Professor, Chair Hangs up His Hat at Howard

Dixon hangs it up as journalism chair at Howard

By Kylee Coney

Phillip Dixon, chairman of the journalism department at Howard University, rested his elbows on his office desk, covered with papers, books and memos. He leaned forward, eager to answer the question on most Journalism students mind: Why is he retiring at the end ofJune?

"I'm retiring because it's time for fresh thinking, fresh ideas, and new blood in this office," he said matter-of-factly. "I've always believed people in organizations are pluses, adding something to the environment. Or zeros, just being there for the sake of it, or minuses, taking away from things getting done. I am always ruthless in my self-evaluation, and I have recently viewed that I am a zero sliding towards a negative. And therefore, it's time for me to get out."

Dixon has served as an associate professor and chair of the Department of Journalism since June 2002. During that time he has overseen the students majoring in print journalism broadcast journalism, advertising, and public relations.

According to School of Communications annual reports, student enrollment has grown from 382 to 552 from 2002 to 2010. With that increase, Dixon has implemented programs to help students grasp the knowledge and skills necessary to work in a digital, multimedia communications environment.

Some of his crown achievements include a White House Correspondent Scholarship, which he and Carol Dudley, director of theOffice of Career Development, started four years ago. The program gives three students each spring to go to a reception with the President of the United States and each receive a $7000 scholarship. Under his watch, the department has won a Bloomberg endowment, an ABC on Campus program, and several partnerships with such companies as Reuters and the Center for Public Integrity. These initiatives help students to receive internships, fellowships, and full time jobs after graduation.

Dixon is proud of one other area, which has experienced growth during his tenure --- an "increased number of people on faculty who believe in rigorous education and holding students to high standards.

"We've taken great steps in all of the right directions in making journalism education rigorous and useful. So people who graduate this month have a radically different experience than those in 2008," Dixon said.

One glaring difference is the number of students who have been exposed to multimedia and digital communications. Chairman Dixon's conviction is that students who have multimedia skills in print, digital design classes, photography, blogging, broadcasting, public relations, and advertising skills have one-dimensional skills. He points to several graduates working in the Washington bureau of an international news organization right of college as an example.

"That's like accelerating their careers five or six years out of college," he said. "It usually takes journalists longer than that to land those kinds of jobs. We also have public relationsgraduates at the world's greatest agencies."

But he refuses to take all the credit for graduates successes. "At the end of the day, I don't take credit for them doing well; it's always up to the students," he said. "It's 98 percent student effort, the faculty is the 2 percent here. You need to be looking out for yourself. You got this, you can do it."

Apparently students have been taking note of the chairman's hand in positioning their curriculum for the multimedia, digital age. A number of them have expressed concern, sorrow, and anxiety about Chairman Dixon's departure.

"I'm worried that the department is going to go through a lot of growing pains when he leaves," said senior print journalism major Lauren McEwen. "But I'm sure it will all work out."

Kwaku Osei-Bonsu, a junior in telecommunications, started as a broadcast journalism major. He said Chairman Dixon has impacted him.

"I really appreciated his presence in the department; he was one of the few male voices who would give me honest advice," he said. "As a freshman, Dixon was somebody I often went to for guidance in the journalism business. He's someone of value. He kind of acted like a father figure in journalism. He was even humble enough to guide me in making the best decision for my career choice, and gave me advice as I switched out of the journalism department to a different major."

Oni Henson, junior public relations major, said his love of journalism has intensified because of Dixon's passion for writing.

"He really does love the craft of writing and wants to help all his students find their niche within the field," Henson said. "Professor Dixon has made the journalism department feel like a second home. It's up to us to make him still feel proud of our accomplishments, even after he's gone."

Some faculty members in the Department of Journalism also took Dixon's retirement hard.

"He'll be sorely missed, professionally and personally," said Craig Herndon, an assistant professor of multimedia studies. "I've known him for a long time. He has been supportive of me as a new professor and as far as being a journalism professional, we see eye to eye on how to train students."

Ingrid Sturgis, assistant professor of new media is also sad that Dixon is leaving.

"I was sad when I was informed he was leaving," she said. "He's a wonderful, supportive chairperson for both faculty and students. His connections and generous and caring demeanor are irreplaceable assets to the students and faculty in the school. I hope the next chairperson can uphold the same standards that he set here in the Department of Journalism."

The search for Dixon's replacement has already begun. The faculty and the Dean of the School of Communications have interviewed several candidates interim chair while. A national search for the full chair will start later.