Wright, April

Areas of Emphasis:

• Positive Communication
• Instructional Technology

April (she/her – Why pronouns matter) is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University. Her research examines Positive Communication, Instructional Communication, and the role of technology and AI in enhancing teaching and learning. She has also completed the Graduate Certificate in University Teaching  through the WVU Teaching and Learning Center..

April brings more than 12 years of teaching experience across courses such as Introduction to Communication Studies, Public Speaking, Business Communication, and Interpersonal Communication. At WVU, she coordinates COMM 104: Fundamentals of Public Communication, working closely with graduate teaching assistants, and is currently teaching COMM 335: Social Media in the Workplace.

Her teaching and research emphasize clarity, empathy, and student-centered learning, with a focus on how technology can be used to support inclusive, engaging classroom environments. She has been recognized with the department’s Patricia Kearney Doctoral Student Teaching Award and the Renee Kisner Graduate Student Collegiality Award.

Education:

• University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC  
• M.A. Communication Studies (May 2014)
• B.A. Communication Studies, Minor in Human Development (Dec 2009); Summa Cum Laude