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401 W. Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33606-13490
(813) 253-3333
Meet David
Associate Professor of Journalism
Associate Professor, Communication
Education
1999 Asbury University, B.A.
2005 University of Kentucky, M.A.
2015 University of Kentucky, Ph.D.
Courses Taught
Introduction to Journalism
Multimedia Journalism I
First Year Writing
Career Specialties
As both a journalist and an academic, David Wheeler enjoys writing about technology, politics and free speech for some of the nation’s most high-profile news outlets, including CNN,The Atlantic,NBC News andColumbia Journalism Review. His research on the First Amendment is widely cited by legal scholars, including in an amicus brief at the Supreme Court.
Professional and Community Activities
In 2021, Wheeler’sAtlanticarticle “Do Students Still Have Free Speech in School?” was cited in an amicus brief in the Supreme Court caseIn the case, the Court ruled 8-to-1 that a Pennsylvania school violated a student’s First Amendment rights by punishing her for an off-campus Snapchat message. The citation of Wheeler’s article in the amicus brief on behalf of the student means Wheeler’s work will always be associated with this major case, and will remain available on the Supreme Court’s website from now on.
Wheeler’s work on the First Amendment has also been cited by,,,,andFree Speech on Campus, a book published by Yale University Press.
Wheeler’s article” was chosen as the lead article in Volume 54 ofCollege Media Review, the flagship peer-reviewed journal of the College Media Association.
In 2018, Wheeler presented theat Whitman College in Washington State. His hour-long presentation was titled "Is the First Amendment the New Second Amendment? Calling Hate Speech ‘Free Speech’ and Getting Away With It." Other Hosokawa lecturers have included author, Pulitzer winnerandLos Angeles Timeseditor.
On campus, Wheeler currently advises «Ӱҵ’s student newspaper,The Minaret, and co-directs «Ӱҵ’s Master of Arts in Social and Emerging Media.
Honors and Awards
Visit some of Wheeler’s author pages below.
CNN
The Atlantic
Columbia Journalism Review
NBC News
Newsweek
The New York Times
The New Republic
The Week
The Chronicle of Higher Education