The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Northern Illinois University will honor 11 alumni, faculty and staff on Friday for distinguished service to the college and their fields. Of these individuals, five are DeKalb-area residents.

Richard Johannesen, professor emeritus, communication

Former chair of the Communication Department, Johannesen is the author of one of the top communication ethics textbooks in the country and is credited with bringing NIU’s Department of Communication into national prominence, based in part on its reputation for researching and teaching communication ethics.