June 6, 2007
Faculty Member Earns National Teaching Award

A faculty member in the College of Communications at Penn State who sees teaching as a collaborative effort to help students toward success has been honored with a national award for her teaching.

Michel Haigh, an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising/Public Relations, earned first place in the Promising Professors competition coordinated by the Mass Communication & Society Division of the Association for Education in Journalism (AEJMC). The division is the largest of any in the AEJMC.

“It says a lot about Michel’s teaching that she received this award in her first year of full-time teaching, because many past winners have two years of experience,” said Marie Hardin, an associate professor in the Department of Journalism who serves as head of the division.

The Promising Professors competition is designed to promote excellence in teaching for graduate students and professors who are new in their careers. Experienced teachers, including past award winners, judge packets from entrants that include teaching materials and letters of recommendation.

“I take great pride in my teaching, and my approach,” said Haigh, who teaches courses on public relations methods and public relations campaigns. “Still, it’s a surprising honor. I’m so appreciative of the people who submitted letters of recommendation.”

Her teaching philosophy and syllabi were just as impressive to the judges. She will receive her award during the annual AEJMC Convention in August.
Her background includes more than six years as a public relations writer, editor, designer and Web designer, and she has co-authored more than 10 conference presentations. She has published eight articles in journals such as Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Communication Monographs and Communication Quarterly.

Haigh is a member of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the National Communication Association.

She earned her doctoral degree at the University of Oklahoma, her master’s degree at Texas Tech University and her bachelor’s degree at South Dakota State University.

Contact information:
Steve Sampsell
Coordinator of College Relations
Phone: (814) 865-8801
Email:sws102@psu.edu