Who is Barbara Schleppenbach, Ph.D.? Maybe you are already familiar with her and maybe you are not. Barbara Schleppenbach is a communication professor at Quincy University who enjoys teaching and her students. Barbara Schleppenbach is a mother, friend, and more.

Schleppenbach has lived in Quincy, Illinois most of her life. She was born in Canton, Illinois but her family moved to Quincy by the time she was seven. Besides going away to grad school this city has been her home. Since 1975, Schleppenbach has been educating students at Quincy University. Her plan was to go into journalism and live out in California where she would continue her writing. But plans changed and she ended up in an educator’s position at the university where she has been ever since.

“One of my former professors from here asked me to teach for a semester,” Schleppenbach said. “They found themselves in need of more teachers than they realized they would.”

Quincy University not only gave her a career, but she also ended up meeting her husband here at the university.

“He was teaching, and he was running the learning center helping students who needed extra support,” Schleppenbach said. “I had some students who needed extra support so I would walk them down there. I got to know him and how passionate he was about teaching. I was really impressed by that, and somebody who was just as excited about teaching and students as I am.”

After teaching all these years Schleppenbach really enjoys teaching the introduction communication classes.

“There’s a lot to be said about the intro classes because you get to cover every little topic in communication and that’s fun,” Schleppenbach said. “You’re working with people who are new to the field, and they ask really good questions. You get to watch them take on communication roles in the classroom and how they develop in a semester.”

Schleppenbach shared that one of her greatest accomplishments is seeing her students thrive once they graduate.

“There’s the success of our alumni and I’m so lucky to have played a part in their success,” Schleppenbach said.

Students who had or currently have Schleppenbach as a professor expressed why they appreciate her as a person and an educator.

“I would describe her as loving, caring, kind, patient, and any other positive word I could come up with. My point is that she would be a great friend because of her open-mind and ability to make those around her comfortable,” Moriah Pugh said. “I am very happy to have Dr. Barbara Schleppenbach as my professor seeing that she is not only understanding but makes the class fun and enjoyable!”

“Honestly she’s one of the most understanding professors and she was one of the nicest professors I had last year,” Taryn Sargent said.  “I think she really does believe in her students as well as give them the proper time, tools, and the understanding of communication. I’m looking forward to taking more of her classes because I really do enjoy her as a professor, and I believe she has a lot to teach me.”