Biography

Ariel Elizabeth Seay-Howard is a Doctoral Candidate in the communication department at Wayne State University. Ariel is working to become a rhetorician; her research focuses on materiality, racial violence and public memory. Ariel chose the field of communication to help bring more cultural awareness to academic scholarship. After she completes her program she plans to work as a professor and continue her research and activism to fight against racial violence. 

Academic Interests

Rhetoric, Identity and Representation, Materiality, Public memory, Racial violence, Film 

Area of Expertise

Rhetoric, Intercultural communication, Public speaking, Film 

Recipient of Communciation Department Service Award (2020)

Recipient of Harriet Kanter Award for Student Development (2018-2019) 

 

Degrees and Certifications

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Ph.D., Communication, Anticipated graduation 2023
Area of Concentration:
Rhetoric, Materiality, Public memeory, Racial violence

Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI
M.A., Communication, April 2018
Area of Concentration:
Intercultural communication and Rhetorical communication

Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan
B.A., Communication Studies May 2015
Major Areas of Concentration:
Understanding the effects of race in communication

Primary Research Interest

Rhetoric, Materiality, Racial violence, Public memory, Film 

Recent Publications

Howard-Seay, Ariel E. (In Press). “Anti-Black Violence”. Democracies in America. Oxford University Press.

Seay, Ariel E. "The Unheard Voices: A Critical Look at Black Women, Voice and Education." Order No. 10822071 Eastern Michigan University, 2018. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Web. 21 Mar. 2019.

Conference Papers/Panel Presentations
Keeling D, Seay- Howard A, O’ Shay B, (2022). “Weathering Racial Violence, Holding Anti-Blackness” Rhetoric Society of America, Baltimore, Maryland.

Seay A., Bruns L. (2022). Investigating Intergroup Identities: A Multimethodological Response to Power Inequalities, Bias, Prejudice, and Discrimination International Communication Association, Paris France.

Chair (2021) Using Communication Activism Pedagogy to Address Anti-Blackness. Panel submitted and accepted by National Communication Association, Seattle Washington.    

Seay-Howard A., Martucci C. (2021) “Making Sense of our Authentic Selves Through Cultural Humility.” Submitted and accepted by Eastern Communication Association (Virtual).

Seay-Howard A., Lindner A, Acheme D, Eunhui K. (2020) “At the Crossroads: Graduate Students' Assimilation into and Contestation of White Educational Spaces” submitted and accepted by National Communication Association. (Virtual)

Seay-Howard A., Loker E. (2020) “Searching for a Purpose: A Pentadic Analysis of the Distinguished Scholar CRTNET Conversation” submitted and accepted by International Communication Association. (Virtual)

Seay A., Degner H., & Rosealyn S. (2020) “Cultivating Cultures of Care in Academic Spaces” Paper submitted to and accepted as a panel discussion by Conference on College Composition and Communication Annual Convention.

Seay A. (2019) “Praxes of Resistance: Black Graduate Students’ Pedagogies Amidst Whiteness and Precarity” Submitted and accepted as panel discussion and accepted by National Communication Association Annual Convention, New Baltimore.

Seay A. (2019) “Lynch in all its phases: A narrative critique.” Submitted to and accepted by Texas A &M, Diversity conference.

Seay A., Degner H., & Rosealyn S. (2019). “Mindful Frauds???”. Paper submitted  and accepted as a panel discussion by Conference on College Composition and Communication Annual Convention, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Seay A. (2018.) Let’s talk about Race (G.I.F.T). Paper submitted to and accepted by the National Communication Association Annual Convention, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Responsibilities

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Adjunct Faculty 

Graduate Student Ambassador 

Professional Affiliations:

Interternational Communication Association (ICA) (2020-present) 

Rhetorical Society of America  (RSA) (2020-present) 

NCA Women’s Caucus (2018-present)

NCA Black Caucus (2018-present)

National Communication Association (NCA) (2016-present)

Professional Development/Training and Workshop Experience:

Wayne State University Office of Peace and Conflict (Virtual)
Restorative justice event (2021)

Rhetorical Society Association (RSA-Virtual) New Materiality workshop (2021)

Wayne State University (Virtual) Note taking and research workshop (2021)

Midwest Winter Workshop, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Jan 2020)

Communication Diversity Workshop:Workshop hosted by Wayne State University (Oct 2018)

IRB Training workshop: Workshop hosted by Wayne state University (Nov 2018)

University Involvement:

Graduate Student Ambassador (2021-2022)

Diversity and Inclusion Student-led Conference at Wayne State University- Founder and Chair (March 2020)

Communication Graduate Student Organization- President  (2019-2020)

Graduate Employees Organizing Committee (Union)- Secretary (2019-2020) 

Black Graduate Student Organization- Committee member (January 2019- present)

Graduate Student Organization- Committee member (September 2018- present)

Wayne State University Communication Department College Hearing Committee - Committee member (Sept 2018- 2019)
 

Courses Taught

AFS 2210: African American Social and Political Thought

COM 1010: Public Speaking

COM 2000: Introduction to Communication Studies

BUS 3300: Business Communication

COM 3400: Communication theory

COM 2170: Persuasive speaking