The JOMC Family
Department Chair
Wiggins, Gail. Interm Department Chair and Assistant Professor.
B.A., M.S., North Carolina A&T State University
Name: Gail Wiggins
Email: gwiggins@ncat.edu
Office: 219 Crosby
Rank: Assistant Professor and Interim Department Chair 2012-2013
Degrees: B.A., M.S., North Carolina A&T State University
Introduction of Faculty
Professors in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication have backgrounds in its five concentrations – Broadcast Production, Electronic Media and Journalism, Media Management, Print Journalism, and Public Relations. Faculty teach courses, advise individual students, advise student organizations, provide service to the department and the university, and use their expertise in service to their professional and general communities. Our faculty also organize special events that enhance the knowledge and skills students learn in their courses, as well as in courses offered at other institutions. In addition, faculty prepare journalism and mass communication productions that they share with the public via radio stations, TV stations, Web sites, newspapers, magazines, and other media outlets. They conduct research, and disseminate the knowledge and insights from that research through conferences, articles, books, monographs, Web sites, and other means.
Atkinson, Charles. Lecturer.
B.S., Appalachian State University
Name: Charles Atkinson
Email: cbatkins@ncat.edu and/or catkinson@news-record.com
Office: 122 Crosby Hall
Rank: Adjunct Lecturer
Degrees: B.S., Appalachian State University
Mr. Atkinson has worked as a copy editor, manager and writer in the Sports Department at the Greensboro News & Record for the past 27 years. He is currently serving as a page designer and copy editor at the N&R.
Honors/Awards/Recognition: Landmark Award for sports writing (second place) in 1992; Senior Writer in 1990; N.C. High School Athletic Association prep writer of the year in 1989; N.C. Press Association award in news writing in 1984; N.C. Press Association award in features writing in 1983; N.C. Press Association award in photography in 1982; Traveling press secretary for U.S. Deaf Olympic Team in 1981; Named Who’s Who Among American College and University students in 1978; Appalachian State Dean’s List: 1975, 1976, 1977.
Callahan, Linda C. Professor.B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; M.A., Ph.D., Ohio State University
Name: Dr. Linda C. Callahan
Email: lindac@ncat.edu
Office: 223 Crosby
Rank: Professor
Degrees: B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; M.A., Ph.D., Ohio State University
Before joining North Carolina A&T State University in 1996, Dr. Callahan had worked at a number of universities: The Ohio State, Elizabeth City State, Alabama A&M, and Johnson C. Smith. She also had worked professionally in newspaper, radio, television an public relations.
Scholarly Interests: diversity in media, the role of media in society, public relations, communicating science
Leadership: President of the University Faculty Senate; Founder and Director of High School Media Program; Chair, University Academic Calendar Committee; Former chair, University Lyceum Committee; First Associate Board Member of The National Association of Black Journalists; Immediate Past Board Member of the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC); Former Chair of the Minorities and Communication Division of (AEJMC); Immediate Past Head of the Commission on the Status of Minorities of (AEJMC); National Convention Program Chair, for AEJMC Minorities and Communication Division (AEJMC); Founding President of the Columbus Association of Black Journalists; Founding Member and past president of the Charlotte Association of Black Journalists; Former vice president of the Triad Black Media Professionals
Honor/Awards/Recognition: Kay Phillips Distinguished Service Award; Outstanding Teacher of the Year, the NC A& T College of Arts and Sciences; Presidential Citation for Outstanding Service and Leadership –AEJMC; Plaque for Outstanding Support and Dedication as Department Chair; Plaque for Outstanding Service and Leadership to National Association of Black Journalists; Plaque for Support and Dedication to the A&T Register.
Clark, Bruce. Lecturer.
B.A., Clark College; M.A., New York University
Name: Bruce Clark
Email: bgclark@ncat.edu
Office: 318 Crosby
Rank: TV Studio Educational Coordinator/Lecturer
Degrees: B.A., Clark College; M.A., New York University
Mr. Clark has worked as a Television Production Specialist Department of the Army Fort McPherson Atlanta, Georgia from 1984-1986; from 1986-2002, he was Director of Telecommunication/ Assistant Professor at Bennett College Greensboro, NC; and from 2002-2007, he served as Interim Director of Multimedia Services/Assistant Professor at A&T before becoming a broadcast production lecturer.
Honors/Awards/Recognition: He was instrumental in establishing the Mass Communication Department at Bennett College and served as Interim Chair of the Department of Mass Communication at Bennett College; Served as Vice President of the Faculty Senate at Bennett College; Established the newly formed Multimedia services unit for IT at A&T; Project manager for 1.6 million dollar High Definition (HD) television studio and editing facilities at A&T; Created and supervised student productions: Aggie Sports Report and Aggie Access at A&T.
Cunningham-Engram, Vanessa G. Associate Professor.
B.A., M.A., University of Louisville; J.D., Louis D. Brandeis School of Law; Ed.D., Spalding University
Name: Dr. Vanessa G. Cunningham-Engram
Email: vgcunnin@ncat.edu
Office: 224 Crosby
Rank: Associate Professor (tenured)
Degrees: Doctor of Education (Ed.D) – Leadership Education, Spalding University, January 2007; Juris Doctor (J.D.) – Law. Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, May 2001; Master of Arts (M.A.) – English, University of Louisville, May 1997; Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) – Communication (Pan African Studies, minor), University of Louisville, August 1994
Dr. Cunningham-Engram is a Professor of law, researcher, with broad-based responsibilities including student assessment, program and events organization, development and administration, course development and design, student research project management, instruction, advising and community engagement. Each year, her communication law students present debates on a variety of topics.
Scholarly Interests: 1) communication law pertaining to First Amendment free speech issues (including technology use); 2) sexual abuse/assault and domestic violence; 3) human rights and fairness; and 4) education law (regulations, policies, compliance and ethics)
Honors/Awards/Recognitions: Dr. Cunningham-Engram is a lifetime member of Phi Kappa Phi national honor society and was inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha national honor society. She maintains membership in several professional organizations, including the Education Law Association; Keynote speaker at the 10th Annual Convocation of the Black Law Students Association of the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville; Traveled with a group to South Africa and East Africa to meet with African presidents and former heads of state to discuss land rights and energy at an annual presidential roundtable.
Additionally, Dr. Cunningham-Engram has business experience in the following areas: Entrepreneur (publishing); Author; Investment professional; Equity trader; NASD Series 7 Registered Representative
Davis, Bonnie Newman. Greensboro News& Record- Janice Bryant Howroyd Endowed Professor
B.A., N.C. A&T State University; M.A., The University of Michigan
Name: Bonnie Newman Davis
Rank: Endowed Professor
Email: bbdavis1@ncat.edu
Office: 225 Crosby Hall
Degrees: B.A. English; M.A. Journalism
Bonnie Newman Davis is the Janice Bryant Howroyd Endowed Professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at North Carolina A&T State University where she teaches, conducts research and performs multiple learning and service activities. Before joining N.C. A&T, Davis was an associate professor in the School of Mass Communications at Virginia Commonwealth University and served as academic director for VCU’s Urban Journalism Workshop for high school students. Prior to joining academia, Davis worked for nearly 20 years at The Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch as a reporter, copy editor and editor. She also has extensive experience in digital and online media, having been a reporter and editor for BlackAmericaWeb.com and MSNBC's thegrio.com.
Scholarly Interests: Business Journalism; Entrepreneurship & Leadership; Diversity; New Media and Online Journalism
Leadership: In 1995, Davis co-founded the Richmond Association of Black Journalists, an affiliate chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. She served on NABJ’s national board from 1999-2003, and also on the board of the Virginia Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Other memberships include Leadership Metro Richmond and the Richmond Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Honors/Awards/Recognition: In April 2011, Davis was named NABJ’s Journalism Educator of the Year. Her work also has been recognized by the Virginia Press Association, Richmond Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Black Journalists and Commonwealth Council of Girl Scouts. In 2007, Davis received NABJ’s Ethel Payne Fellowship to travel to Accra, Ghana in West Africa to report on various topics.
DeVanney, Ken. TV Studio Manager
Name: Ken DeVanney
Email: kpdevann@ncat.edu
Office: 314 Crosby Hall
Rank: TV Studio Manager
Degrees: B.A. Degree in Broadcast Journalism, Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville, MO)Ken is an award-winning videographer with over 20 years experience in television production. Ken was named full-time TV Studio Manager at A&T in March of 2009 after having worked in the same position on a part-time basis for the previous year. Ken has worked all over the country including Medford, OR, Rockford, IL, Evansville, IN and Winston-Salem, NC. He currently owns his own video production company and does freelance work.Honors/Awards/Recognition: Ken has helped produce several documentaries; has travelled the world covering a wide variety of stories including the 1989 United States Invasion in Panama, the 2002 Election win of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, and countless sporting events including the Daytona 500 NASCAR race, the prestigious Kentucky Derby horse race and the U.S. Open Golf Championships.
Harris, Emily Burch. Lecturer.B.A., M.A., Marshall University
Name: Emily Harris
Email: edburch@ncat.edu
Office: GCB A388E Rank: Lecturer, Student Newspaper Program Director
Degrees: B.A. (Marshall University, 1994; magazine journalism), M.A.J. ( Marshall University, 1996; print journalism)
Interests: My scholarly interest include the effects of popular culture on how young adults (18 to 24) perceive reality and how readers react to mistakes in newspapers that are without local copy desks.
Hughes, Sandra. Lecturer.
B.S., North Carolina A&T State University
Name: Sandra Hughes
Email: sdhughe1@ncat.edu
Office: 313 Crosby
Rank: Adjunct
Degrees: B.S., North Carolina A&T State University
For more than 38 years, Sandra Hughes was a familiar face at WFMY News 2. A history-making broadcaster, Sandra is the first African-American woman in the Piedmont to host her own daily talk show. She is also the first African-American woman to host the entertainment show “PM Magazine” in the Southeast region.
Honors/Awards/Recognition: She is the first woman broadcaster to be invited to participate in the European Communities Visitors Program. She is the first African-American in the Piedmont to receive the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. She was named an “Unsung Hero” by the International Civil Rights Center and Museum for her role in helping integrate broadcast airways in the Triad. She was recently inducted into the “Silver Circle”, a broadcaster’s hall of fame in Nashville, Tennessee by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Sandra was also inducted into the North Carolina Association of Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame.- Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from NC A&T State University
- The Governor’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine
- The A&T Distinguished Alumni Recognition
- A day in her honor was proclaimed by the Guilford County Commissioners
- City of Greensboro Mayor’s Certificate of Commendation
- Gannett Broadcasting recognized her for outstanding work on a documentary on the Anniversary of the Woolworth’s Sit-In
- Two “Best of Gannett” awards for News Anchoring
- A “Best of Gannett” award for WFMY-TV’s “2 Those Who Care” program
Johnson, Allen. Lecturer.
B.A., M.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Name: Allen Johnson
Email: ajohnson@ncat.edu
Office: 122 Crosby
Rank: Adjunct
Degrees: B.A., M.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Mr. Johnson is an editorial page editor of the News & Record since 1999, He leads editorial board meetings, edits most editorials and writes some editorials. He also writes a daily Web log and a Sunday column. He has taught part-time at a variety of area colleges, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina Central University and North Carolina A&T State University. In 1996, he taught a short course in management for newsroom executives in the south central African nation of Zambia (formerly known as Northern Rhodesia).
Jones, Jacqueline. Lecturer.
B.A., North Carolina A&T State University; M.A., Ball State University
Mereba, Tamrat. Professor.B.S., University of Idaho; M.S., University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Madison
Name: Dr. Tamrat Mereba (tenured)
Email: tmereba@ncat.edu
Office: 317 Crosby
Rank: Professor
Degrees: Ph.D, University of Wisconsin at Madison; MS, University of Wisconsin at La Crosse; BS University of Idaho; Diploma, Halle Sellasie University, Ethiopia
Dr. Mereba has nearly 30 years teaching, research, and service at six universities of higher learning. He has Traveled to four continents of the world - Africa, Asia, Europe, North & South America
Scholarly interests: Building cognitive skills; the intersection of learning & technology; communication technologies, language and culture
Leadership: Department chair Alabama State & Bloomsburg universities; Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the Pennsylvania State University - University Park; Visiting Scholar of Mass Communication at Temple University; Executive Vice President at Covenant International Institute; Director of the Professional School at the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology; Director of learning technologies at Delaware State University; Assistant Vice President for Distance Education and Learning technologies at Delaware State University; Director of Academy for Teaching and Learning at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University.
Honors/Awards/Recognition: Received a grant totaling $149,000.00 to establish a Master's degree program in Journalism & Strategic Communication at North Carolina A &T State University, 2006;Chaired campus-wide technology committee appointed by the Chancellor, 2001-2003; Received FUTURESVENTURES FUND in the amount of $15,000.00 for the Department of Journalism & Mass Communication at NCA&TSU, 2006-2007.
Davis, Dawn. Lecturer.
B.A., Public Relations, North Carolina A&T State University; M.A., Austin Peay State University
Name: Dawn Nail Davis
Email: dndavis3@ncat.edu
Office: Webb Hall, Office of Enrollment Management
Rank: Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions /Lecturer
Degrees: B.A., Public Relations, North Carolina A&T State University; M.A., Austin Peay State University; EdD., Educational Leadership and Management-Capella University
Ms. Davis has been working as an adjunct professor since 2005 and holds a position as associate director of undergraduate admissions at A&T.
Scholarly interests: The media's effect and impact on body image of adolescent girls
Leadership: She is currently a member of the Beta Iota Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Perry, Benita. Lecturer.
B.A., Winston Salem State University; M.F.A., Savannah College of Art and Design
Name: Arthea B. Perry
Email: abperry@ncat.edu
Office: Crosby Hall, room 123
Rank: (administrative appointments if applicable): Adjunct Lecturer
Degrees: M.F.A (Computer Art (Motion Graphics and Video)
Scholarly Interests: The focus of the research is photographic and video documentaries of extant and ancient African cultures and cross cultural relationships. Utilization of interactive media technologies as alternative methods in teaching about ancient communities, families and women, art forms in cross cultural relationships and visual journalism (converged media).
Smith, Kim. Assistant Professor.
B.A., Howard University; M.M.C., Ph.D., University of South Carolina
Name: Kim Smith, Ph.D.
Email: drksmith1960@yahoo.com; kcsmith1@ncat.edu
Office: 119 Crosby
Rank: Assistant Professor
Degrees: BA, MMC, Ph.D.
Kim Smith is an assistant professor, at North Carolina A&T State University, with more than 15 years of award-winning teaching experience, including online. An award-winning journalist, Smith teaches courses in news writing, broadcast writing, multimedia, and the impact of new media on society.
Scholarly Interests: health communications, multimedia journalism and research on how HBCUs with journalism programs are coping with new 21st century communications industry demands
Honors/Awards/Recognition: Faculty development grant sponsored by NATPE Educational Foundation; Developed a new course called Social Media; Spearheaded student coverage of the Democratic National Convention 2012.
Styles, Teresa Jo. Professor.
B.A., Spelman College; M.A., Northwestern University; Ph.D., University North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Name: Teresa Styles, Ph.D.
Email: teresaj@ncat.edu
Office: 202 Crosby
Rank: Professor (tenured)
Degrees: BA Spelman College, MA Northwestern University, PHD. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Certificates: Harvard University, Maynard Institute-University of California-Berkeley
Scholarly Interests: Broadcast journalism, media management and economics, film criticism, international media history
Welborne, Anthony.
Instructor and General Manager, WNAA-FM. B.S., M.S., North Carolina A & T State University
Name: Anthony Welborne
Email: tonyb@ncat.edu
Office: 302 Crosby
Rank: Instructor and General Manager, WNAA-FM.
Degrees: B.S., M.S., North Carolina A & T State University
Whitley, Sheila M. Associate Professor and Interim Associate Chair
A.A., Wingate University; B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; M.A., Appalachian State University; Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Name: Sheila M. Whitley, Ph.D (tenured)
Email: whitley@ncat.edu
Office: 319 Crosby Hall
Rank: Associate Professor and Interim Associate Chair 2012-2013
Degrees: AA: Literary (Wingate University); BA: Radio, Television and Motion Pictures (UNC-CH); MA: Educational Media (Appalachian State); Ph.D.: Curriculum and Instruction with a Focus in Higher Education Administration (UNCG)
Scholarly Interests: College student retention, satisfaction, persistence; first-generation college students
Administrative Support Staff
The staff of the department includes one administrative support supervisor and three administrative support persons. They help develop, maintain, and improve the operation of the department. These personnel currently include the following:
D'Orndra (Dee) Johnson...................... Administrative Support Associate
Kiticia (Kaye) Hayes............................. Administrative Support Associate
The administrative support personnel have contributed in critical ways to the day-to-day operation of the department and the planning and execution of departmental activities. Our support personnel have been instrumental in activities that include the High School Media Day, Business Journalism Workshop, Student Newspaper Improvement Program, Fall Lecture Series, Richard E. Moore Lecture, Fall Graduation and Awards Ceremony, Spring Graduation and Awards Ceremony, and National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Short Course. Our support staff also contribute to the hosting of Black College Wire by the JOMC department.
