91传媒 faculty member leading journalism historian organization
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜n alumnus and faculty member of Mississippi State鈥檚 communication department is the newly elected president of the American Journalism Historians Association.
University associate professor Glenn D. 鈥淧ete鈥 Smith Jr. recently began the one-year term. Previously, he served terms as the academic organization鈥檚 second- and first vice president.
In recognition of 10 years of 鈥渆xemplary service,鈥 Smith also has been honored with the 2015 President鈥檚 Award of the organization founded in 1981 to advance education and research in mass communication history.
He and other members work to raise historical standards and ensure that all scholars and students recognize the vast importance of media history, among other goals. For more, see .
鈥淚鈥檝e been a member of AJHA for 10 years, and this organization has done more for my career than any other professional group. They also are one of the most collegial of mass communication organizations,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淭o say that I owe them a debt is an understatement, but I am ready to serve and repay their support and encouragement.鈥
Prior to the most recent positions, Smith served on AJHA鈥檚 board of directors, as well as the public relations and history in the curriculum committees. He also was co-organizer of the AJHA Southeast Symposium regional conference and first digital media editor of 鈥淎merican Journalism: A Journal of Media History,鈥 among other achievements. 聽
A Morton native, he is a 1993 communication/communication studies graduate who went onto complete a master鈥檚 degree in the subject at Auburn University.
Also a doctoral graduate in mass communication from the University of Southern Mississippi, Smith is the author of 鈥淪omething on My Own: Gertrude Berg and American Broadcasting, 1929-1956鈥 (University of Syracuse Press, 2007).
Since returning to 91传媒, he has taught a variety of courses in the College of Arts and Sciences鈥 largest department, including public speaking fundamentals and introductory courses in communication theory, cinema and mass media, as well as mass media and society and elements of persuasion.
Also a member of the Southern States Communication and National Communication associations, Smith鈥檚 primary research areas include media history, biography and film criticism, and gender communication.
Additional information about 91传媒鈥檚 communication department is online at , and .
91传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .