Michael Osborn, professor emeritus at the University of Memphis, retired as chairman of the Department of Communication & Film in 1995. But he’s still having a profound influence on the department’s students.

Through the newly created Michael and Suzanne Osborn Fellowship, advanced graduate assistants in the department’s Ph.D. program will receive an enhanced one-year stipend of approximately $3,000. The endowed fellowship is made possible by the Osborns’ continued financial assistance of the university. Associate Professor Antonio de Velasco announced the fellowship in an email to the department’s students.

“The Osborns recently made an extremely generous gift, one which will allow us to support this fellowship in perpetuity as we build our Ph.D. program in the decades to come,” de Velasco wrote in his email.

Additionally, Osborn is giving an on-campus lecture at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12, in ACB Room 314, to discuss his recent book, Michael Osborn on Metaphor and Style. His lecture will focus on “The Strange Case of Barack Obama.”

Osborn, who has also taught at American University and the University of Iowa and served as a visiting professor at several other universities, has been consistently recognized for research he’s contributed to his field. He’s the recipient of the National Communication Association’s Golden Anniversary Monograph Award, the Charles H. Woolbert Award for research of enduring influence, and the Douglas W. Ehninger Award for sustained work in the area of rhetorical study. Suzanne Osborn, who earned her Ph.D. in psychology from the UofM, has taught in a multitude of departments at the UofM and other universities and colleges.

The Southern States Communication Association also annually issues the Osborn Award, which recognizes those who provide outstanding contributions to scholarship, teaching and service.