AFB18DD5-A7BB-314E-DD6BE303BFCCD24A
AFB2EB41-D990-73A3-5197F2C4E6C96D4E
The ability to speak and write in a clear, organized, and effective way is a central part of the liberal arts education at Hamilton College. The Oral Communication Center’s mission is to support the development of students’ speaking abilities.
Through peer tutoring, the OCC assists students on a variety of types of communication assignments. Additionally, the OCC provides support for faculty developing speaking assignments, and hosts several public speaking competitions each year and other events centered on oral communication.

Amy Gaffney, Ph.D.

Oral Communication Center Director

algaffne@hamilton.edu

315-859-4063

As Director, Amy Gaffney’s responsibilities include wrangling peer consultants for the OCC’s tutoring program, working with faculty and courses on speaking assignments, and pulling together a variety of activities on campus including two speaking competitions. She teaches a course on genres of oral communication each fall. Amy has directed the OCC since 2016. Amy’s scholarship focuses on the role communication plays in the classroom as well as ways to teach communication. She co-authored “Oral Communication in the Disciplines” and has consulted with departments and institutions looking to increase their curricular attention to oral communication. She was happy to return to her roots at a small, liberal arts institution like her alma mater, Bethany College (WV). She has taught a variety of communication courses to Golden Flashes (Kent State University, M.A. in Communication Studies), the Wolfpack (North Carolina State University, Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media), and Wildcats (University of Kentucky faculty member). When not in the OCC, Amy can usually be found creating awesome race tracks with her older son or doing puzzles with her toddler.

Corrin Rosenstein

Office Assistant

Student Assistants

Ashley Beck '26

Ashley is a government major and intended environmental studies minor from Long Island, New York. She loves the outdoors, scouting, and hanging out with her friends and family. You can often find her listening to music and drinking ice tea.

Yarely Contreras-Joya '26

Yarely is a sophomore Geosciences major from The Bronx, New York City. She enjoys watching Formula 1, baking, and making her friends laugh.

Jess Mason '26

Off campus in Spring '24!

Mia Pabalan '27

Hi! I'm Mia. I'm a freshman from San Diego, California. I enjoy reading, writing and painting. I love animals, I have two dogs and two cats back at home. I am currently undeclared but hope to minor in Chinese. :)

Bri Padilla ’25

Off campus in Spring '24!

History

The Oral Communication Center has its roots in the College’s focus on developing excellent communicators. The Center was created in 2002 and has served countless Hamilton students since then. 

Contact

Office / Department Name

Oral Communication Center

Contact Name

Amy Gaffney

Oral Communication Center Director

Help us provide an accessible education, offer innovative resources and programs, and foster intellectual exploration.

Site Search