Heather May

Professor Emerita, School of Communication

Heather May

Emeritus

At Emerson since 2000

Campus

Boston

Department

Communication Studies

Education

  • B.A., University of Nebraska, Lincoln
  • M.A., Suffolk University
  • M.Ed., Cambridge College

Heather May’s love of public speaking and argumentation started with a debate class in high school in her hometown of North Platte, NE. She competed in forensics for eight years, at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, making it to quarterfinals in poetry at the AFA national tournament in 1996, and semi-finals in dramatic interpretation in 1997.

She then moved to Boston, where she coached the forensics team as a graduate student at Suffolk University.

After joining the Emerson faculty in 2004, May rejuvenated Emerson’s forensics team and became its new director. In the spring of 2008, the team took second place at the New England Regional Championship Tournament. At the NFA National Championship Tournament in Nashville, TN, one of Emerson’s eight qualifying students placed sixth in after dinner speaking.

May has also worked as a consultant in public speaking and presentational skills. She is currently pursuing a Psy.D. in psychology.