By: Cole McMillian<\/p>\n
Dr. Marilyn Hunt, Chair of the Communication & Journalism department, colleague and friend, is ending her near twenty-year tenure at Missouri Western State University this year.<\/span><\/p>\n Drawing from her incredibly varied experience both personally and professionally, Hunt taught a wide range of classes during her career with distinction. Her favorite was Organizational Communication. She enjoyed building on her previous graduate work and research at California State University of Los Angeles<\/a> (CSULA) that looked at organizational relationships by explaining how those between supervisors and subordinates flourish and falter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Maybe that knowledge is what helped Dr. Hunt understand her students so well and drew them to her.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDr. Hunt is someone that brings joy and excitement to the department every single day,\u201d former student and program alumni Alex Atkinson said. \u201cMultiple times she met with me before, between or late after classes to help me with classes and projects or just to discuss topics we covered. I\u2019m sad to see her leave Western, but she has without a doubt left her mark on our campus.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Current student Ali Fowler reiterated Atkinson\u2019s sentiments,<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDr. Hunt is very knowledgeable while being personable. She is very easy to talk to and learn from. The department will miss her but she has definitely earned her retirement!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Even after so many years teaching communications, Dr. Hunt still enjoys interacting with students and staying current on the ever shifting trends in the industry:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt has been gratifying to talk with students and read their research over the years as they reflected on the changing views of leadership and followership.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Originally from Kansas, Hunt moved to California in the late 70\u2019s to complete her undergraduate degree. During her fifteen years in California, Hunt lived <\/span>in Altadena, Long Beach, Alhambra, Seal Beach, Downy, Newport Beach, and West Los Angeles. <\/span><\/p>\n Hunt served as Field Office Manager for United Professors of California, worked a part-time summer job driving a bread truck for Oroweat Bakery that necessitated getting up at 4:30 a.m. to deliver product to grocery stores all over L.A., and served as an instructor at LA Southwest College (Watts), Cerritos College (Norwalk), Pasadena City College and CSULA, somehow finding time to compete in the Rose Bowl half marathon. <\/span><\/p>\n