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Journalism Faculty
The faculty in the School of Journalism and Advertising work together to ensure our students receive a top quality education and the advice and support they need to land a top job in their chosen field after they graduate.
We are proud of our people. Each and every faculty member is a highly dedicated professional who is deeply committed to educating and mentoring the next generation of journalists.
William Freivogel, Professor
School of Journalism and Advertising
Professor Bill Freivogel served as Director of the School of Journalism from 2006-14. He came to SIU after 34 years at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He was a member of the newspaper's Washington bureau for 12 years, where he served as assistant bureau chief, focused on the Supreme Court and reported on such historic events as the assassination attempt on President Reagan and the confirmation fight over Clarence Thomas. He returned to St. Louis and became the deputy editorial page editor in 1997.
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Office: COMM 1202C
wfreivog@siu.edu
Published Articles
Annie Hammock, Daily Egyptian Managing Editor
School of Journalism and Advertising
Annie Hammock has been working in newsrooms, both professional and academic, for nearly four decades. She began at CNN, where she spent 26 years writing and producing coverage of historic global and national events, such as the Challenger disaster, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Columbine High School massacre, Hurricane Katrina, the siege at Waco, 9/11 and the resulting Gulf Wars. In the process, she shared an Emmy and two Peabody Awards with her colleagues.
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Phone: 618-536-3311
Office: COMM Room 1247
annie.hammock@siu.edu
Dong Han, Associate Professor
School of Journalism and Advertising
Dong Han’s education shifted from English language and literature to law and finally to media and communications research. From 1999 to 2004, he was a lawyer at the Legal Office of China Central Television, China’s national TV network. As a researcher, he is interested in how market relations expand and deepen in a wide array of media and cultural sectors. His papers appeared in journals including Media, Culture & Society, International Journal of Communication, and Television & New Media.
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Office: COMM 1226
donghan@siu.edu
Benjy Jeffords, Instructor
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Kavita Karan, Professor
School of Journalism and Advertising
Dr. Kavita Karan is a Professor in the School of Journalism and Advertising. Dr. Karan received her PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom and the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil), Master of Communication and Journalism (MCJ) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism (BCJ) from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. Dr. Karan teaches a variety of courses that include; Communication research methods, several Advertising courses, politics and media, and health communication. Her research interests include, political communication, strategic marketing and advertising, new media technologies and development, health communication, women’s studies and Bollywood cinema.
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Office: COMM 1226
kavitak@siu.edu
Bridget Lescelius, Associate Lecturer
School of Journalism and Advertising
Bridget Lescelius’ career spans over 30 years in advertising and marketing, including vice president and partner of Spark in Phoenix, Arizona; senior associate of marketing at the Institute for Supply Management in Tempe, Arizona; co-founder and principal at The Big Idea, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia; senior account executive at The Washington Agency in Washington, D.C.
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Phone: 618-536-3361
Office: COMM 1221
blescelius@siu.edu
Molly Parker-Stephens , Assistant Professor
Molly Parker-Stephens is a veteran journalist with more than 20 years of experience writing for regional and national publications. Her byline has appeared in national publications including ProPublica, the New York Times and Mother Jones and in numerous regional publications throughout Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina and Mississippi. Parker is a working journalist writing for Capitol News Illinois, the nonprofit arm of the Illinois Press Foundation whose stories about state government are distributed to more than 800 newspaper and broadcast media outlets. Parker is also a ProPublica Distinguished Fellow in its Local Reporting Network.
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Julia Rendleman, Assistant Professor
School of Journalism and Advertising
Julia Rendleman is a working photojournalist freelancing for national publications such as the Washington Post and New York Times. She freelanced full-time for six years in Richmond, Virginia where she covered politics, elections, the affordable housing crisis, substance abuse and rehabilitation, climate change and other topics relating to human health and community. Before that, she was a staff photographer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Houma Courier & Daily Comet in southwest Louisiana.
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Office: COMM 1201
julia.rendleman@siu.edu
Jan Thompson, Director - Professor
School of Journalism and Advertising
Professor Thompson is a 3-time Emmy award winning filmmaker and composer.
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Office: COMM 1050J
janione@siu.edu
Jim Wall, Senior Lecturer
School of Journalism and Advertising
James A. Wall teaches within the Electronic Media Marketing and Management sequence. Prior to becoming a full-time educator, Jim worked in the commercial broadcast industry for over twenty years in sales and marketing. He earned both a B.S. in Radio-Television and an M.A. in Media Management from SIUC.
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Office: COMM 1050C
jwall@siu.edu
List of emeriti Faculty
Name | Title | Degree | University | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
William Babcock | Professor, Emeritus | Ph.D | Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 1979 |
Mark Dolan | Associate Professor, Emeritus | M.A. | Syracuse University | 2008 |
Phillip Greer | Senior Lecturer, Emeritus | Photojournalist in Residence | ||
Joey Helleny | Senior Lecturer, Electronic Journalism. | M.S.Ed. | Southern Illinois University | 2004 |
Walter Jaehnig | Associate Professor, Emeritus | Ph.D. | University of Essex | 1974 |
Dennis Lowry | Professor, Emeritus | Ph.D. | University of Iowa | 1972 |
Gerald C. Stone | Professor, Emeritus | Ph.D. | Syracuse University | 1975 |