Dr. Knopf has been teaching college courses in public speaking - the "front porch" of communication studies - and public address since 2001. She has been designing and supporting public speaking curriculum for communication across the disciplines/curriculum (CAD/CXC) since 2006. As of Spring 2025, she has taught 70 sections of public speaking and 19 sections of speaking intensive courses. These classes include public speaking specifically for communication majors, for childhood and early childhood education majors, for criminal justice majors, for international studies majors, and for dance and drama majors, as well as for honors program students, and for general education. She also instituted speech peer tutoring through a chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and served as a judge in student speech competitions. Plus, she has taken 40+ workshops, seminars, and courses for public speaking and speech instruction
As a rhetorician with a strong education background in speech/human communication, Dr, Knopf's public speaking courses emphasize audience adaptation and argumentation in message creation and development, preparing students for communicating in civic life and assorted career paths. She uses real-world scenarios for speech assignments, game-based learning for skills development, modeling for comprehension, and entertainment media for casual learning. She also incorporates anxiety-management and mindfulness exercises as well as employment-seeking communication strategies into course content.
She is also a celebrated speaker, herself, beyond the classroom, praised for her clarity, fluency, dynamism, use of visuals, humor, and time management.
Studying Speech Communication
Education
✦ PhD in Communication/Sociology: University at Albany, 2005. ✦ MA in Communication: University at Albany, 2001. ⁍featured coursework⁌ • Public Speaking Co-Teaching Internship • Persuasion • Rhetorical Analysis ✦ BA in Communication: SUNY New Paltz, 2000. ⁍featured coursework⁌ • Theories of Persuasion ✦ AA in Liberal Arts: Finger Lakes Community College, 1998. ⁍featured coursework⁌ • Speech • Vocal Communication
Professional Development
• Black English and Literacy: Teaching Reading Without Erasing Language. CORE Learning and The Reading League. 28 Mar. 2025. • Tackling Authenticity in the Contemporary Public Speaking Course. ECA Breakout Conversation. Buffalo, NY: 27 Mar. 2025. • Generative AI in Public Speaking. Norton Communication. 4 Dec. 2024. • Say It Well: An Evening with Obama Speechwriter Terry Szuplat. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum. 18 Sep. 2024. • Ending the Semester with a BANG! KendallHunt Webinar. 24 Apr. 2024. • Getting Started with Resources for “Contemporary Public Speaking.” Norton webinar. 26 Mar. 2024. • Using AI in the Basic Communication Course: A Primer. ECA Short Course. 21 Mar. 2024. • Teaching Speechwriting to Undergraduates. ECA Short Course. 31 Mar. 2023. • DisPLACEing power & privilege in Public Speaking: Re-constructing the introductory course through critical pedagogical theory & praxis. NCA PreConference. 16 Nov. 2022. • Learning on Both Sides of GoReact: How Students' Feedback to Peers Improves Their Performance. ReAction 2022. 21 Apr. 2022. • Anxious Speakers in Class?, with Dr. Jason Teven. Macmillan Learning. 29 Mar. 2021. • Speaking for Change, with Dr. Joshua Gunn. Macmillan Learning. 26 Feb. 2021. • Build Engaging Presentations. Google Digital Garage. 5 Feb. 2021. • Communication Apprehension during Covid and Beyond, Suzy Prentiss. Preparing for Spring, Lessons from Fall: Pandemic Pedagogical Preparedness Workshops from Fountainhead Press. 2 Dec. 2020. • Creating Creative Online Learning Activities, Megan Pope. Preparing for Spring, Lessons from Fall: Pandemic Pedagogical Preparedness Workshops from Fountainhead Press. 2 Dec. 2020. • Zooming the Classroom: Overcoming the Uncanny Valley of Virtual Speech Instruction, John Arthos. Preparing for Spring, Lessons from Fall: Pandemic Pedagogical Preparedness Workshops from Fountainhead Press. 30 Nov. 2020. • Teaching in the Age of Zoom – Ideas You Can Use Now (Pandemic Public Speaking). Macmillan Learning. 16 Oct. 2020. • Visual Presentation (COMM103). MOOC through RITx and edX. 12 Aug. – 31 Aug. 2020. • SAGE Public Speaking PLUS & BB: PSP Chat & Onboarding Help. Personal tutorial. 18 Aug. 2020. • Communicate Your Ideas through Storytelling and Design. OpenClassrooms, through Google Digital Garage. 14 Aug. 2020. • Speaking in Public. OpenClassrooms, through Google Digital Garage. 14 Aug. 2020. • Public Speaking PLUS @ SUNY Cortland, courseware navigation & LMS integration. 11 Aug. 2020. • SAGE Content Training: Public Speaking Playbook 3e Instructor Resources, Public Speaking PLUS, Inclusive Access, and BlackBoard Integration. Individualized training. 24 Jun. 2020. • Thriving, Not Just Surviving … Teaching Public Speaking Online! NCA Short Course. 14 Nov. 2019. • 30 Minute Prep: Communication at Play in the Public Speaking Classroom. NCA Short Course. 8 Nov. 2018. • Embracing the Transformational Opportunities of Public Speaking through a Semester-Long Practicum in Citizenship. NCA Short Course. 20 Nov. 2015. • Making Choices and Taking Responsibility in Public Speaking with Bill Keith and Chris Lundberg. Cengage Learning Engagement Services Webinar. 19 Oct. 2015. • Rethinking Slide Design: New Techniques for Improving Presentations. NCA Short Course. 21 Nov. 2014. • Effective Public Speaking Rubrics. NCA Short Course. 15 Nov. 2012. • Teaching Listening, Group Communication, and Informative Speaking in Basic Communication Courses. Pearson Higher Education’s Speaking About Communication online conference session. 20 Apr. 2011. • Finding Home in the Public Speaking Course. Pearson Higher Education’s Speaking About Communication online conference session. 20 Apr. 2011. • Making Communication Education Personality Compatible. Pearson Higher Education’s Speaking About Communication online conference session. 20 Apr. 2011. • Engage Students and Build Lasting Affinity for Communication Topics Using Storytelling and Online Media. Pearson Higher Education’s Speaking About Communication online conference session. 20 Apr. 2011. • Speech Studio Seminar. Cengage Publishing 1 Apr. 2011. • Conquer Speech Anxiety: Design a Class, Module, Workshop or Program that Works. NCA Short Course. 14 Nov. 2010. • Teaching Public Speaking in an Evolving Communication Environment. NCA Short Course. 15 Nov. 2007. • Teaching the Public Speaking Course Online: Strategies, Tactics, and Realities. Wadsworth Public Speaking Online Lecture Series, Thomas Learning. 10 Mar. 2004. • Incorporating Service Learning into the Public Speaking Course. Wadsworth Public Speaking Online Lecture Series, Thomas Learning. 30 Oct. 2003.
Teaching Speech Communication
💬COM203: Speech Composition & Presentation
SUNY Albany 🐾
Fall 2001, Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2004
💬SPT142: Public Speaking
Monroe Community College 🛡️
Fall 2005
💬COMM106: Basic Principles of Speech
SUNY Potsdam 🐻
Fall 2006 (x2), Spring 2007, Fall 2007 (x2), Spring 2008 (x2), Fall 2008, Spring 2009 (x2), Fall 2009 (x2), Spring 2010 (x2), Fall 2010 (x2), Spring 2011, Fall 2011 (x2), Spring 2012 (x2), Fall 2012 (x2), Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2015 (x2), Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Spring 2017
💬COMM324: Persuasive Speaking [speaking intensive]
SUNY Potsdam 🐻
Spring 2008
💬COMM416: Voices of American Women [speaking intensive]
SUNY Potsdam 🐻
Spring 2007, Fall 2008, Spring 2010, Spring 2011
💬COM399: Oral Discourse & Civic Culture
SUNY Albany 🐾
Fall 2004 (x3), Spring 2005 (x3)
💬SPE108: Public Speaking
Genesee Community College 🐯
Fall 2005 (x2)
💬COMM106H: Basic Principles of Speech-Honors
SUNY Potsdam 🐻
Fall 2015, Fall 2016
💬COMM370: Contemporary Political Communication [speaking intensive]
SUNY Potsdam 🐻
Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2009, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2015, Fall 2016
💬COM210: Fundamentals of Public Speaking
SUNY Cortland 🐲
Fall 2017 (x2), Spring 2018 (x2), Fall 2018 (x2), Spring 2019 (x2), Fall 2019 (x2), Spring 2020 (x2), Fall 2020 (x4), Spring 2021 (x2), Fall 2021 (x2), Spring 2022 (x2), Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2024 (x2), Spring 2025 (x2)
also...
COM100: Human Communication
SUNY Albany 🐾
Fall 2000
COMM465: Communication Theory
SUNY Potsdam 🐻
Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014 (x2), Spring 2015 (x2), Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017
COMM105: Survey of Human Communication
SUNY Potsdam 🐻
Spring 2015
COM100: Human Communication
SUNY Cortland 🐲
Fall 2022, Fall 2023
developed or consulted on curriculum:
IGS340: Professional Communication [Presentation Skills]
SUNY Cortland 🐲
IGS480: Integrated Studies Senior Seminar [Presentation Skills]
SUNY Cortland 🐲
Work & Service in Speech Communication
Service Activities
• SUNY Cortland Presentation Skills Coordinator: Fall '17 – present • SUNY Cortland Presentation Skills Committee, chair: Fall '18 – present • SUNY Cortland PRES GE subcommittee, member: Fall '21 – Spring '22 • SUNY Potsdam General Education Speaking Intensive/Writing Intensive Review Task Force, member: Fall '16 • SUNY Potsdam General Education Committee, Resource Person-Oral Skills Coordinator: Fall '06–Spring '14, Fall '15 – Summer '17 • SUNY Potsdam EOP Speech Contest, judge: Apr. '16 • SUNY Potsdam Honors Colloquium Battle of the Disciplines, debate judge: Nov. '15 • SUNY Canton's Scholarly Activity Celebration, presentation judge: Apr. 2010. • SUNY Potsdam Elsie D. Kristiansen Speech Contest adjudication committee, member: Spring '07 & Spring '08
Affiliations
• National Communication Association - Basic Course Division • Eastern Communication Association - Rhetoric & Public Address Interest Group • New York State Communication Association • Rhetoric Society of America
Speech & Public Address Scholarship
About Teaching
• Knopf, C.M. (2021, Nov). “‘You’re on mute’: Idiosyncrasies of synchronous online public speaking.” Transforming the public speaking course in response to COVID-19. National Communication Association. Seattle, WA. • Knopf, C.M. (2020, Oct). “Monroe’s Motivated Sequence – As Seen on TV!” GIFTS. New York State Communication Association. Webex. • Knopf, C.M. (2008, Nov). “Unconventional expectations in conventional settings: Using innovation in the classroom.” Putting my students first: The pedagogical implications of student centered teaching practices in the college classroom. National Communication Association. San Diego, CA. • Knopf, C.M. (2008, Oct). “‘Pants on fire’: An intradisciplinary game for the public speaking or basic course.” GIFTS panel. New York State Communication Association. Kerhonkson, NY. • Knopf, C.M. (2007, Oct). “When good teachers teach badly: A look at the communication traps in innovative teaching.” Topics in teaching. New York State Communication Association. Kerhonkson, NY. • Knopf, C.M. (2003, Nov). “Stoking the flame: Developing a passion for community service.” SKILL 2003: Sharing Knowledge, Insights, and Lessons Learned CETL Conference for U. Albany Graduate Teaching Assistants: Albany, NY.
Rhetoric & Public Address
⦿ Knopf, C.M. (2011). Those who bear the heaviest burden: War and American exceptionalism in the age of entitlement. In J. Edwards & D. Weiss (Eds.), The rhetoric of American exceptionalism: Critical essays, pp. 171-188. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ⦿ Knopf, C.M. (2010). Al Gore’s rational faith and unreasonable religion. In D. Weiss (Ed.), What Democrats talk about when they talk about God: Religious communication in Democratic party politics, pp. 93-113. Lanham, MD: Lexington. • Knopf, C.M. (2009, Nov). “Speaking to one god but addressing many: The inaugural address as counterweight to the inaugural prayer.” Let “us” pray: Rhetoric, religion, & the 2009 presidential inauguration. National Communication Association. Chicago, IL. • Knopf, C.M. (2009, Apr). “Lipschtick: Masculine political metaphors get a makeover.” Campaign frames: Meaning making & constraint in ‘08. Eastern Communication Association. Philadelphia, PA. • Knopf, C.M. (2008, May). “IR, PR, the E.U. & the U.S.: Bush’s and Chirac’s conflicting sacred/secular national identities regarding Iraq.” Bent emotions: Perspectives on foreign policy & candidate evaluations. Eastern Communication Association. Pittsburgh, PA. • Knopf, C.M. (2007, Apr). “Civil religion in presidential inaugural addresses from George Washington to George W. Bush.” Religion & political communication: New research. Eastern Communication Association. Providence, RI. • Knopf, C.M. (2006, Nov). “The prodigal son and the promised land: The unique and not so unique religious nature of George W. Bush’s Inaugural addresses.” Issues in political communication. National Communication Association. San Antonio, TX. ⦿ Knopf, C.M. (2005). Providence, presidents, & the press: Inaugural rhetoric of religion in a historical perspective. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University at Albany. • Knopf, C.M. (2004, Nov). “Providence, presidents, & the press: Using the past to understand the present & future of religious language in and about U.S. inaugurations.” God today: Religion in contemporary culture. National Communication Association. Chicago, IL. • Knopf, C.M. (2004, Apr). “Looking to heaven for answers: A computer-based rhetorical critique of Christian sermons following the Oklahoma City bombing & the 9/11 terrorist attacks.” The progress of life & death: Rhetorical evocation & response. Eastern Communication Association. Boston, MA. • Knopf, C.M. (2003, Nov). “Redefining crisis rhetoric in the wake of localized national tragedies.” Political rhetoric. National Communication Association. Miami, FL.
