School & Department Overview:
The Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) invites applications for a nine-month, tenure-track position of assistant professor of multimedia (news) journalism, beginning in Fall 2024. Drake’s SJMC is accredited by ACEJMC and offers eight award-winning undergraduate majors: advertising, digital media production, magazine and brand media, multimedia journalism, public relations, strategic political communication, an online bachelor’s degree in digital communication, and an online bachelor’s degree in public relations. The School also has a successful online Master of Arts in Communication program with tracks in brand communication, communication leadership, and public affairs and advocacy. The successful applicant will join a collegial, welcoming and supportive community of 17 full-time faculty and staff, and nearly 400 undergraduate and graduate students.
The Drake SJMC is a forward-thinking community of scholars with a focus on active, collaborative learning and applied scholarship. Drake University is located in Des Moines, Iowa—a vibrant city that is nationally recognized for its quality of life and a wealth of opportunities for professional, social and civic engagement.
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication couples hands-on training in professional skills with a strong liberal arts education. We strive to create a community of scholars that represents the complexity of the human experience in regards to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, gender identification, religion, age and physical abilities. We are committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all our faculty, staff, students and visitors, and celebrating our differences through the lens of the First Amendment value of freedom of expression.
For more information, visit: https://www.drake.edu/sjmc/.
Position Summary:
We are looking for an innovative colleague who can help lead our School in preparing our students for the rapidly changing media landscape. Depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate, the appointment may be to a tenure-track or consecutive-term appointment.
We are open to hiring an experienced professional with a bachelor’s degree for a consecutive-term appointment, on condition of completion of a master’s degree within three years.
Depending on skills and interest, teaching assignments may include but are not limited to these undergraduate subjects: investigative reporting, news journalism, multimedia content development, multimedia storytelling, and front-of-camera communication. The qualified applicant may also teach online graduate classes in leadership strategies, applied theory and research, innovation and change, and social responsibility.
Course load is three courses or nine credit hours per semester. Duties also include research and professional activity, career mentoring for students, advising a student organization or publication, and service to the University and community.
Those with at least three to five years of broad and deep experience in real-world situations relevant to the discipline in which the faculty member would be teaching are encouraged to apply. The search committee is particularly interested in candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.
This appointment starts in August 2024.
Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Professional multimedia (news) journalism experience
Preferred Qualifications:
• Master’s Degree is preferred but required for an appointment to a tenure-track position.
• Front-of-camera communication experience
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness in an active, engaged classroom
Salary & Benefits:
Salary is competitive with peer schools and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.
At Drake, we are proud to offer our employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a wide range of core benefits, perks, and discounts. If you are exploring a job with Drake University, we invite you to spend a little time with our digital benefits guide: Drake Benefits Guide (Plan Year 2023).
One of our very popular policies provides a tuition waiver for Drake employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents. Drake also participates in not one, but two tuition exchange programs available to dependent children. You can learn about both the tuition waiver policy and tuition exchange programs here: Tuition Benefits.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
You must complete the online application and attach (1) a cover letter, (2) CV/Resume, (3) statement of teaching approach, (4) a 1-2 page diversity statement, (5) a portfolio and/or demo reel of professional work, and (6) the names of at least three references.
Please do not attach additional documents at this time. Supplemental documents may be requested or required of finalists.
All job offers are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check, satisfactory reference checks, and proof of work authorization.
Have Questions?
Questions about this position can be directed to the search chair: Jill Van Wyke, associate professor, at jill.vanwyke@drake.edu.
Questions about the application process, working at Drake, spouse/partner support, reasonable accommodations, benefits, or additional information about Drake or Des Moines, Iowa may be directed to Drake Human Resources at jobs@drake.edu.
Apply By Date
For full consideration, apply by October 31, 2023. The position will remain posted until filled.
For faculty positions, selection will depend on the receipt of recommendation confirming the candidate’s scholarly achievements and teaching abilities and/or on the candidate’s satisfactory passing of a teaching demonstration if selected for an on-campus interview. For staff positions, selection will depend upon careful review of each applicant’s references, education, and, if applicable, experience.