Shin Chosen for 2024 Scripps Howard Leadership Academy

Thu, 05/23/2024 - 08:34am | By: David Tisdale

Dr. Jae-Hwa Shin, professor of public relations in The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Media and Communication, has been chosen for the prestigious Scripps Howard Leadership Academy at Newhouse, located at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications.

The Scripps Howard Leadership Academy at Newhouse, to be held in July, is an immersive training program designed for higher education leaders or those interested in learning about the challenges and rewards of leading an academic institution, including deans, associate deans, department chairs, faculty, and experienced journalists. It will provide select participants with hands-on experiences to navigate the responsibilities as senior leaders for journalism and mass communications schools.

Participants in the academy will also benefit from discussion on current topics challenging administrators while working together on solutions for big challenges facing all leaders in journalism and mass communications. Experts will also be on hand for the program to address the expectations of university leaders, alumni, and students, with the goal of helping participants become better leaders within their communities.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity and look forward to taking what I’ve learned back to my university community to help advance our mission to help our students be ready for life after graduation, in particular for those students in our School of Media Communication entering the ever-evolving media and communication fields,” Dr. Shin said.

Dr. Shin holds a doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and her research focuses on public relations from a strategic conflict management perspective. Her publications include Public Relations Theory: Capabilities and Competencies which was recognized with the PRIDE Award from the National Communication Association for Outstanding Contribution to Public Relations Education; and recently Public Relations Strategies and Tactics, which is a resource for Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) by the Universal Accreditation Board. 

"Dr. Shin is a highly engaged and active member of the faculty here at USM,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Lance Nail. “In my role as provost, I have witnessed first-hand many of the positive contributions that Dr. Shin has brought to our university and the field of communications. Her energy seems endless as she seeks to improve the world around her. This energy and desire for positive outcomes is what we desperately need in our higher education leaders."

Dr. Shin is a Distinguished Professor of Teaching with the Advanced Certificate in Effective College Instruction by Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and American College of Education (ACE). She has participated in the AEJMC/ASJMC Diverse Leadership Fellowship program, dedicated to increasing the number of people of color and women who serve as chairs, deans, directors, and endowed chairs in journalism and communication education. In 2021, she was named a Fellow of the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication, with the goal of empowering women professionals and academics in all fields of communication and developing visionaries and leaders who can make a difference in their communities and their profession.

"Dr. Shin has been among our most highly engaged faculty at USM since her arrival in 2003,” said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Dr. Chris Winstead. “This opportunity to further develop her leadership skills will have a positive impact on our institution and allow her to share her expertise as a participant in the academy. At USM, she has been integral to campus discussions about a variety of issues, exemplifying principles of inclusion and concern for others." 

Before her academic career, Dr. Shin was the communication director for the Korea Economic Research Institute and Center for Free Enterprise of the Federation of Korean Industries, which was founded in 1961 by multinational corporate members such as Samsung, LG, SK, and other industry leaders.

"Dr. Shin has been a well-known and respected member of the academy for over 20 years, specializing in public relations,” said USM School of Media and Communication Director Dr. Edgar Simpson. “She has served as a leader and mentor at both the undergraduate and graduate levels here at USM. For example, students in our public relations master’s degree program have high placement rates and go on to hold leadership positions themselves in a wide variety of institutions."

Learn more about Dr. Shin’s work at USM, as well as the programming in the USM School of Media and Communication.