Since 1987, Professor Donna Arthur Downs has been teaching students in the Communication Department at Taylor University. Taylor is a private, interdenominational, evangelical Christian university in Upland, Indiana. Founded in 1846, it is one of the oldest evangelical Christian universities in the United States. There are currently four majors offered through the Department - communication, multi-media journalism, professional writing, and public relations. Downs primarily teaches in public relations, but has taken courses in the other majors to enhance her own writing knowledge and craft.
Graduating students of Taylor's Communication Department find success in all types of careers, Downs says, including journalism, editing, publishing, public relations agencies, communications specialists, and more. She believes if you teach people to write well, think well, and improve their interpersonal skills, they will go on to be successful in any field. As a professor, downs pursues critical thinking and emotional intelligence with her students, and lets them thrive wherever they go.