VICTORIA LEONARD

   Professor of Communication Studies

 

 

Victoria Leonard began teaching in 1981 and received her Masters Degree in Communication Studies in 1983 from CSU, Northridge, where she taught for fourteen years. She came to College of the Canyons as a part-time instructor in 1989, and was hired full-time in 1995. Victoria began building the department, seeing the need for degree programs, and a comprehensive curriculum. She also developed the Communication Studies club and Sigma Chi Eta Honor Society and still serves as advisor to both. Victoria served as department chair for 17 years, and just stepped down in fall of 2016. Victoria has helped lead the department to win the Model Communication Studies Program Award for Western States Communication Association both in 2016 and 2009, and was chosen as Advisor of the Year for Sigma Chi Eta in 2014. Victoria also serves on the Civic Engagement Steering Committee, and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Steering Committee. She is a facilitator in the college's Teaching Strategies Workshop, and loves to participate in professional development,

Academically, Victorias areas of interest include Public Speaking of course, as well as basic theory,Interpersonal, Intergenerational,Leadership,Intercultural, and Gender Communication studies. She feels that Communication Studies is a unique field because the discipline can help students with both their careers and their personal lives. One of the most important things she tells students is that if you are smart, you can learn how to do any job after graduation. But, if you can't communicate, you won't be successful at anythiing you try! THAT is why a degree in communication studies is such a great decision! She also believes in the importance of interfacing with the community, and over the years has done communication consulting for both public entities and private individuals ranging from holding workshops on conflict resolution and public speaking, to speech tutoring and speech writing.

On a personal note, Victoria is married and has two adult children. Her husband Scott is an electrical engineer and is truly her best friend and light of her life. Her daughter is following in her footsteps and is completing a Master's degree in Communication Studies, and her son is married and living in England with his wife and is a trust manager and grant writer. Her first grandchild was born in March of 2017, so she is an international grammy who spends most of her free time traveling to see her granddaughter. In her spare time she enjoys reading, cooking, creating crafts, going to the theatre, chalk painting,and spending time with friends and family.