Alice Fanari

Born and raised in Italy, Alice Fanari (Ph.D.) moved to the United States five years ago to pursue her higher education and be fully immersed in a diverse, multicultural environment. After earning her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a French Minor from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (December 2015), she graduated Summa cum Laude with her Master of Arts in Communication from the same institution (May 2016). During this time, Fanari taught Public Speaking Fundamentals and helped to manage the Speech Center as the Basic Course Room Coordinator at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Because of her language background and international experience, Fanari also served as a global ambassador and guest speaker for Italian and U.S. exchange high school programs to facilitate students' (re)adjustment after studying abroad.

Areas of Study

Drawing from personal experience, my current areas of study include (but are not limited to) two main lines of research. The first focuses on the phenomenon of reverse culture shock and the communication process associated with students' (re)adjustment after studying abroad. The second area of research focuses on the unique experience of International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) in the U.S. classroom, with the goal of identifying communication strategies used to (1) promote individual and collective identity, (2) shape reality and (3) (re)frame ITAs' narrative under a positive light.

Research Interests

Intercultural Communication, Health Communication, Public Speaking, Instructional Communication, Training and Development.