Story by Nikki Kesaris, infographic by Keith Van Norman
The past year has been a big one for the UO School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC). Not only are we celebrating our centennial in 2016, but we also welcomed our new Edwin L. Artzt Dean, Juan-Carlos Molleda, over the summer.
Molleda and his new husband, Adrian, traveled across the nation to become part of the University of Oregon community. The couple was living in Gainesville, Florida, where Molleda was a professor and chair of the Department of Public Relations at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.
As a PR professor and former industry professional, Molleda is making history at the SOJC as the school’s first dean with a public relations background to run our school.
"I have corporate, agency and consultancy experience in public relations and communication management. Academically, I have progressed through the ranks from being a research and teaching assistant to acting as distance-education director and department chair, to recently becoming the dean of this top legacy journalism school,” Molleda said. “My professional and academic background gives me a broader perspective on journalism and communication, including an understanding of the core and emerging skills and knowledge students need to succeed in the field."
Molleda spent the summer settling into the SOJC and adjusting to life in the Pacific Northwest. Now that he’s officially an Oregonian, he’s excited to get to know the students, faculty and staff.
"Eugene is welcoming and eclectic, especially its culinary options! We like the easy-going nature and pace of the city and the natural surroundings, with minimum humidity and no bugs,” he said. “After an enjoyable but hectic summer filled with meetings with SOJC supporters, I am ready to select and meet with the dean's Student Advisory Council, and I am ready to welcome students to the fall term! Undergraduate and graduate students distill so much energy and excitement that I feel reinvigorated and motivated to lead them by example. The students are why I am so optimistic for the future of the SOJC and the professions we serve."
Want to learn more about your new dean? Check out the infographic below to get some of his basic stats.
And don’t miss the Back to School Social tomorrow, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. in the Allen Hall Atrium. Molleda will be there to meet students in person, as will the rest of your favorite professors. While you’re there, chat with faculty, learn about the SOJC’s student groups and enjoy a treat from Sweet Life Patisserie!
Nikki Kesaris is a junior studying public relations at the SOJC. This is her second year writing for the SOJC Communication Office. She also previously held an internship at a San Diego advertising agency before she realized that PR is her true calling.
