Barner honored with 2020 Distinguished Faculty Award

Dr. David Barner, retiring professor of broadcast communications and chair of the School of Communication, is the recipient of Westminster College’s 2020 Distinguished Faculty Award.

Known as “Dr. B” on Titan Radio and often referred to as “The Voice of Westminster,” Barner joined the Westminster communication faculty in 1981. He has worked in commercial and educational broadcasting as a disc jockey, news anchor, football/basketball play-by-play announcer, account executive, program director, sales manager and general manager.

On campus, he is known as a professor who links theory to practice and has helped guide decades of students to successful careers in broadcasting and communication. Barner’s graduates have gone on to professions in on-air talent for radio and television, studio and field directors, producers, media sales, and camera and audio operators.

During Barner’s tenure, he has witnessed Titan Radio transition from 45 RPM records to the latest digital technology. He has seen the radio station grow from 100 watts to the current 4,000-watt coverage throughout Lawrence County. The Westminster Cable Network—which was once housed in a small studio in the basement of Orr Auditorium—now has a state-of-the-art facility and a fully-equipped remote truck and serves three cable systems and viewers around the country by a video stream.

In 2019, the Presidents’ Athletic Conference presented Barner with the Dow Carnahan Media Award for his role as a distinguished member of the media for his commendable service while covering and promoting the conference’s student-athletes, coaches and programs.  

Westminster’s Distinguished Faculty Award is presented to a tenured faculty member who has demonstrated characteristics of the most outstanding faculty: intellectual vitality, effective communication skills, the ability to motivate or inspi re compassion and concern for student success, collegiality, and leadership. Faculty are nominated for the award by students, alumni and colleagues.

Barner, who retires at the end of June, was recently granted professor emeritus status. He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Shippensburg University and his Ed.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Click here to a view a video celebrating Barner's retirement, produced by WCN 24/7.

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