As an assistant professor of communication, Dr. Theon Hill is active both inside and outside the classroom. Whether it’s challenging students to think deeply about the pros and cons of rap music or contributing to media outlets like The Atlantic online and the Chicago Tribune, Dr. Hill is passionate about exploring the relationship between rhetoric and social change as it relates to race, culture, and American politics. Specifically, he examines the role of radical rhetoric as a crucial form of civic engagement and public advocacy. 

“My mission is to communicate the transformative power of the gospel in an ugly world filled with injustice, racism, and poverty,” Dr. Hill says. 

Dr. Hill is currently writing a book about the ongoing relevance of the civil rights movement after the election of America’s first African-American president. 

“I want to explore issues related to the church with academic rigor, and I want the freedom to research what I truly believe,” Dr. Hill says. “At Wheaton, the students, faculty, and staff are all hungry for the pursuit of understanding.” 

NAME: DR. THEON HILL

DEPARTMENT: COMMUNICATION

YEARS: 2

EDUCATION: PH.D. IN COMMUNICATION, PURDUE UNIVERSITY; M.A. IN COMMUNICATION, BOB JONES UNIVERSITY; B.A. IN BIBLICAL STUDIES (MINOR: COMPOSITE SPEECH), BOB JONES UNIVERSITY