2000 University Ave.
Education
B.A., 1982, Bowling Green State University
M.A., 1983, Bowling Green State University
Ph.D., 1986, Bowling Green State University
Teaching
COMM 210: Public Speaking
COMM 251: Business and Professional Communication
COMM 325: Interviewing
COMM 351: Organization Communication
COMM 370: Nonverbal Communication
COMM 369, 479, 669, 679: Graduate and Internship Coordinator
Building Better Communities Fellows Faculty Mentor 2008-2009. Directed team of 9 students working with Habitat for Humanity and the Home Discount Center. Projects included a Customer Satisfaction survey, developing and implementing a strategic marketing plan for the HDC, and developing a strategic plan for a community wide can collection.
Business Fellows Faculty Mentor 2007-2008. Directed team of 10 students working with the Emergency Department at Ball Memorial Hospital. Project included a survey for the Volunteer Services Department, and conducting observations, interviews and focus groups with staff, administrators and patients in the Emergency Department. The outcome is a set of communication strategies for improving the Emergency Department.
Business Fellows Faculty Mentor 2006-2007. Directed a team of 6 students working with CVC Communications in Ft. Wayne, IN. The team developed client lists, media contact lists, electronic communication ideas, electronic newsletter ideas, and a sales protocol for a new division of the organization.
Publications
Klingel-Dowd, S., Fisher, P.B., and Fisher, M.D. (Winter, 2009). Creating Graduate Education Partnerships within the University and the Community. NSEE Quarterly, (34),1.
Byers, P.Y., Zeller, R. & Byers, B. (2002). Focus group methods. In M.W. Wiederman and E. Whitley, Jr. (Eds.), Handbook for conducting research on human sexuality (pp. 173-195). Nahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Byers, P.Y., & Byers, B. (1998). Focus group research and juries: Literature and applications. Collected papers of the National Jury Project: Midwest.
Byers, P.Y. (Ed.) (1997). Organizational communication: Theory and behavior. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Byers, P.Y. (Ed.) (1997). Instructor's manual for organizational communication: Theory and behavior. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Byers, P.Y., & Weber, C.S. (1995). The timing of speech anxiety reduction treatments in the public speaking classroom. Southern Communication Journal, 60, 246-256.
Professional Presentations
Fisher, P.B., & Byrnes, K. (November 2007). From interns to consultants: Broadening the view of the student-client relationship in a Business Fellows program. Competitively selected for presentation. National Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
Fisher, P.B. (November, 2006). Managing our communication: Strategies for dealing with problem internships. Paper presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association, San Antonio, TX.
Fisher, P.B. (November, 2005).What are advertisers really saying: An analysis of nonverbal messages. Competitively selected and presented at a G.I.F.T.S. session at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Boston, MA.
Byers, P.Y., Fisher, M. D., & Thompson, T. N. (November, 2004). A metaphoric analysis of parking appeals. Paper presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
Byers, P.Y. (2002, November). Developing a senior writing portfolio. Presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Byers, P.Y. (2001, November). Senior writing portfolio and assessment tools. Presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Atlanta, Georgia.
Parrish-Sprowl, J., & Byers, P.Y. (2001, April). Student (re)construction of directed online discussions: Arguments, case studies, and presentations. Presented at the annual conference of the Central States Communication Association, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Book Review
Business Communication: Process and Product, 6th edition. By Mary Ellen Guffey. Southwester/Thompson Publishers.
Service
- BSU Dining Services, 2008. Presentation on Customer Service skills in the food industry
- BSU Training and Development, 2003-2008. Presented on a variety of topics such as nonverbal communication, professionalism, and conflict
- BSU Grade Appeals Committee 2007-Present
- Chair, BSU University Traffic Appeals Subcommittee, 2002-03
- Member, Department Advisory Committee, 2002-03
- Chair, Department Social Functions Committee, 1997-2003
- Member, Department Curriculum and Program Development Committee, 1999-2002
- CCIM representative for the ISGC NASA committee, 2001-02
Awards
Dr. Fisher joined Ball State's faculty in the fall of 1995, although she has been teaching since 1987. She has received recognition for her contributions as a speaker/consultant for organizations such as:
- Core Competency Award for Outstanding Social Responsibility BSU
- Women in Communications, Inc.
- Cancer Services of Delaware County Little Red Door
- The Center for Business Communication at the University of Notre Dame
- The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County
- The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce
- Bowling Green State University
- WBST TV, South Bend, IN
- Ball State University
- “Aging Well in East Central Indiana: Making Delaware County a Living Destination.” Awarded a Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry Fellowship for the fall of 2009. Along with 15 students, she will develop an interactive Web site, a communication campaign, and public service announcements focusing on wellness issues for those age 45-70 in Delaware County. There will also be a documentary about the process.