A new semester not only invites new students, but new professors. SMSU’s Communication Studies department welcomes in a new professor, Dr. Jos Ullian, who fills the role of Assistant Professor of the broadcasting and digital media major.

Ullian received his Bachelor’s of English degree from Amherst College, a small liberal arts school in Massachusetts. From there he attended the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a Master’s in Communication Research. Ullian also earned a Ph.D. in Communication Research from the University of Illinois.

For Ullian, teaching experience began while in graduate school. He kept busy as a teaching assistant, research assistant, and production coordinator for instructional television. After graduate school, Ullian taught visual communication at Southern Connecticut State University.

Ullian comes to SMSU with plans to improve the broadcasting and digital media major.

“I would like to build a program that serves the students so they can get jobs, that has ties with the community, and that has partnerships within the university,” Ullian said. “And I want it to be distinctive.”

This won’t be the first time Ullian restructured an academic program. When he first arrived at Southern Connecticut State University, he was challenged with bringing the visual communication program up-to-date.

“I built the program up to be one of the regional powerhouses in video production,” Ullian said.

His former students have gone on to work for organizations such as ESPN and The Hallmark Channel, and fields such as broadcast news and private video production.

As for SMSU, Ullian has the same goal in mind.

“The end result will be a program where students can go out and get good jobs, and continue to get good jobs throughout their career,” Ullian said.