Faculty & Staff

Department Faculty

• Amy Lauters , Associate Professor
  Ph.D., University of Minnesota
• Chuck Lewis, Professor
  Ph.D., University of Minnesota
• Jane McConnell, Associate Professor
  Ph.D., University of Iowa
• Ellen Mrja, Associate Professor
  M.A., University of Minnesota
• Mavis Richardson, Associate Professor & Chair
  Ph.D., University of Minnesota
• Marshel Rossow, Professor
  Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Madison

Adjunct Faculty

• John Cross, Amanda Dyslin, Rachael Hanel, Michael Larson, Shelly Schulz, Peter Steiner

Department Secretary

• Roberta Morsching

Department Faculty

Amy Lauters, Associate Professor

Phone: 507-389-5523

Email: amy.lauters@mnsu.edu

Amy Mattson Lauters received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a master's degree in mass communications from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a doctorate in mass communication with an emphasis in history and American Studies at the University of Minnesota. She taught at Wichita State University for two years before joining the MSU faculty in 2008. She was also the program director for WSU’s TRIO Communication Upward Bound.

Chuck Lewis, Professor

Phone: 507-389-5524

Email: charles.lewis@mnsu.edu

Chuck Lewis is an alumnus of MSU's mass comm program. He began teaching at MSU in 1986 as a teaching assistant while earning a master's degree in history. After earning that degree, he taught full time in the mass comm program for two years before enrolling at the University of Minnesota, where he earned a Ph.D. in mass communication. He then returned to the MSU mass comm faculty and has earned tenure and the rank of professor. His teaching specialties include introductory mass comm courses, basic and advanced reporting, history, ethics and visual communication. Before joining the MSU faculty, he worked as a newspaper reporter, photojournalist and professional photographer.

Jane McConnell, Associate Professor

Phone: 507-389-5801

Email: jane.mcconnell@mnsu.edu

Jane McConnell earned bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University and a Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Iowa. She has extensive experience in public relations and specializes in teaching public relations writing and research, mass comm ethics and history. She taught in the public relations sequence of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma for five years before joining the MSU faculty in 2001.

Ellen Mrja, Associate Professor

Phone: 507-389-1814

Email: ellen.mrja@mnsu.edu

Ellen Mrja is the senior member of the mass communications department, joining its faculty in 1978. Her bachelor's degree is from Minnesota State University, Moorhead . She earned a master's degree and completed work toward a doctorate at the University of Minnesota . A former department chair, her current research interests and teaching specialties at MSU include First Amendment law, strategic communications campaigns and online communications. Before joining the MSU faculty, she worked as public relations director at L'hotel Sofitel, Bloomington; director of promotions and producer at KCCM-FM, Moorhead; station manager at KIDA-FM, Moorhead and advertising copywriter, KVOX-AM, Moorhead.

Mavis Richardson, Associate Professor & Chair

Phone: 507-389-3299

Email: mavis.richardson@mnsu.edu

Mavis Richardson earned a bachelor's and a master's degree from North Dakota State University and a Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Minnesota. She has taught at MSU for two years, and holds the rank of assistant professor. Richardson's scholarly research includes coverage of American Indian protest events by various print media. She has public relations and journalism professional experience and teaches introductory mass communication, public relations, ethics and writing courses.

Marshel Rossow, Professor

Phone: 507-389-5522

Email: marshel.rossow@mnsu.edu

Marshel Rossow has taught at MSU since 1984 and has earned tenure and the rank of professor. He received an undergraduate degree in technical journalism, a master's in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University, and a Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Before joining the MSU faculty, he spent three years as a reporter, photographer and editor at the Fort Dodge (Iowa) Messenger and 12 years as an editor at the Waterloo (Iowa) Courier. At MSU, he teaches introductory mass comm courses as well as basic and advanced reporting, editing, and layout and design. He served as department chair for more than 10 years.