Although her time spent at California State University, Stanislaus was cut short by a devastating tragedy; Dr. Joanna Ploeger left footprints on this campus that faculty and students will remember. She taught in California in the spring of 2006, and greatly contributed to the academic and professional atmosphere of the department. Before coming to the Stanislaus campus in the spring of 2006 Dr. Ploeger, had taught at the University of Iowa with her brilliance in the subjects of rhetoric, persuasion, and argumentation. Her extensive research was manifested throughout her years as both a graduate student and while earning her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. Her research was aimed at the study of rhetoric and communication, with an emphasis in communication in science and technology. At Stanislaus, she taught four communication courses, Communication and Technology, Visual Communication, Group Processes, and Persuasive Messages.
She was a dedicated professor who was willing to make time for every student both in and out of the classroom. With every class, she emphasized the idea that students studying the discipline of communication should appreciate the power of persuasion within every aspect of life. One of her colleagues from the University of Iowa commented after Dr. Ploeger’s death: “Joanna was a friend and mentor to me from our first meeting. Her courses at Iowa helped introduce me to rhetoric of science and her friendship was a source of strength and affirmation during my time in Iowa City. No matter the stresses she was under in her personal life, Joanna pushed herself to give 110 percent to her students and her department.”
Dr. Ploeger lived in Berkeley with her husband Rob. She would always talk about how one of the greatest and most relaxing parts of her days was to stop by the stables while on her commute home to visit her Tennessee Walker horse, Claire. Dr. Ploeger loved riding and had competed in horse competitions since her youth.
Dr. Ploeger was pregnant during the spring 2006 semester and happily anticipated the arrival of their baby. She gave birth to son Thomas William Ploeger on June 8, 2006. She passed away in July in Berkeley from complications of cancer.
An educational fund has been created for their son Thomas’s college career. Although her death was tragic, her strength and smile will live on through her son and husband, and we as faculty and students will never forget the warmth and enthusiasm she brought to the department. On behalf of all of her students, thank you Dr. Ploeger for making the classroom a comfortable place to learn and achieve.