"Greater Happens HERE"
Title: Assistant/Associate Professor of Journalism
State Role Title: Assistant Professor
Hiring Range: up to a MAX of $60,000.00, commensurate with Education and Experience
Pay Band: UG
Agency: Virginia State University
Location: Virginia State University
Agency Website: www.VSU.edu
Recruitment Type: General Public - G
Job Duties
Virginia State University and the Department of Mass Communications invites applicants for our Public Relations/Strategic Communications term faculty position (VSUFO667), at the rank of assistant or associate professor. The anticipated start date for the position is FALL 2026.
Successful candidates will be engaged in scholarship that advances the field of public relations. As a faculty member, successful candidates will teach in-person, hybrid, and online courses in the fall and spring semesters, advise undergraduate students, participate in department and university committees, and will serve as the Faculty Advisor for BSU’s PRSSA chapter.
Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s, master’s or terminal degree in public relations or closely related discipline by August 2026. Applicants with significant professional experience with a bachelor’s degree may be considered.
• The ability to teach undergraduate courses in Public Relations/Strategic Communications.
*Virginia State University requires that faculty be appropriately credentialed to teach assigned courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. VSU demonstrates compliance with its Faculty Credentialing Policy #2301 for all applicable education, experience, licensure and certification requirements in the selection and hiring of its faculty.
Additional Considerations
Preferred Qualifications:
Teaching
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of public higher education, including support for access, equity, and student success.
• Evidence of effective engagement with a diverse student body through inclusive pedagogies, mentoring, or advising.
• Use of innovative, high-impact teaching practices in public relations courses, such as experiential-learning, service-learning, or project-based approaches.
Research
• Record of peer-reviewed scholarship in public relations that advances the discipline.
• Evidence of interdisciplinary collaborations extending PR scholarship into related fields.
• Active participation in scholarly associations (e.g., ICA , NCA , AEJMC ) through conference presentations, leadership roles, or editorial service.
Practice
• Demonstrated involvement in PRSSA and/or PRSA .
• Relevant credentials or demonstrated knowledge of emerging communication platforms and tools (e.g., Hubspot, Hootsuite, Meltwater, APR , etc.).
• Professional experience in public relations or a closely related field.
Applicants with the following will receive special consideration:
• Professional industry experience and connections related to social media, content strategy, digital media, digital communication, interactive media, or related fields.
• Proficiency with relevant industry standard software, such as the Adobe Creative Suite of Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, After Effects and Premiere, and Figma.
• Experience in interactive media design, writing for online, mobile, and game platforms, social media content strategy, immersive or 360 video storytelling, strategic storytelling, audience research and analysis, or other areas within interactive media.
• Knowledge of online content and media strategy for current and emerging technologies, theory and history of digital and interactive media, search engine optimization (SEO), generative AI, personal branding, and interactive media career preparation.
• Experience teaching interactive media-related courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Ability to develop courses to match changing media industries, advise students on internships and career paths, and other student and industry-focused initiatives.
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
You must include:
1. A current resume/c.v.
2. A letter of interest in your application
3. Three (3) letters of recommendation
4. Official transcripts will be required before hire.
Virginia State University is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all persons and applicants, without regard to age, color, disability, gender, national origin, political affiliation, genetic information, race, religion, sexual orientation, sex (including pregnancy) or veteran status. VSU encourages and invites minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply.
AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.
HOW TO APPLY: Virginia State University only accepts applications for this position through the on-line state Recruitment Management System (PageUp). Faxed, e-mailed, and mailed applications and/or attachments will not be accepted. The application must be detailed and fully completed. All employment and periods of unemployment (if applicable) must be listed within the application; either on an attached resume or manually listed in the “Relevant Work History” section. Each application is reviewed for documentation that shows the applicant meets the minimum and preferred qualifications stated in the job announcement. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided on the application, therefore, it is essential to fully complete each section of the application and provide descriptive information. Submitting an incomplete state application, or a state application lacking in detail, may result in your non-selection. This website will provide a confirmation of receipt when the application is submitted for consideration.
The selected candidate will be subject to an extensive and complete background check, which may include fingerprinting. The candidate may be required to complete a Statement of Economic Interest as a condition of employment, if applicable.
Employment-based visa sponsorship at Virginia State University (VSU) is not guaranteed and will be evaluated carefully on a case-by-case basis. Federal law does not require employers to provide immigration sponsorship, and VSU is not obligated to offer it. Employment at VSU does not permit an individual to work in the United States unless the appropriate employment authorization has been obtained and verified in accordance with federal immigration compliance requirements.
Contact Information
Name: Dominique M. Fisher
Phone: 804-524-5075
Email: dfisher@vsu.edu
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.
Note Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.
The Commonwealth of Virginia is located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. It was the 10th state to be admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788. Home to approximately 8 million residents, Virginia is the 12th most populous state in the United States. The capital is Richmond, and its most populous city is Virginia Beach.
The narrative history of the Commonwealth of Virginia often begins with the founding of Jamestown in 1607, near what is now modern day Williamsburg, Virginia. Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in the New World, and the Virginia General Assembly, established on July 30, 1619, is now recognized as the oldest legislative body in the western hemisphere. When Virginia became a royal colony in 1624, the robust tobacco trade that had been developing in Virginia helped establish the American colonies as a powerful economic force. During the American Revolution, Virginia witnessed the final surrender of British forces at Yorktown and later became known as the birthplace of many revolution-era figures and future American presidents, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. To date, 8 United States presidents have been born in Virginia, more than in any other state.
The modern government of Virginia is nearly identical in structure to the federal government, and is divided into 3 branches, these being the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches. The Virginia General Assembly is comprised of the 100-member House of Delegates and the 40-member Senate. A governor and lieutenant governor are elected every 4 years. Governors cannot be elected to or serve consecutive terms. Virginia’s judicial system consists of the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the Circuit Courts, and the lower General District Courts and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts. Virginia has 13 electoral votes in presidential elections, and possesses 11 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
