre for as long as I can remember and I wish to bring my love of the art to a new generation of artists.” Professor White received a B.A. in Theatre and Speech from DeSales University in PA and a MFA in Theatre from California State Long Beach.
With such experience in the field, Mrs. White-Hinman brings essential skill to the Communication Department at Montreat College. When asked to describe her philosophy of teaching and the atmosphere of her classroom, she states, “To be creative one needs an environment of trust and support so that the student can step out of their ‘safety-zone’ and dare to fail in the journey of discovery and revelation. It’s not about ‘getting it right,’ but about committing to and participating in the exploration of learning with voice, body, mind, and heart. The ability to let go, be free, and experience discovery in the present moment allows a student to realize they creative voice within.” For Mrs. White-Hinman, integrating Faith and Learning is essential in the classroom. She states, “What we know and do as Christians enlightens what we do as artists. It is a part of our being. It affects our outlook and our creative psyche and is imprinted in the choices we make. It is the light we shed on what we create.”
E-mail: cwhite-hinman@montreat.edu Phone: 828-669-8012 ext. 3202
Cynthia Howell
Dr. Cynthia Howell has contributed to the Communication Department as an Assistant Professor since 2005. After years of experience working in nonprofit communication, Dr. Howell melds academics with experience in the classroom. When asked to describe her philosophy of teaching, Dr. Howell explains, “My philosophy is never to teach the same class twice! Thus, I approach each class—whether it’s first-year composition or an upper-level nonprofit communication course—as a fresh endeavor and as an opportunity for student and professor alike to learn and grow. I emphasize an interactive format where students and teachers engage the curriculum in a number of different ways.”
“It is not possible to separate faith and learning. Knowledge has meaning because of one’s faith in Christ, not in spite of it. I appreciate Montreat College’s emphasis on unity in Christ and the freedom this unity gives us to explore the ‘big questions’ that inevitably arise within a college community.” Dr. Howell earned a B.A. in English/History/Secondary Education from Baylor University, a M.A. in English from Vanderbilt University, and her Ph.D. in English from the University of Kentucky. With so many different experiences under her belt, academically and professionally, Dr. Howell is passionate about advancing the cause of worthy non-profit organizations and encouraging students to incorporate an ethic of giving into their personal, academic and professional endeavors.
E-mail: chowell@montreat.edu
|