Former SOJC dean named to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Everette Dennis
Everette E. Dennis

Story by Patty Jenness

UO alumnus and former School of Journalism and Communication dean Everette E. Dennis ’64 was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences on April 12, 2017.

Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is one of the United States’ oldest learned societies and independent policy research centers, convening leaders from the academic, business and government sectors to respond to the challenges facing — and opportunities available to — the nation and the world.

Dennis earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon in 1964 and later returned as visiting faculty in the early 1970s. He served as the ninth dean of the SOJC from 1981 through 1984. During his tenure, he secured a grant to chart the future of journalism education. The grant captured national attention and The New York Times visited campus to cover the rollout conference, which attracted top journalism deans and leading journalists from around the nation.

Dennis talks to a student during his tenure as SOJC dean, which lasted from 1981 through 1984.
Dennis talks to a student during his tenure as SOJC dean in the 1980s.

Currently, Dennis is the dean and CEO of Northwestern University in Qatar, a position he has held since June 2011. During the course of his career, Dennis has written or edited 45 books that have been translated into 10 languages and more than 200 articles, essays and monographs about global media, media industries, media law and management. At Northwestern’s home campus, he is a professor in the Medill School of Journalism and is cross-appointed in the School of Communication.

Dennis earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, his M.A. from Syracuse University and his BS from the UO. A lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Antiquarian Society, Dennis has held advanced fellowships at Harvard, Stanford and the East-West Center. He has taught at five universities and was the founding president of the American Academy in Berlin and founding executive director of the Media Studies Center at Columbia University.

To honor his contributions to the SOJC and his many achievements throughout his career, the school inducted Dennis into its Hall of Achievement in 2001.

UO faculty have high praise for Dennis. “There are few people in the field of journalism and education who have had more of an impact on the industry,” said Tim Gleason, professor and former SOJC dean. “He is a mentor to many of us in the field, myself included.”

Joining Dennis in this year’s class of 228 new members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences are some of the world’s most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers and artists, as well as civic, business and philanthropic leaders. They include winners of the Pulitzer Prize and the Wolf Prize; MacArthur Fellows; Fields Medalists; Presidential Medal of Freedom and National Medal of Arts recipients; and Academy Award, Grammy Award, Emmy Award, and Tony Award winners. The new class will be inducted at a ceremony on Oct. 7, 2017, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Patty Jenness, BA '13, is co-managing director of Jennessco, a business consulting and public relations company. She is an SOJC graduate who majored in public relations as well as a freelance writer, digital strategist and videographer.