Assistant Professor of Public Relations

Job Summary

The School of Communication and the Arts at Marist College invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Public Relations, beginning August 2025.

The department seeks a candidate with the ability to teach a broad range of courses in Public Relations, including introductory and upper-level courses.

Particular areas of expertise sought include Applied Research and Analytics, Campaign Management, and Crisis Communication, as well as courses in the candidate’s area of expertise.

The department is open to a wide range of research areas and methodologies, but particularly seeks expertise in the following areas : international / transnational public relations;

public relations and intercultural communication; health communication; political communication; and / or crisis communication.

The successful candidate will join a Communication Department and a school characterized by a strong sense of collaboration and expansive community in which students are the central focus and faculty are both accessible and approachable.

The Department offers a major with five concentrations (Communication Studies, Advertising, Journalism, Public Relations, and Sports Communication).

The major enrolls more than 500 students, and the Department also offers an MA in Marketing Communication, as well as a five-year dual degree with the BA and the MA.

The successful candidate may also teach in the graduate program and / or teach First Year Seminars. Marist is also home to North Road Communications, an award-winning, student-run integrated marketing communication firm, and the successful candidate may have the opportunity to advise the firm.

This position aligns with the School of Communication and the Arts’ mission to inspire students to be ethically responsible professionals, with an understanding of sustainable and social responsibilities.

We encourage applicants who can demonstrate through their teaching, professional activity, and service, their abilities to contribute to Marist’s identity as an institution that welcomes and embraces diversity.

Minimum Qualifications :

• Doctorate in communication, or a related field of study, or other terminal degree and professional experience in public relations, preferably in an agency (external / in house) environment
• Two or more years of college teaching experience in public relations, and / or demonstrated ability to teach at the collegiate level
• Evidence of diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching

Essential Functions :

• Teach seven undergraduate courses per year, including the lower-level public relations foundation classes and / or upper-level courses in their area of expertise (with opportunities for course releases based on research production or service obligations)
• Integrate profession-based learning experiences into courses via field experiences, guest speakers, or projects that will lead to accomplishing course objectives
• Have the opportunity to teach first-year seminars and courses in the honors program
• Engage in Academic Advising
• Aid the Department Chair with program assessment and other projects that enhance the environment for students and colleagues
• Engage in a variety of service duties, including school and college committee service, curriculum development and assessment, admissions, and community / industry outreach

Preferred Qualifications :

• Three to five years professional experience in public relations in an agency (external / in house) environment
• Three or more years of teaching at the collegiate level with evidence of effective teaching

Required Application Documents :

Cover Letter, CV, and one representative syllabus from a previous stand-alone course that reflects a commitment to diversity and inclusion are required for consideration.

Advancing candidates may be asked to provide additional documentation. Preferences will be given to those who apply by October 1st, and applications will be accepted until October 15th.

Benefits :

The position includes a comprehensive benefit package*. Benefits for this position include but are not limited to the following :

• Unlimited paid sick time.
• 14+ paid holidays per year.
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance programs at a 15% employee / 85% employer contribution rate. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care (FSD).
• Life insurance.
• Generous short-term and long-term disability programs and workers compensation.
• 403(b) defined contribution plan : First 6 years College contributes 7.5%, Employee contributes a mandatory 4%.College contribution increases to 10.

5% in year 7, and 12% after 15 years.Employee contribution decreases to 1% in year 7. Remains 1% thereafter.Typical eligibility requirements : 1 year of service and 1,000 hours with Marist College.

• 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity Roth option available. Voluntary, up to IRS maximum contribution.
• Tuition Benefits : Up to 16 undergraduate credits per semester. Up to 18 graduate credit per academic calendar. Eligibility extends to employee, spouse, and dependent children under age 26.

College pays 100% tuition only.Eligible dependents may be Reimbursed up to $2,000 per semester towards tuition at another accredited institution.

Eligibility requirements including waiting periods and / or employee probationary periods may apply at the discretion of the College.

About the Department / School :

The mission of the Marist College Communication program is to provide a high-quality professional education with a strong liberal arts foundation that will prepare students for careers in the ever-changing mass communication industry.

The program is designed to encourage creativity, foster critical and analytical thinking and model practical, real-world experience in order to develop ethical communication innovators that courageously shape our world.

The Communication Program features a comprehensive curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Students may choose from 5 concentrations Advertising, Communication Studies, Journalism, Public Relations and Sports Communication.

The Communication Department is housed in Marist’s School of Communication and the Arts, which prepares students for careers in communication, media, fashion & art practices, building valuable skills that complement a foundation in a liberal arts education.

With nationally ranked programs and Centers of Excellence in Sports Communication and Social Media, we foster an inclusive and engaged community of industry experts and research faculty dedicated to student success.

We aim to inspire students to become empathetic and ethically responsible professionals with an understanding of the values of community engagement, sustainability, and social responsibility.

Marist’s location in the Hudson Valley offers a traditional college experience that is only a train ride away from the rich cultural and professional opportunities New York City has to offer, while our global campus in Florence, Italy gives students the opportunity to expand their world.

We have innovative, undergraduate academic programs in Art and Digital Media, Communication, Fashion, Film and Television, Games and Emerging Media, and Music as well as graduate programs and dual degree programs in Marketing Communication (online).

About Marist College :

Located on the banks of the historic Hudson River and at its Florence, Italy campus, Marist College is a comprehensive, independent institution grounded in the liberal arts.

Its mission is to help students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives in the global community of the 21st century.

Marist educates approximately 5,000 traditional-age undergraduate students and 1,200 adult and graduate students in 53 undergraduate majors and numerous graduate programs, including fully online MBA, MPA, MS, and MA degrees, and also Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs.

Marist is consistently ranked among the best colleges and universities in America by The Princeton Review (Colleges That Create Futures and The Best 386 Colleges), U.

S. News & World Report (3rd Most Innovative School / North), Kiplinger’s Personal Finance ( Best College Values ), and others.

Marist’s study abroad program is ranked #1 in the nation by the U.S. State Department’s Open Doors Report and has also received the Senator Paul Simon Award for First Year Abroad programs in Italy and Ireland.

Marist’s Joint Study partnership with IBM, which began in 1988, has brought the College the kind of world-class technology platform typically found at leading research institutions.