A MESSAGE
From the Dean(s) Every story has a beginning, and every story has an ending. But, it’s the middle part that counts.
W VU MEDIA MAG AZIN E 201 9
DAVID SMITH
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On the Cover Students in the Adventure Travel Writing and Photography class relax around a campfire during their Spring Break trip to the New River Gorge where they had the opportunity to work with world-class athletes to create multimedia pieces that promote adventure sports, brands and state tourism. Photo compilation by Rylee McNemar and Matthrew Shreve.
When I came to WVU in 1993 as an assistant professor, I could have never imagined the path my career and life would take. I could never have imagined that I would be a member of the faculty of the (then) School of Journalism for more than a quarter of a century. I could never have imagined that I would serve as its dean for 15 of those years. And in my wildest imagination, I could never have imagined being tapped to serve as WVU’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. But indeed that is the path my life has taken, and I owe it all to WVU and the College of Media – to my talented colleagues on the faculty and staff, to our hard-working and creative students, to our dedicated alumni and friends, and to kind and generous mentors like former deans Chris Martin and Guy Stewart, as well as Professor Paul Atkins, who so often showed me the way. We can all be proud of the success the College has achieved over the past several decades. We’ve grown our enrollment, revenues and reputation. We’ve updated our curriculum to adapt to the changing media landscape, while retaining our focus on the fundamentals of writing, research,
reporting and ethics. We’ve modernized our facilities and learning labs and we’ve created new undergraduate and graduate programs that respond to the changing needs of our professions. As my story in the College comes to a close, another story is beginning. After serving as my associate dean for the past seven-plus years, Dr. Diana Martinelli became the new dean on July 1. As sad as I am to leave the College, I am comforted to know it will rest in Diana’s capable hands. She is a skillful and beloved administrator who will undoubtably take the College to new heights of achievement and excellence. I’m excited to begin a new chapter in my new role as WVU’s chief academic officer, but I will always be grateful to the College of Media for giving me my start. Here, I learned how to be a teacher, leader and steward of the College’s programs and people. Here, I learned that despite the many challenges we face, the future is ours to write. Thank you for the opportunity to serve! I am ever grateful for the encouragement, support and friendship you have shown me these past 26 years.
Maryanne Reed, Dean
