Educational History

B.A., Hiram College
M.A., Kent State University
Ph.D., Duquesne University

Professional Highlights

• Director and founder of the M.A. in Strategic Narrative Communication at Shenandoah University, a forward-looking program focused on storytelling, engagement, and communication in the age of AI.
• Former Department Chair (2022–2025), leading curriculum development and program innovation.
• Founder of the Shenandoah University Debate Team, which won a national championship in its inaugural year and continued to place nationally in subsequent competitions.
• Developer and director of the world’s first virtual reality debate tournament, integrating immersive technology into competitive communication.
• Recipient of the National Communication Association Top Paper Award for research on virtual reality and debate.
• Collaborator on interdisciplinary VR projects recreating historical debates, including work connected to the Constitutional Convention.
• Creator of public speaking training programs for university leadership and professionals.
• Active scholar and presenter in areas of AI, narrative, media ecology, and communication ethics, at national and international conferences.

Research

Dr. Corr’s research sits at the intersection of media ecology, rhetorical theory, and emerging communication technologies, with a particular focus on how media environments shape human meaning-making, ethics, and behavior. His work explores the cultural, philosophical, and communicative implications of artificial intelligence, social media, and immersive technologies such as virtual reality.

A central thread of his scholarship examines the relationship between media and mental health, including studies on suicide, digital environments, and ethical questions surrounding AI-based prediction tools. His recent and ongoing projects investigate artificial intelligence through a media ecological lens, addressing issues of human dignity, responsibility, and technological mediation.

In addition to this line of inquiry, his work engages broader questions of narrative, symbolism, and representation in contemporary media, drawing from thinkers such as Burke, Baudrillard, and Jung. His interdisciplinary approach connects rhetorical theory, philosophy, and applied communication to better understand how evolving media systems influence perception, identity, and social action.

Fields of Expertise

• Strategic Narrative Communication and Storytelling
• Media Ecology and Communication Theory
• Artificial Intelligence and Media
• Communication Ethics
• Rhetoric and Philosophy of Communication
• Media and Mental Health (including suicide and digital environments)
• Social Media and Emerging Media Technologies
• Virtual Reality and Immersive Communication
• Public Speaking and Professional Communication
• Environmental and Health Communication