FIU journalism dean receives outstanding educator award

FIU School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) Dean Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver has been named the 2009 recipient of the Outstanding Woman in Journalism and Mass Communication Education Award. She received the award at the business meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Aug. 7 in Boston.

Given by the Commission on the Status of Women in AEJMC, the award recognizes a woman who has represented fellow women in the academy through personal excellence and high standards in journalism education.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by my peers who are journalism and mass communications educators from across the country,” said Kopenhaver.

After the award was announced, one of the judges commented: “Dr. Kopenhaver has taken care of a whole generation of media advisors and student organizations, not to mention one of the top professional organizations in our field – AEJMC. She is a role model for all women in academia.”

Kopenhaver served as SJMC interim dean from 2003-2004 and became dean of the college in 2004. She is known nationally as an expert in ethics and law as they relate to the scholastic and collegiate press, and as one of the primary researchers in the field.  

She has held a variety of leadership positions with AEJMC, including her tenure as president from 1998-1999. For a decade, Kopenhaver was chair of the national  Professional Development Committee of the Society of Professional Journalists. She served in  a number of key  roles with College Media Advisers, including  a stint as president from 1975-1979 and as vice president from 1970-1975.

As past president of the national Community College Journalism Association, she was inducted into its Hall of  Fame in 1994.

Kopenhaver wrote the critically-acclaimed book, College Media Advising: Ethics and Responsibilities, with J.W. Click.. She has also published nearly 100 journal articles, approximately 40 percent of which are in referred journals; presented nearly 100 invited and refereed papers and addresses; edited five books; and written two monographs.