Associate Professor
250 Smith Hall
Spring 2024 Office Hours:
Mon: 2:30 – 4:30
Tue: 1:30 – 4:30
Wed: 2:30 – 4:30
Thu: 1:30 – 4:30
Office hours are times that faculty members have set aside specifically to help students. Please take advantage of these office hours if you have questions about something related to your class or are experiencing anything that is interfering with your ability to succeed in the class.
About
Dr. Underhill is originally from the Midwest and spent her childhood surrounded by cornfields and dairy cows. After college graduation, she decided to relocate to the East Coast to enjoy crab cakes, lacrosse, and graduate school at the University of Maryland. After moving to West Virginia in 2012, she has spent her time working toward tenure, raising a child, and exploring the food scene of West Virginia. Dr. Underhill loves all professional sports teams from Chicago, coffee, and the “track changes” function on Microsoft Word.
Education
2012- Ph.D. in Communication, with a Persuasion & Social Influence emphasis, from the University of Maryland
2006- M.A. in Communication from the University of Maryland
2003- B.A. in Speech Communication- Public Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Joined Marshall Faculty in August 2012.
Scholarly Interests
My research focuses on instructional communication, health communication, and their intersections within higher education contexts.
Courses Taught
CMM 103: Fundamentals of Speech Communication
CMM 213: Interpersonal Communication
CMM 308: Persuasion
CMM 322: Intercultural Communication
CMM 374: Introduction to Health Communication
CMM 411/511: Communication Research Methods
CMM 474/574: Interpersonal Health Communication
CMM 479: Public Health Communication
CMM 601: Quantitative Research Methods
CMM 674: Communication Pedagogy
CMM 676: Health Communication Campaigns
Awards and Honors
2018 Marshall University Summer Research Fellowship
2017 Top Paper Award, Basic Course Division, National Communication Association
Administrative Service
CMM 103: Fundamentals of Speech Communication Course Director
Chair, New Graduate Student Orientation
Advisory Board Member, Herd Pathways Program
Refereed Conference Papers & Posters
Allen, T., Underhill, J. C., & Riley, B. (2018, November). Getting started with the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Workshop selected for presentation at the Mid-South Educational Research Association, Pensacola Beach, FL.
Ledord, V. L. & Underhill, J. C. (2018, April). Obesity is more than Physical: An Extension of the Risk Perception Attitude Framework Among a Sample of Appalachian Young Adults. Paper selected for presentation at the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication, Lexington, KY.
Underhill, J. C., Ledford, V. L., & Adams, H. (2017, November). Creating an Inclusive Basic Communication Course: The Relevance of Peers’ Knowledge, Stigma, and Attitudes Toward Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Top Paper Award in the Basic Course Division presented at the annual convention of the National Communication Association, Dallas, TX.