Dr. William E. Jurma
308.865.8521
Dr. William E. Jurma has been named interim dean of the College of Fine Arts and Humanities at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
He fills the position formerly held by Dr. Rodney Miller, who has accepted a position as dean of the Wichita (Kansas) State University College of Fine Arts. Before being named interim dean, Dr. Jurma served as the associate dean for the UNK College of Fine Arts and Humanities.
Dr. Jurma holds the rank of professor in the Department of Communication, and has directed student research at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Author of a book titled Small Group Discussion, he has also published extensively in refereed journals and presented at numerous scholarly conferences.
In addition, he has extensive experience as a consultant in leadership and communication for business and industry. He has served as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice, Tandy Corporation, Nations Bank, Pier 1 Imports, All Saints Hospital, Bank Of Wood River, Dawson Public Power District, Chief Industries and the Nebraska LEAD Program. He has also provided expert analysis for news media, including ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX Affiliates, for presidential debates and speeches.
Dr. Jurma joined the UNK campus in 1998. Before coming to UNK, he had been department chair and an associate dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Texas Christian University. He has also taught at The University of Michigan, DePauw University and Indiana University. His degrees include the Ph.D. and M.A. from Indiana University, and a B.A. from Oberlin College.
