Josh Grimm Appointed as Interim Dean of the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication
October 28, 2020
BATON ROUGE— LSU has announced that Joshua Grimm has been appointed as the interim dean for the Manship School of Mass Communication. This decision comes after the sudden and tragic loss of the school’s dean, Martin Johnson. Grimm, associate professor, has been at LSU since 2012 and has been serving as associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration. He holds the Westmoreland Darden Professorship in Mass Communication.
“We are all still reeling from Martin’s loss,” said Executive Vice President & Provost Stacia Haynie. “I am so appreciative that Josh has stepped in during this difficult time and will carry on in Martin’s absence. He has great support from his colleagues, and I know the Manship School will be in good hands while we perform a national search for the next dean.”
Grimm graduated with his doctorate in journalism and mass communication from the University of Iowa. He received his master’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. Grimm teaches a wide variety of journalism and mass communication courses including In-Depth Reporting, Advanced Journalism, Race and Gender in Political Communication, and Media Law.
“While we were all shocked to hear of Dean Johnson’s passing, every day we’re reminded of his impact on us all,” said Grimm. “Martin was an amazing leader, mentor and friend, and I am honored to have this opportunity to help carry out his vision and work with the resilient, incredible students, faculty and staff of the Manship School. I also look forward to working with all of the great leaders of this institution.”
Grimm’s research interests include how diversity is portrayed in the media, with an emphasis on race, gender and sexuality. Grimm has numerous research publications and book chapters and was awarded, among others, the Faculty Excellence Award from the LSU Alumni Association.
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LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: master of mass communication, Ph.D. in Media and Public Affairs, certificate of strategic communication and dual MMC/Law degree. Its public relations students were recently ranked the #1 team in the nation, and its digital advertising and student media teams frequently earn national recognition.
Contact Ernie Ballard | LSU Media Relations | eballa1@lsu.edu
Contact Erica Hawthorne | LSU Academic Affairs | ericap@lsu.edu
Contact Aariel Charbonnet | LSU Manship School of Mass Communication | acharbonnet1@lsu.edu