Dawn Braithwaite, professor and chair of communication studies at UNL, has earned the Western States Communication Association Distinguished Scholar Award.

Braithwaite will travel to Anaheim, Calif., in February to receive the award at the association’s awards luncheon.

The award was created in 2008 to recognize members who have made sustained contributions to the study of human communication and have influenced the way scholars and students think about the nature, function and scope of communication.

Braithwaite has deep roots within the organization. She was president of the group in 2000, a member of its executive committee for eight years and received the association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2007.

“I am honored and humbled to be named a distinguished scholar by the association,” Braithwaite said. “I presented my first academic paper there as senior in college. Based on that experience I received encouragement to pursue graduate studies. I am also so grateful to my mentors and collaborators who have been such a big part of the work.”

Founded in 1929, Western States Communication Association is an organization of scholars, teachers, and students of communication with more than 1,000 members.