David Painter, PhD
Associate Professor of Communication
My teaching and research sit at the intersection of political communication, strategic communication, social media, and public relations. With a career spanning academic research, professional practice, and community engagement, I bring a practitioner's sensibility to the classroom and a scholar's rigor to real-world problems. I also serve as Debate Coach and Director of Forensics, leading the Rollins team to two state championships and a national tournament bid in 2026.
Education
BA, University of West Florida
MA, University of West Florida
PhD, University of Florida
Courses Taught
Undergraduate
Public Speaking (COM 210)
Research Methods in Communication (COM 285)
Persuasion Theory (COM 312)
Contemporary Public Relations (COM 318)
Communication Campaigns (COM 325)
Graduate
Strategic Communication Theory & Research (SCOM 515)
Strategic Communication Capstone (SCOM 545/550)
Recent Publications
Painter, D.L., and L. Velazquez (2026). Framing sustainability messaging: Brand relationships and purchase intentions. Corporate Communications: An International Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-08-2025-0251
Painter, D.L., C. Teague, J. Shideler, and R. KC (2025). We are family: Heterosexual, gay, and lesbian parents in advertising. Journal of Product and Brand Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-07-2024-5294
Painter, D.L., F. Bown, and K. Vielot (2025). The real cancel culture: Racial bias and injustice on social media. Howard Journal of Communications. https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2025.2492114
Painter, D.L., and J. Fernandes (2024). The "Big Lie": How fact checking influences support for insurrection. American Behavioral Scientist. https://doi.org/10.1177/00027642221103179
Painter, D.L., and B. Sahm (2023). Framing esports' JEDI issues: Media coverage in Asia, Europe, and North America. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 28(3), 506-521. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-06-2022-0068
Painter, D.L., and J. Fernandes (2021). They're not "just words": The verbal style of U.S. presidential debate rhetoric. Communication Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2021.1975145
Painter, D.L. (2015). Online political public relations and trust: Differential source and interactivity effects in the 2012 presidential campaign. Public Relations Review, 41, 801-808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2015.06.012
News & Features
The Rollins Debate Team claimed two state championships at the 2026 Florida Intercollegiate Forensics Association State Tournament in February, with Aidan Frazier winning the International Public Debate title with a perfect 7–0 record and the novice team of Jade Monroe and Ella Afrifa taking the National Parliamentary Debate Novice Division crown. The results earned Rollins its first-ever national tournament bid, with the team set to compete at the National Speech Championship at Belmont University in Nashville in March 2026.
March 11, 2026
Rollins Debate Team Wins Two State Championships
The Rollins College Debate Team returned from the 2026 Florida Intercollegiate Forensics Association State Tournament in Tallahassee with major competitive successes and two state championships.
November 18, 2025
Frazier ’26 and Bourbeau ’27 Score Big in Forensics Team’s Debut Season
The Rollins Forensics Team continues its standout debut season at the Sunshine Series Part 2 Tournament, with Aidan Frazier ’26 and Gisele Bourbeau ’27 earning top honors in debate and interpretation events.
November 13, 2025
Rollins Forensics Team Excels at Queens College Tournament
The Rollins Forensics Team competed at the Queens College Alumni Forensics Tournament in New York City, earning top placements across events and marking a standout achievement for the College’s new program.
October 03, 2025
Rollins’ New Forensics Team Excels in First Intercollegiate Tournament
Seven Rollins students represented Rollins at their first-ever intercollegiate forensics team tournament, competing against established Division I programs.
July 01, 2025
Rollins Research Earns National Honors for Sustainability Study
Communication professor David Painter and recent graduate Lauren Velazquez ’25MSC earned third place for their research paper in the highly competitive national public relations division at a journalism conference.
March 31, 2025
Rollins Inducts 24 New Members of Phi Beta Kappa
A select group of Rollins students has joined the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa, placing them among the top 1 percent of college scholars in the U.S.