By: Morgan Hughes
Dr. John Tapia is known to many on Western’s campus for his Hawaiian shirts, a red solo cup in hand and his knowledge on all things rhetoric.
Tapia first came to Western in 1976 after completing his Ph.D. at the University of Arizona. There he majored in Speech Communication with a focus in American Public Address and Rhetorical Theory, and minored in American History and Statistics.
In the years since, Tapia has taught many upper and lower division communication courses, such as “Oral Communication,” “Road to the White House,” “Interpersonal Communication” and his famous “Survey of Rhetorical Theory.” He is also become of numerous national organizations, such as the National Communication Association, Central States Communication, Rhetoric Society of America and the International Rhetoric Society.
Dr. Tapia has mentored and connected with many of his students, peers and colleagues at Western. Dr. Marilyn Hunt, who is also retiring this year, has been a colleague of Tapia’s for over 20 years now.
“John Tapia is an exceptional professor, colleague and friend and I wish him the best in his retirement. He deserves it,” Hunt said.
Among everything Dr. Tapia has accomplished, he still somehow found time to publish over 30 professional articles and present at over 70 academic conferences around the United States.
“My biggest professional accomplishment are my personal publications because I put so much time and thought into each of them,” Tapia said.
After retirement Tapia plans to focus on his farm in Faucett, MO and his collection of 32 antique cars.
“I have always had a niche for antique cars and now that I am in retirement I can focus on repairing them and attending cars show in the area. I have even thought about starting a car tour,” Tapia said.
