Dr. Bette J. Kauffman
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About Dr. Kauffman
professor | photographer | preacher
professor
I received my B.A. in Journalism (1980) from the University of Iowa and my M.A. (1982) and Ph.D. (1992) in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania.
I teach in the areas of public relations, journalism and visual communication, and have professional experience in videography, journalism, and public relations. My scholarly publications include an article on qualitative methodology, biographical pieces on women artists, and book chapters on gender in relation to social and class identity.
I have received awards for my documentary photography. I have made scholarly presentations about my current photography project, Waterline: an interactive photo installation, at the 5th International Art in Society Conference in Sydney, Australia, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference in Denver and the International Conference on the Arts & Humanities in Honolulu. I was awarded the McKneeley Professorship in the Humanities to advance the Waterline work.
photographer
I took up photography many years ago, after going scuba diving for the first time. I was a farm girl from rural Iowa and had to find a way to share what I saw with family and friends I knew would never see it first hand. As an undergraduate at the University of Iowa, I exhibited locally and won a couple of photography awards.
In my 30s I went off to graduate school and then to full-time teaching, and within a few years became an academic department head. Under those pressures, photography fell by the wayside.
Hurricane Katrina inspired me to pick up my camera again, and I produced a major project called "WATERLINE: an interactive photo installation." This work has been crucially acclaimed and exhibited multiple times throughout Louisiana and in Florida and Philadelphia. I am currently working on turning it into a book. Exhibit History
My photography has since branched out. I am currently documenting Louisiana agriculture, ULM’s Charles Allen Biological Station near Columbia, La., and Louisiana wildflowers. I curate the #wildflowerwednesday photo theme on Google+, participate in local arts exhibitions and sell photographs via several online and local venues.
preacher
I was ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Church June 7, 2008 by The Rt. Rev. Bruce D. MacPherson, 3rd Bishop of Western Louisiana at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Shreveport, La. I completed the Diploma of Christian Studies in the diocesan School of Theology later that year.
I currently serve as Archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana, Canterbury@ULM Chaplain, and half-time each at St. Thomas’ and St. Alban’s Episcopal Churches in Monroe. I preach by invitation at other local churches.
My primary diaconal ministry is as a leader in Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith, a coalition of institutions that crosses boundaries of race, class, geography and religion to work together for the common good. Interfaith is a constituent member of Together Louisiana, a statewide organization that seeks to influence public policy on issues of common concern and social justice.
Copyright Bette J. Kauffman, 2014; all rights reserved.
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ULM Department of Communications
700 University Ave., Monroe, LA 71209