In this thesis, Verizon'­s discourse was analyzed as a case study for corporate rhetoric.  This rhetorical analysis examined Verizon'­s discourse before, during and after the crisis of 9/11.  Press releases, executive speeches, and other internal documents were analyzed while media reports provided a context for the discourse.  Renewal discourse coupled with the theories of organizational identification and values advocacy provided the basic framework for this thesis.  Verizon'­s crisis situation during the crisis of 9/11 provided a unique context in which to study organizational discourse.  By placing the response within a larger frame of the organization'­s history, this study was able to provide insight into traditional crisis response scholarship that often only focuses on the immediate response to crisis.