Close Menu
Mary Ann Danielson, PhD

Professor

Contact

maddam@creighton.edu
College of Arts and Sciences
Communication Studies
HCCA - Hitchcock Center for Communication Art - 308A

Mary Ann Danielson, PhD

Professor

Mary Ann Danielson came to Creighton in 1989 as the Associate Director of Forensics; in the early 1990s, she directed the forensics program and ocmpleted her doctoral studies.  From 1997-2005, she served as the chair of the Department of Communication Studies, and from 2005-2007, she served as the Associate Director for Faculty Development.  From 2007-2018, she served as the Associate Vice President (then Vice Provost) for Acadmeic Excellence and Assessment; in 2017-2018, she also served as the Executive Director of the newly formed Teaching and Learning Center.  Danielson, a Professor of Communication Studies (with a secondary appointment in the Interdisciplinary Leadership Program), has been recognized with Creighton University's College of Arts and Sciences' Dean's Awards for service in 1993, for excellence in teaching in 1995, for professional excellence/outstanding service in 2004, and Creighton University's Distinguished Educator in Teaching as Scholarship award in 2019.

Danielson's areas of expertise include organizational communication, leadership, training and development, assessment of student learning, and curricular design and pedagogy.  Research intersts extending beyond these topics include employability skills and organizational entry and socialization experiences, particularly of volunteers.  Publications include seven chapters in an edited volume, 16 journal articles, 3 book reviews, a number of grants, and over 70 refereed conference papers. 

As an engaged scholar, Danielson remains professionally active; activities include International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (Board Secretary); a team chair, peer evaluator and Assessment Academy mentor for the Highter Learning Commission; and an organizational consultant, workshop leader/facilitator, and keynote speaker for a number of campus, community, regional, and national organizations.  Additionally, Danielson holds leadership postiions with national, regional, and state associateions and across the university.

Research Focus

Research interests range include:
  • organizational socialization of (non-profit) volunteers
  • assessment of student learning
  • faculty development
  • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning; specifically, helping faculty partner with students to redesign (and improve student learning in) a Creighton course (C3: Collaborative Curricular (re)Construction).  

Department

Communication Studies

Position

Professor

Articles

  • International Journal for Students as Partners
    Duda, G., & Danielson, M.A. (2018). Collaborative curricular (re)construction—Tracking faculty and student learning impacts and outcomes five years later. International Journal of Students as Partners.  2018
  • Journal of Applied Communication Research
    Kramer, M. W., & Danielson, M.A. (2017). Communication and Role Development for Zoo Volunteers: Responding to Role Sending, Role-Making, and Role-Remaking, Journal of Applied Communication Research, 45, 96-115. 
    45, p. 96-115
  • Management Communication Quarterly
    Kramer, M. W., & Danielson, M.A. (2016). Developing and re-developing volunteerroles: The case of ongoing assimilation of docent zoo volunteers. Management Communication Quarterly, 30, 103-120. 
    30, p. 103-120

Publications

  • Journal of Communication Pedagogy
    Danielson, M.A. (2018). Communication pedagogy and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: A natural match and a promising future. Journal of Communication Pedagogy, 1 (1), 20-23. 
    1 (1), p. 20-23
  • International Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
    Danielson, M.A. (2012, July). SoTL as generative heuristic methodology in building learning communities. International Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 

Presentations

  • Danielson, M.A. (November 2018). Challenging the Status Quo: Tackling Social Issues through Creative, Imaginative Leadership Development. Panel presentation at the National Communication Association annual meeting, Salt Lake City, UT. 2018
  • Avila, B. & Danielson, M.A. (2018) Assessing co-curricular learning. Assessment Academy Roundtable at the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting, Chicago, IL. 2018
  • Danielson, M.A., Jensen, G., & Mangan, W. (2018). Accreditation life cycle: Strategies for sustaining momentum. Presentation at the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting, Chicago, IL. 2018
  • Chapman, T., Graner, J., & Danielson, M.A. (2017). Establishing an academic planning structure and process. Presentation at the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting, Chicago, IL. 2017
  • Kramer, M. W., & Danielson, M.A. (2015). Communication and role development for zoo volunteers: Responding to role-sending, role-making, and role-remaking. Presentation at the National Communication Association annual meeting, Las Vegas, NV. 2015
  • Duda, G., & Danielson, M.A. (October 2015). Collaborative Curricular (re)Construction (C3): Engaging students in the process of course re-design. Presentation at the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning annual meeting, Melbourne, Australia. 2015
  • Danielson, M.A. (April 2015). Communicating Change: Mindful Deliberations for Academic Excellence. Panel presentation at the Eastern Communication Association's Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. 2015
  • Danielson, M.A. (April 2015). Sea Changes in Teaching and Research: Communication's Contributions to Discussions of the Changed Academy. Panel presentation at the Central States Communication Association's Annual Meeting, Madison, WI. 2015
  • Jensen, G., Danielson, M.A., & Schwery, L. (2015). Academic Program Review:Leveraging Structure, Process and a Virtual Reality. Presentation at the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting, Chicago, IL. 2015
  • Kramer, M. W., & Danielson, M. A. (November 2013). Changing the Roles: The Case of Ongoing Socialization of Docent Zoo Volunteers. Paper presented at the National Communication Association annual meeting, Washington DC. 2013
  • Chapman, T., Jensen, G., & Danielson, M.A. (April 2013). Building Organizational Capacityfor Distance Education: Conducting a Gap Analysis. Presentation at the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting, Chicago, IL. 2013
  • Dickel, C. T., & Danielson, M.A. (2012). Integrating students into SoTL: Students' knowledge- based descriptions and expectations of faculty demonstration of four institutional core values. Presentation at the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning annual meeting, Hamilton, ON. 2012
  • Danielson, M.A. (April 2012). Connecting Personal and Spiritual Dimensions of Leadership through Communication Narratives. Presentation at the Central States Communication Association's Annual Meeting, Cleveland, OH. 2012
  • Cherney, I., Jensen, G., Danielson, M.A., & Chadwick, S. (April 2012). Reinventing Quality in Higher Education: Future of Interdisciplinary Programs. Presentation at the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting, Chicago, IL. 2012

Awards

  • 2018 Distinguished Service Award
    ISSOTL's highest honor.
    International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
  • Sara A. Boatman Excellence in Leadership Award
    Nebraska chapter award.
    Nebraska Women in Higher Education Leadership
  • Faculty Partner Award
    Creighton University's Department of Educational Opportunity Programs
  • Voluntary Service Award
    Nebraska Recreation and Parks Association
  • College of Arts and Sciences' College Award for Professional Excellence Outstanding Service
    Creighton University
  • 2001-2002 Alumni Achievement Award
    Department of Communication award.
    University of Nebraska at Omaha
  • Distinguished Service Award
    Nebraska Intercollegiate Forensics Association
  • Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching
    Creighton University's College of Arts and Sciences
  • Dean's Award
    Service to Creighton Forensics and Students
    Creighton University College of Arts and Sciences
};