Distinguished Scholar Award
The NCA Distinguished Scholar Award was created in 1991 to recognize and reward NCA members for a lifetime of scholarly achievement in the study of human communication. Recipients are selected to showcase the communication profession. The award is supported by the Mark L. Knapp Distinguished Scholar Fund.
Distinguished Scholars Inductees
2023
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Robert Asen](/sites/default/files/pictures/Bernadette_Marie_Calafell500x.png)
Bernadette M. Calafell
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Theodore Clevenger Jr.*](/sites/default/files/pictures/Lisa_A_Flores500x.png)
Lisa A. Flores
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Tina Maria Harris](/sites/default/files/pictures/Karen_A_Foss500x.png)
Karen A. Foss
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Charles E. Morris III](/sites/default/files/pictures/Katherine_Grace_Hendrix500x.png)
Katherine Grace Hendrix
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Kent A. Ono](/sites/default/files/pictures/D_Soyini_Madison500x.png)
D. Soyini Madison
2022
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Robert Asen](/sites/default/files/Robert%20Asen%20squared.jpeg)
Robert Asen
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Theodore Clevenger Jr.*](/sites/default/files/Theodore%20Clevenger%20Jr..jpg)
Theodore Clevenger Jr.*
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Tina Maria Harris](/sites/default/files/Tina%20Harris_0.jpeg)
Tina Maria Harris
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Charles E. Morris III](/sites/default/files/Charles%20Morris%20III_0.jpg)
Charles E. Morris III
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Kent A. Ono](/sites/default/files/Kent%20Ono.jpg)
Kent A. Ono
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Lynn H. Turner](/sites/default/files/Lynn%20H.%20Turner.png)
Lynn H. Turner
2021
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Tamara Afifi](/sites/default/files/Afifi_2.png)
Tamara Afifi
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Mohan Dutta](/sites/default/files/Dutta_1.png)
Mohan Dutta
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Laura Ellingson](/sites/default/files/Ellingson.png)
Laura Ellingson
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee E Patrick Johnson](/sites/default/files/Johnson_1.png)
E Patrick Johnson
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Rake Shome](/sites/default/files/Shome_0.png)
Raka Shome
2020
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Dawn O. Braithwaite](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2020Braithwaite.png)
Dawn O. Braithwaite
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee James Chesebro](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2020Chesebro.png)
James Chesebro*
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Dana L. Cloud](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2020Cloud.png)
Dana L. Cloud
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Ronald L. Jackson](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2020Jackson.png)
Ronald L. Jackson
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Brian H. Spitzberg](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2020Spitzberg.png)
Brian H. Spitzberg
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Sarah Tracy](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2020Tracy.png)
Sarah J. Tracy
2019
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Molefi Kete Asante](/sites/default/files/awards/DSA2019Asante.png)
Molefi Kete Asante
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Lawrence Frey](/sites/default/files/awards/DSA2019Frey.png)
Lawrence Frey
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Gary Kreps](/sites/default/files/awards/DSA2019Kreps.png)
Gary Kreps
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Thomas Nakayama](/sites/default/files/awards/DSA2019Nakayama.png)
Thomas Nakayama
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Denise Hauani Solomon](/sites/default/files/awards/DSA2019Solomon.png)
Denise Haunani Solomon
2018
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Wayne A. Beach](/sites/default/files/Wayne%20A.%20Beach_2.jpg)
Wayne A. Beach
James Price Dillard
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Mary Anne Fitzpatrick](/sites/default/files/Mary%20Anne%20Fitzpatrick_0.png)
Mary Anne Fitzpatrick
2017
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Ronald Arnett](/sites/default/files/award/NCA_Awards_2017_Distinguised_Scholar_Arnett.png)
Ronald C. Arnett
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee François Cooren](/sites/default/files/award/NCA_Awards_2017_Distinguised_Scholar_Cooren.png)
François Cooren
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Sandra Petronio](/sites/default/files/awards/DSAPetronio.png)
Sandra Petronio
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Mary Stuckey](/sites/default/files/award/NCA_Awards_2017_Distinguised_Scholar_Stuckey.png)
Mary E. Stuckey
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Joseph B. Walther](/sites/default/files/award/NCA_Awards_2017_Distinguised_Scholar_Walther.png)
Joseph B. Walther
2016
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Patrice Buzzanell](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016Buzzanell.png)
Patrice M. Buzzanell
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Donal Carbaugh](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016Carbaugh.png)
Donal Carbaugh
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Jon F. Nussbaum](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016Nussbaum.png)
Jon F. Nussbaum
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Sandi W. Smith](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016Smith.png)
Sandi W. Smith
2015
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Stephen Browne](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016StephenBrowne.png)
Stephen Browne
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Carolyn Ellis](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016CarolynEllis.png)
Carolyn S. Ellis
2014
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Noshir S Contractor](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016NoshirContractor.png)
Noshir S. Contractor
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee G Thomas Goodnight](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016GThomasGoodnightv3.png)
G. Thomas Goodnight
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Alan Gross](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016AlanGross.png)
Alan G. Gross
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Anita Vangelisti](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2016AnitaVangelisti.png)
Anita L. Vangelisti
2013
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Michael Hyde](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2013MichaelHyde.png)
Michael J. Hyde
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Robert Ivie](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2013RobertIvie.png)
Robert L. Ivie
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Gerry Philipsen](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2013GerryPhilipsen.png)
Gerry Philipsen
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Cynthia Stohl](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2013CynthiaStohl.png)
Cynthia Stohl
2012
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Arthur Bochner](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2012ArthurBochner.png)
Arthur P. Bochner
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Robert Craig](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2012RobertCraig.png)
Robert Craig
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee John Louis Lucaites](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2012JohnLouiseLucaites.png)
John Louis Lucaites
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Peter Monge](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2012PeterMonge.png)
Peter Monge
2011
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Clifford Christians](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2011CliffordChristians.png)
Clifford G. Christians
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Gail Fairhurst](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2011GailFairhurst.png)
Gail T. Fairhurst
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Dennis Mumby](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2011DennisMumby.png)
Dennis K. Mumby
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Barbie Zelizer](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2011BarbieZelizer.png)
Barbie Zelizer
2010
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee John Daly](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2010JohnDaly.png)
John A. Daly
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Steven Duck](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2010StevenDuck.png)
Steven W. Duck
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Karen Tracy](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2010KarenTracy.png)
Karen Tracy
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Joseph Turow](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2010JosephTurow.png)
Joseph Turow
2009
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Carole Blair](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2009CaroleBlair.png)
Carole Blair
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Stephen Lucas](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2010StephenLucas.png)
Stephen E. Lucas
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Michael Roloff](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2010MichaelRoloff.png)
Michael E. Roloff
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Edward Schiappa](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2009EdwardSchiappa.png)
Edward Schiappa
2008
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee James Aune](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2008JamesAune.png)
James A. Aune
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Leslie Baxter](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2008LeslieBaxter.png)
Leslie A. Baxter
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Charles Berger](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2008CharlesBerger.png)
Charles R. Berger
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee J Michael Hogan](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2008JMichaelHogan.png)
J. Michael Hogan
2007
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Lance Bennett](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2007LanceBennett.png)
Lance Bennett
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee W Norwood Brigance](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2007WNorwoodBrigance.png)
W. Norwood Brigance*
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Robert Entman](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2007RobertEntman.png)
Robert Entman
![Distinguished Scholar Inductee Howard Giles](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2007HowardGiles.png)
Howard Giles
2006
![John Waite Bowers](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2006Bowers.png)
John Waite Bowers
![Brant R Burleson](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2006Burleson.png)
Brant R. Burleson
![Doris Graber](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2006Graber.png)
Doris A. Graber
2005
![Joseph Cappella](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2005Cappella.png)
Joseph N. Cappella
![Gerard Hauser](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2005Hauser.png)
Gerard A. Hauser
![Martin Medhurst](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2005Medhurst.png)
Martin J. Medhurst
![Marshall Scott Poole](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2005Poole.png)
Marshall Scott Poole
2004
![Stanley Deetz](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2004Deetz.png)
Stanley A. Deetz
![Robert Hariman](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2004Hariman.png)
Robert Hariman
![David Seibold](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2004Seibold.png)
David R. Seibold
![Frans van Eemeren](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2004vanEemeren.png)
Frans H. van Eemeren
2002
![Celeste Condit](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2002Condit.png)
Celeste M. Condit
![MIchael Schudson](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2002Schudson.png)
Michael S. Schudson
2001
![Michael Leff](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2001Leff.png)
Michael Leff
2000
![James Andrews](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2000Andrews.png)
James R. Andrews
![Robert Newman](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2000Newman.png)
Robert P. Newman
![Ellen Wartella](/sites/default/files/award/DSA2000Wartella.png)
Ellen A. Wartella
1999
![Judee Burgoon](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1999Burgoon.png)
Judee K. Burgoon
![Linda Putnam](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1999Putnam_0.png)
Linda L. Putnam
1998
![Thomas Farrell](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1998Farrell_0.png)
Thomas B. Farrell
![Henry Johnstone Jr](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1998JohnstoneJr.png)
Henry W. Johnstone, Jr.
![Julia Wood](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1998Wood.png)
Julia T. Wood
1997
![Thomas Benson](/sites/default/files/Thomas%20W.%20Benson.png)
Thomas W. Benson
![Lloyd Bitzer](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1997Bitzer.png)
Lloyd F. Bitzer
![Lawrence Grossberg](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1997Grossberg.png)
Lawrence Grossberg
1996
![Edwin Black](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1996Black.png)
Edwin Black
![Beverly Whitaker Long](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1996WhitakerLong.png)
Beverly Whitaker Long
![Bruce Gronbeck](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1996Gronbeck.png)
Bruce E. Gronbeck
1995
![Wallace Bacon](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Bacon.png)
Wallace A. Bacon
![A Craig Baird](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Baird.png)
A. Craig Baird*
![Donald Bryant](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Bryant.png)
Donald C. Bryant*
![Douglas Ehninger](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Ehninger.png)
Douglas Ehninger*
![Walter Fisher](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Fisher.png)
Walter R. Fisher
![Wilbur Howell](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Howell.png)
Wilbur Samuel Howell*
![Everett Lee Hunt](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Hunt.png)
Everett Lee Hunt*
![Franklin Knower](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Knower.png)
Franklin H. Knower*
![Marie Hochmuth Nichols](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995HochmuthNichols.png)
Marie Hochmuth Nichols*
![Herbert Simons](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Simons.png)
Herbert Simons
![Karl Wallace](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Wallace.png)
Karl Wallace*
![Herbert Wichelns](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Wichelns.png)
Herbert A. Wichelns*
![James Winans](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Winans.png)
James A. Winans*
![Charles Woolbert](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1995Woolbert.png)
Charles Woolbert*
1994
![Wayne Brockriede](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1994Brockriede.png)
Wayne Brockriede*
![James Murphy](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1994Murphy.png)
James J. Murphy
![David Zarefsky](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1994Zarefsky.png)
David Zarefsky
1993
![Jesse Delia](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1993Delia.png)
Jesse Delia
![Roderick Hart](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1993Hart.png)
Roderick P. Hart
![Mark Knapp](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1993Knapp.png)
Mark L. Knapp
1992
![Carroll C Arnold](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Arnold.png)
Carroll C. Arnold
![Samuel L Becker](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Becker.png)
Samuel L. Becker
![Ernest Bormann](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Bormann.png)
Ernest G. Bormann
![Karlyn Kohrs Campbell](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992KohrsCampbell.png)
Karlyn Kohrs Campbell
![Dennis Gouran](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Gouran.png)
Dennis S. Gouran
![Franklyn Haiman](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Haiman.png)
Franklyn S. Haiman
![Kathleen Hall Jamieson](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Jamieson.png)
Kathleen Hall Jamieson
![George Kennedy](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Kennedy.png)
George Kennedy
![Gerald Miller](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Miller.png)
Gerald R. Miller
![Robert Scott](/sites/default/files/award/DSA1992Scott.png)
Robert L. Scott
*Awarded posthumously