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08-17-09
GW announces new PR Professor
CEO Emeritus of Institute for Public Relations Joins GW's Strategic Public Relations Masters Program
Ovaitt Will Teach Applied Research for Public Relations/Public Affairs
WASHINGTON-Frank Ovaitt, CEO Emeritus of the Institute for Public Relations, has accepted an appointment to The George Washington University masters in strategic public relations faculty. He will teach applied public relations and public affairs research on campus and online starting in the Fall 2009 semester.
"Professionals who understand research will rule this field," said Ovaitt. "It's critical that the students in this masters program - many of whom are already recognized rising stars - know how to use research effectively in their work."
The strategic public relations program is one of three masters programs offered by GW's Graduate School of Political Management. The others are political management and legislative affairs. All three offer graduate certificate programs for students interested in more specialized, shorter term programs. The applied research course is available to students in any of these programs.
Ovaitt joins an adjunct Strategic Public Relations faculty that has recently added industry leaders like Tom Martin, formerly of ITT and FedEx, and Tom Mattia, formerly with The Coca-Cola Company and Ford Motor Company. They join a faculty comprised of veteran practioners steeped in the strategy and application of public relations in both the traditional and new media worlds.
"We have added Frank Ovaitt to our extraordinary adjunct faculty because of his strong reputation in research, international public relations, and corporate communications," said Larry Parnell, associate professor and director of the masters in strategic public relations program. "We have engineered our entire advanced degree program to marry practical experience with a rigorous academic curriculum."
Ovaitt served from 2004 to 2009 as President and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations, an independent research and education foundation. There he led the launch of the Essential Knowledge Project, an online guide to existing public relations research for practitioners. Earlier he founded communications management firm Crossover International Inc., served as vice president-corporate affairs for MCI, international PR vice president for AT&T, and editorial services director for Monsanto. He is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America, former co-chair of the International Public Relations Association's Campaign for Media Transparency, and founding chair of the Commission on Global Public Relations Research.
Ovaitt earned a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri and an MBA from New York University. He has taught professional seminars on international public relations and guest lectured at The George Washington University, the University of Florida, the University of Maryland, the University of Missouri, George Mason University, New York University and Syracuse University.
