Lisa Gring-Pemble

Lisa Gring-Pemble
University Affiliate
Associate Professor
Social impact, innovation, and entrepreneurship; Rhetorical criticism, argument, persuasion; Political communication and public policy
Lisa M. Gring-Pemble is an associate professor in the School of Business at George Mason University. Since joining George Mason University in 2000, she has pursued teaching and research around three main areas: 1) social impact and innovation, 2) argumentation and persuasion, and 3) political communication and public policy.
She is author of Grim Fairy Tales: The Rhetorical Construction of American Welfare Policy and a co-editor of Readings on Political Communication. Her work has appeared in The Quarterly Journal of Speech, Political Communication, Rhetoric & Public Affairs, and Communication Quarterly.
Gring-Pemble delights in teaching undergraduates and is a 2005 George Mason University Teaching Excellence Award recipient. Recently, she served as director and principal investigator for a State Department grant that brought 120 high-achieving, underserved, Afro-Latino and indigenous undergraduates from Central and South America to the United States to study U.S. History and Government and to develop long-term solutions to pressing challenges faced in their home communities.
As the Director of Social Innovation and Global Impact in the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Gring-Pemble supports university-wide initiatives that engage students of all majors in social entrepreneurship. She also serves as George Mason University’s Ashoka Change Leader and the advisor to the George Mason University Honey Bee Initiative.
Current Research
Martha Solomon Watson and Lisa M. Gring-Pemble. "And Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy," a book length manuscript on women's public speaking and religion.
Lisa Gring-Pemble and Cher Weixia Chen. "A Feminist Rhetorical Analysis of the Lilly Ledbetter Act."
Selected Publications
David Levasseur and Lisa Gring-Pemble. "Not All Capitalist Stories are Created Equal: Mitt Romney's Bain Capital Narrative and the Deep Divide in American Economic Rhetoric," forthcoming in Rhetoric & Public Affairs.
Duhita Mahatmya and Lisa Gring-Pemble (2014). "DREAMers and Their Families: A Family Impact Analysis of the DREAM Act and Implications for Family Well-Being." Journal of Family Studies 20.1: 79-87.
Gring-Pemble, Lisa. “Connecting the Classroom to the World”: An Integrative, Interdisciplinary, and Experiential Approach to Learning at George Mason University.” The College Curriculum: A Reader, edited by Joseph Devitis. New York: Peter Lang 2013.
Gring-Pemble, Lisa. 2012. “It’s We the People . . . , Not We The Illegals”: Extremist Rhetoric in Prince William County, Virginia’s Immigration Debate. Communication Quarterly 60.5: 624-648.
Expanded Publication List
Courses Taught
NCLC 101: Narratives of Identity
NCLC 202: Public Speaking and Critical Thinking
NCLC 302: Argumentation and Advocacy
NCLC 304: Social Movements and Community Activism
NCLC 310: Violence and Gender
NCLC 361: Neighborhoods, Community, and Identity
NCLC 375: On the Campaign Trail
COMM 300: Foundations of Public Communication
In the Media
Interview with Tim Regan, Northern Virginia Magazine for “Save the Bees, Get Local Honey,” Northern Virginia Magazine, 31 October, 2013.
Featured in Molly Greenberg’s “George Mason Welcomes New Class of Over a Million Bees a Buzzin’ to Campus,” In the Capital, 29 October 2013.
Interviewed by Jamie Coughlin, WMAL for “GMU Class Aims to Revive Local Bee Population,” 17 October, 2013.
Interviewed Michael Pope, WAMU (Local NPR Affiliate) for “GMU Students Try To Understand Mystery Of Disappearing Honeybees,” 20 October, 2013.
Interviewed by Gregg McDonald, Fairfax Times for “University Buzzing about GMU Beekeeping Class,” 11 October 2013 and then published in Washington Post Fairfax Edition, 17 October, 2013.
Interviewed by XM Satellite Radio Correspondent for President of the United States (POTUS) Channel 138, live interview, January 8, 2008.
Interviewed by Dan Nowicki for the Arizona Republic about the presidential campaign, Thursday, January 31, 2008.
Honors, Awards, and Grants
George Mason University Honey Bee Initiative, raised funds to support the launch of an innovative, educational and entrepreneurial multi-disciplinary teaching and research program, housed in New Century College.
Hivestarter (Fall 2013). A key player in the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign entitled, Hivestarter, which was the first successful George Mason University crowd-funding campaign of its kind in the nation. Raised $12, 252 (or 123% of the $10,000 goal).
Principal Investigator and Program Director, $1.3 million State Department Grant for Study of the United States Institutes for Student Leaders (SUSI) on U.S. History and Government (2011-2012).
Leadership Legacy Program (Cohort #2, Spring 2012). Initiated by President Alan G. Merten, Mason’s Leadership Legacy Program, uses a cohort model, self-assessments, case studies, readings, and leadership coaching to further the leadership development of full-time faculty and staff.
Phi Beta Kappa (Charter Member at George Mason University)
Phi Kappi Phi (Charter Member at George Mason University)