Professor Beverly Kelley is retiring from the Communication Department she started at California Lutheran University after 35 years. She will become an emerita faculty member.

Kelley came to CLU in 1977 and was named CLU Professor of the Year in 1987. She founded the Communication Department, which is now the largest major on campus, in 1981 and served as its chair for many years. In 1995, she created the country’s first marketing communication major.

She teaches and writes about interpersonal, campaign and mass communications as well as politics in cinema.

She was the director of forensics at CLU from 1977 to 1984. In 1983, the junior and senior debate teams won the New England Regional competition and Kelley was named National Debate Coach of the Year. She served as the chair of the American Forensic Association for two years. The Port Hueneme resident speaks frequently at public events.

Kelley helped launch KCLU, the National Public Radio station on campus, and hosted a weekly live interview show for many years. This year, she helped start a new student-run Internet station, iCLU. She co-founded Educational Television of the Conejo, served as its first board president, and produced and hosted two shows, “Wall Street Kids” and “An Hour With … .”

She has published three books exploring political ideologies in film through the decades and has penned a biweekly column for the Ventura County Star since 1997.

Kelley earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech communication from San Diego State University and a doctorate in communication studies from UCLA.

— Karin Grennan is the media relations manager for California Lutheran University.