By: Marc Ransford—
Muncie, IN – Ball State University has selected Dr. Paaige K. Turner as the new dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media.
The former associate dean of the School of Communications at Webster University begins July 15 at Ball State, replacing Roger Lavery, who is retiring.
“We believe that Paaige is an excellent addition to the University and the College of Communication, Information, and Media,” said Marilyn M. Buck, interim provost and interim executive vice president for academic affairs at Ball State. “During her time as an administrator and professor, she has exhibited outstanding leadership qualities, including establishing collaborative and strategic initiatives.”
Dr. Turner noted the college’s excellent national reputation for producing high-quality graduates.
“I was initially attracted to the job because of the outstanding young professionals that come out of the various programs in the college,” she said. “I hope my skill in fostering collaboration will enhance the college, adding to its already solid national reputation.”
Before Webster, Dr. Turner was an associate vice president, graduate director and faculty member at Saint Louis University. She also led the National Communication Association as its executive director. She has served the group on multiple member committees, its Legislative Assembly and as chair of the Organizational Communication Division.
Widely published in the area of organizational communication, she received a Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators Award in 2013 to travel to India and explore cross-cultural education. She has received numerous teaching awards, including the Outstanding New Teacher Award from the Central States Communication Association, and was also presented the Outstanding New Professional Award from NAFSA: Association of International Educators Region IV.
As a scholar and consultant, she has more than two decades of experience examining, documenting and theorizing how cultural beliefs and practices create, sustain and challenge ideological frameworks.
Dr. Turner earned her master’s and doctorate in organizational communication from Purdue University and her bachelor’s in rhetoric and marketing from the University of Oregon.
About Ball State University
Founded in 1918 in Muncie, Ball State is one of Indiana’s signature universities and an economic driver for the state. The University’s 2017-18 enrollment — 22,513 — is the largest in school history, and its freshman class of 4,002 is just three students shy of a school record. Every Indiana county is represented among Ball State’s student body, as are all 50 states and 68 countries. Ball State’s 731-acre campus is large enough for our premier facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports but small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention and access that are the hallmarks of the University, where 90 percent of classes are taught by faculty. Ball State had its smallest tuition increases in 41 years for fiscal years 2018 and 2019.
