Andrew Rudd

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT ANDREW RUDD

This year I\'ll serve as the Interim Director of Fundamentals of Communication at in the Communication Department at George Mason University. After three years of teaching and mentoring in this program, I\'ve learned to care deeply for the work we do. Fundamentals of Communication at GMU is a large-scale, multi-section course that serves as a cornerstone of the university’s Core Curriculum. In this role, I lead training for 50 instructors, coordinate resources, support student learning, manage assessment efforts, and advocate for our program across the university and beyond. This new chapter continues the heart of my work over the last 30+ years: helping students understand how culture shapes our sense of self, other, and hopefully, the Public Good. Whether I’ve been teaching persuasion, scriptwriting, media literacy, or global cinema, I’ve focused on creating spaces where students can listen deeply, contextualize meaning, and cultivate their own voices. My teaching, facilitating and supporting are also informed by decades of work in arts-based community building. I’ve directed and volunteered for film festivals, mentored young filmmakers, produced portrait documentaries, and partnered with non-profits to champion storytelling as a tool for justice, empathy, and local change. All of this work shares a focus on engagement and dialogue. I believe learning happens when bodies, feelings, thoughts, and social identities converge — when we create environments that are safe enough for risk and strong enough to hold difference. Whether in classrooms or community spaces, I work to design those moments. Colleagues and students often note that I bring a mix of passion, professionalism, clear feedback, and a talent for making groups work well together. I strive to hold tension, encourage imagination, and fortify the resources that equity and inclusion require. I’ve been fortunate to receive awards for teaching, filmmaking, scriptwriting, and academic writing. I also consult with organizations across sectors and am committed to boundary-spanning work that listens before it strategizes. If you\'re a fellow educator, student, community builder, or simply someone committed to storytelling and equity, I invite you to connect. Let’s keep the conversation going.