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Office of the Provost

Andrew Tollison

 

Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences, has a specialization in interpersonal and health communication. His research centers on how individuals communicatively cope with chronic illness and the effects of stereotypes in healthcare. (Ph.D. forthcoming, University of Texas at Austin, 2012) Current projects include examining the uses of agency by cancer survivors in discussions of personal health, and the cognitive and communicative influences of stereotype threat on patient-provider interactions. His research has appeared in publications such as Health Communication  and the Journal of Applied Communication Research.  Professor Tollison will be teaching courses in health communication and research methods.

Email:   Tollisona@merrimack.edu                                                                   Office:   Cushing 17                                                                                           Phone: 978-837-5055

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Faculty Facts

  • My interest in health communication really took off in an interpersonal health class I took during my Master’s program at the University of Tennessee. The professor asked me if I wanted to assist him on a health communication project and it continued from there. 

  • I am an avid supporter of Livestrong and similar cancer-organizations. Through my connections at these organizations, I have been able to apply my training in communication to help patients, family, friends, staff, etc. It is a highly rewarding area of study for me and I am extremely excited about being able to teach health communication at Merrimack. 

  • I have a Staffordshire Terrier named Roxy. She is a ton of fun to be around. I know every pet owner says this, but it is true, she is the best dog in the world. Roxy loves spending time outside, especially in water. And based on her breed, she has taught me a lot about stereotypes.

  • I love being outdoors - especially around water. Two of my favorite water-related activities are wakeboarding and stand up paddle-boarding….I am also a highly pessimistic Red Sox fan.

     

  • I grew up in Knoxville, TN.

  • I enjoy traveling and being able to experience other cultures. To date, my favorite place that I have visited is Siem Reap, Cambodia. The people, food, architecture, culture - I fell in love with every aspect of Siem Reap. For me, it was one of those moments where you just look around and think to yourself - wow, I’m in Cambodia. It was an amazing trip for me. 

  • I pull inspiration from a lot of people, but the two most influential people in my life are my parents. They instilled in me a hard work-ethic but not to forget about enjoying life at the same time.