Director Richard T. Robertson School of Communication

Director of the Richard T. Robertson School of Communication

Benefits
:
All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

Unit: College of Humanities and Sciences MBU

Department: CHS Deans Office

The Richard T. Robertson School of Communication, founded in 1978, is one of the largest units of the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, a Carnegie R1 (Very High Research) designated institution. It offers professional undergraduate and graduate programs and an interdisciplinary doctoral program in an environment that values the strong foundation of liberal arts and sciences necessary for professional communicators combined with an emphasis on professional and research excellence as well as on experiential learning and required internships for all undergraduate students.

The Robertson School is one of only 120 select journalism and mass communication programs accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. The School was successfully reaccredited in 2025. The School offers a bachelor’s degree with six concentrations in Advertising (Creative and Strategic), Journalism (Digital and Broadcast), Media Production and Public Relations. It also offers an online master’s degree with concentrations in Integrated Communication and Media Leadership, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Media Leadership.

In addition, the School offers a Ph.D. in Media, Art and Text in collaboration with the Department of English and the School of the Arts at VCU.

The Robertson School is committed to preparing its 700 undergraduate and graduate students not only with strong academic foundations but also with the professional readiness needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving media landscape, especially in the area of artificial intelligence. In addition to a robust academic advising team, the School is unique within the College of Humanities and Sciences in offering a dedicated career development team that delivers individualized guidance and industry connection.

Additionally, the Robertson School strives to cultivate an environment in which faculty research and professional excellence can flourish and contribute to the university’s R1 mission.

Virginia Commonwealth University invites nominations and applications for an exceptional leader to serve as the next director of the Robertson School. The successful candidate will foster excellence in learning, teaching, research, creative activity and institutional development. The director will champion career readiness and student success by supporting initiatives that bridge academic learning with real-world application, including internships, employer engagement and career education.

A special focus for the School in the coming years will be the training of faculty, staff and students in the area of artificial intelligence. The ideal candidate understands the importance of cultivating strong relationships with alumni, industry professionals and community partners to expand career pathways for all students. The candidate also recognizes the need to have a robust mix of scholars and practitioners to achieve these goals and to align with the R1 mission of the university.

The director is the academic and administrative leader of the Robertson School and will collaborate with all key stakeholders in executing the School's strategic plan. The director will ensure the academic excellence and success of the undergraduate and graduate programs; promote the success of students, faculty, staff and alumni; responsibly manage and grow its fiscal, physical and professional resources; foster an environment in which research and professional excellence flourish;

and represent it effectively and collaboratively within the University and to a broad variety of…