William McLean, M.A.

Bill McLean is a lecturer in communication at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. He has taught a number of different courses at Behrend, including Effective Speech, Persuasion and Propaganda, Mass Media & Society, Rhetorical Theory, and American Popular Culture and Folklife. After earning a B.A. in English literature from Penn State University, he worked as a Curriculum Coordinator for Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Broadcasting and as an Instructional Media Production Supervisor for The School District of the City of Erie. He then pursued graduate studies at The University of Pittsburgh, earning a M.A. in Rhetoric and Communication.

At the intersection of his academic formation and his abiding interest in rock’n’roll lies his principal research interest in the cultural and political impact of popular music. A current line of inquiry ponders how technological changes in the production, delivery, and consumption of music may influence the personal experience and cultural significance thereof.

Cognizant of the mission of Behrend in the broader Erie community, McLean is involved in a number of community organizations in a variety of capacities. Organizing and coaching in youth athletic leagues, serving as a member of various boards, and participating in community events represent an attempt to respond to the challenge of that mission.

Courses Taught

• AM ST 105, American Popular Culture and Folklife
• CAS 100B, Effective Speech
• CAS 175, Persuasion and Propaganda
• CAS 201, Rhetorical Theory
• COMM 100 and 100H, The Mass Media and Society
• H&SS 296A, Independent Studies