Blazer Stories
(Quincy, IL) — John Wood Community College (JWCC) Instructor of Communication and English H.K. Giltner contributed to the most recent edition of The Norton Field Guide to Public Speaking. This influential textbook is widely used in college speech courses, including those offered at JWCC.
Giltner’s expertise in understanding and relieving speech anxiety, analyzing rhetorical situations, and engaging research tools to present evidence and information to audiences were incorporated in her contributions to the Field Guide’s second edition, scheduled for publication later this year. Giltner’s contributions underscore her expertise in public speaking and commitment to enhancing the educational experience for JWCC students.
“My students know how picky I am about the materials I ask them to invest in for class” says Giltner, “so an opportunity to add my perspective to teaching tools that will benefit my own students as well a broader audience of public speaking students really excited me.”
When asked about the process of creating academic content for publication, she shared “writing and editing manuscripts about topics I talk about often in class was a fun challenge and exciting work. As I developed content I was always thinking about my own students and the topics they struggle with the most; it felt satisfying to be a part of making an impressive text like the Field Guide even better.”
In addition to her contributions with W.W. Norton, Giltner also recently authored a review of Queer Precarities in and out of Higher Education: Challenging Institutional Structures, a collection of essays edited by Yvette Taylor, Matt Brim, and Churnjeet Mahn. The collection explores issues of equity and systemic barriers within higher education. Giltner’s review, published in the Journal of Queer Studies in Media and Popular Culture in 2024, reflects her dedication to advancing conversations about inclusivity and structural reform in academia.
“Because so much of my teaching is focused on research and ways to engage in meaningful, respectful dialogue, reviewing a collection like this was a great opportunity for me to show students that the skills they develop in class can be used far beyond their assignments. Research and media literacy skills give us the power to engage in important conversations and participate in collaborative problem-solving” Giltner shares.
“H.K. is an incredible asset to our college and a champion for the potential in every student,” JWCC President Dr. Bryan Renfro shared. “Her energy in the classroom is contagious, and her most recent contributions to the fields of public speaking and academia speak to her ability to connect practical communication strategies with critical discussions in higher education today.”