Philip M. Backlund received his undergraduate degree in business administration and a masters degree in speech communication from Humboldt State University (California). His first academic position was at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks as an assistant professor. Then he pursued a Ph.D. in speech communication at the University of Denver. During his graduate program he taught full and part time for Arapahoe Community College. After received his Ph.D., he and his growing family moved to Utica, New York where he taught at Utica College. After two years in New York, he and his family returned to the west to Central Washington University where he is currently a professor of speech communication and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. The students of Central Washington University have twice honored him with the Associated Students Distinguished Professor of the Year Award.
