communication / language / culture / multimedia ~~~ Applied Learning with James Dyer

Testimonials from my students

Professor Jim Dyer constantly utilized his past experiences in communications, public relations and journalism and wove them into his lectures to make the classroom come alive. Whether he was teaching us strategies in public speaking, reporting and writing, or video editing, he always inspired us to do more than we thought was possible.

His work with the student newspaper, the Augustana Observer, cannot be praised enough. He translated his own experiences in journalism and communications into gripping, hands-on lessons that took students out of the classroom and put them in the roles of real life journalists.
Countless students I know have attributed their success during and after their time at Augustana to Professor Dyer, because of his willingness to work with students, his in-depth understanding of journalism and related fields and the passion he brought to the job every day. This passion is what drove his students – myself included – to unforeseen accomplishments that we believed to be unattainable only a short while before.

Jacob Misener,
MJMC major, Augustana College, 2013

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Professor Dyer is a person whose influence reaches far beyond an in-class lecture. When I landed in his class my freshmen year, I didn’t just leave with numbers and facts, theories and stories, but I left with a new major and the desire to study journalism. From there on, Professor Dyer served as an excellent advisor who guided, assured and assisted me on my way through college.

In the classroom, I have rarely met a professor as passionate about his subject and his students’ learning as Professor Dyer. His lessons always stemmed from real-world examples, including some of his own, and he could transform the classroom into a journalism newsroom or public relations firm by setting up mock interviews and real-life situations.

As the advisor to the college newspaper, Professor Dyer never failed to push students to do their best and to produce compelling and accurate articles. He spent countless hours guiding students who were pursuing difficult stories, but he believed in empowering them to work on their own or with each other to grow as journalists, editors and photographers.

I feel fortunate to have learned from someone so passionate and knowledgeable and I am excited to become a journalist and, perhaps one day, a mentor as personable and enthusiastic as Professor Dyer.

Lynn Reinacher,
MJMC major, Augustana College, 2013

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Under Professor Jim Dyer's leadership and direction, Augustana College's student newspaper was dramatically transformed into a publication that reported hard-hitting news stories, award-winning investigative pieces and in-depth profiles of the Augustana community. His teaching inside and outside the classroom gave me, an Augustana journalism student, a strong foundation in media law, ethics and critical thinking. In a society often inundated with press releases and media bulletins, Professor Dyer always encouraged student reporters to stay hungry for the truth. As a crime reporter now working at a daily city newspaper, I continue to use the skills and knowledge I gained. Professor Dyer was instrumental to my education as a journalist, and he remains one of my greatest mentors.

Rachel Warmke,
Police/Courts Reporter, The Moline Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus.

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The last three years with Jim Dyer as my professor have truly been life changing. He sparked my interest in school and journalism. His professional life experiences in journalism, marketing and public relations give him a unique insight in the interconnected world of mass communication. Although his classes can be challenging and demanding, he is always there to help you to improve your work, no matter what time of day. Professor Dyer is the ultimate mentor. I could not have asked for a better role model throughout my college career.

Jack Cullen
MJMC major, Augustana College, 2013

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Professor Dyer brings his incredble real-world experience in narrative and multimedia storytelling to the classroom, guiding the students with helpful and rigorous feedback that always makes each project immensely better. The campus newspaper has flourished since he came to Knox.

Mydel Santos
Knox College, 2015