Life has an interesting way of bringing everything full circle.
Professor Matthew VanDyke grew up in a small town in the Appalachian Mountains in southwestern Virginia where coal mining isn’t at all the environmental taboo it is in some parts of the country. It’s a way of life. The pride in the Virginia Tech Hokies also runs deep, and like a lot of VA natives, VanDyke went straight to VT when the time came.
When I met with VanDyke, we talked about his educational and professional background. It wasn’t until later that I found out how much his upbringing had influenced his career choices. Isn’t that always how it goes? VanDyke’s research focus is environmental communication. Throughout his life he has always loved being outdoors, fishing, being a dog Dad, and most of all, hiking.
When he was an undergrad, he took an environmental issues and policy class. He was fascinated by the way that people from different parts of the world approach environmental issues differently. To him, coal mining was an economic choice. To others, it was a deathly unethical move as far as the environment is concerned. For him, it was all about people’s preconceived notions and the ways that the information was presented to him.
VanDyke earned both his Bachelor and Masters degree while at VT, and then took a giant leap education wise. He left his beloved Appalachian mountains, and his dog (who went with his Dad), for the toasty panhandle of Texas. He went to Texas Tech to get his Ph.D. in media and communication. He was able to keep up his love of hiking, just with slightly (ok, drastically) different views.
Soon after his time at Texas Tech, the job search began. He laughed and said that it’s funny that he got hired where he did because it brought him back to the part of the country he grew up in. He had been hired as a communications professor here at Appalachian State, and just like that, he was back home in the Appalachians. He had come full circle.
I was lucky enough to be in one of his first classes here at App. Hell, my first day of his class might have been his second class ever at App. Now let’s all be honest with each other. We have all had professors who were so tough that you didn’t learn anything, and who made you like your major a little less in the process. This was absolutely not the case with Professor VanDyke. He truly cares about his students and teaching them the best way he can. While he challenges you to push yourself to perfection (if you take PR writing you’ll know what I mean), I cannot think of another class where I learned more.
If you’re in the communication department, 10/10 would recommend Professor Matthew VanDyke: hiker, Rangers baseball enthusiast, and die hard Virginia Tech fan.