Dr. Sally Bennett Hardig
Professor of Communication Studies
Strong Hall 138
(205) 665-6208
hardigsb@freoreport.net
Dr. Sally Bennett Hardig joined the Communication Studies (COMS) faculty at the University of Montevallo in Fall 2002. She earned her BA from the University of Kentucky (1994) and both her MA (1998) and Ph.D. (2006) from the University of Memphis. Her areas of expertise include: Rhetoric and Public Address, Persuasion, Gender Communication, Health Communication, and Environmental Communication.
Dr. Hardig is an active leader on campus including serving as COMS Program Coordinator for over a decade, inaugural Chair of the Department of Communication for 5 years, and election as Chair of the UM Council of Department Chairs. Dr. Hardig’s current service project is a collaborative initiative working with Dr. Sherry Ford, Montevallo MADE, and the David Mathews Center for Civic Life on the Falcon Facilitators Program.
Dr. Hardig is also an active and collaborative scholar, presenting award winning single authored research at national, regional, and state level conferences. She has also co-authored several published national peer reviewed journal articles, a workbook, and several book chapters. She was promoted to Full Professor in Spring, 2017.
In addition to her engaged service and scholarship which has included serving as President of the Alabama Communication Association, she is the recipient of multiple awards for teaching and advising. Dr. Hardig was recognized first in 2005 when she was named UM College of Fine Arts Distinguished Teacher of the Year (her first year eligible). Her excellence in teaching was recognized again in 2016, when Dr. Hardig achieved what no other faculty member has before when she was honored with two major university awards in one year: 2016-17 UM Academic Advisor of the Year and the 2016-17 UM National Alumni Association Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award. As much as she loves teaching and UM, her true passion is spending time with her family (her life partner, Dr. Hardig, “the other;” her son and light of her life, Stites; and her extended fur family including 3 cats, a dog, and 2 fish).
