MANSFIELD, PA – Professor Emeritus Lee Wright, a 1982 Mansfield graduate, will be the speaker at Mansfield University’s 155th Commencement on Saturday, December 14 at 11 a.m. at Decker Gymnasium.
Dr. Wright graduated from Mansfield State College in 1982 with a BA degree in Speech Communication. In 1984 he was awarded an MS in Speech Communication Education from Murray State University in Kentucky. Wright was granted an MA in Mass Communications in 1988 from the University of Denver and in 1995 he received his Ph.D. in Human Communication from the same institution.
Dr. Wright taught at Mansfield University from 1990 until 2015. In 1991 the Mansfield University Speech team under his direction won first place in the nation at the Novice National Speech Tournament. He served as chairperson of the Department of Communication for 12 years and served as Director of the Honors Program before retiring. In 2014, Dr. Wright led the PASSHE Summer Abroad Honors Program by taking 28 students to the Canadian Maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Wright was granted emeritus status after retiring. In the past three years, he returned to the classroom at Mansfield to teach his favorite class – Communication Law – on an as-needed basis.
Dr. Wright took up beekeeping ten years ago and sells honey locally. Since retiring Dr. Wright has enjoyed retirement by working multiple construction projects including rebuilding his home’s kitchen, building a camper and currently he is building an outdoor wood-fired pizza oven. He has also taken multiple studio classes in the Art Department. He is married to our Associate Provost Dr. Kathy Wright, whom he met at Mansfield’s graduation in 1982.