Professor Dan Hunt, chair of journalism and public relations, is not a stranger to URI. Prior to earning his Ph.D. in communication sciences from the University of Connecticut and an M.S. in journalism from Boston University, his career began here at URI as an undergraduate. Hunt is responsible for several publications within his field, and he was formerly the chair of the communication department and the director of the Center for Community Media at Worcester State University. Hunt is the editor and contributor of the recently published book, “New Media Technology and Motion Pictures” (Peter Lang). Before working in higher education, he worked as a photojournalist.
After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, what made you decide to come back here and become a professor?
I have always wanted to return to URI as a professor. As an alum, I kept my eye on the growth of the Harrington School. After teaching at a small college in the Boston area and then a state university in Massachusetts, a faculty position opened in the department of journalism and public relations. At the time I wasn’t looking for a new position, but when I saw the posting, I had to apply.
What is it like being back to URI as a faculty member after having been a student?
I would like to think that having been a student here helps me understand the student experience better, particularly for students studying in the communication field.
What is one of your favorite memories from URI, either from when you were a student or now as a professor?
This semester, one of my favorite memories was when Nancy Gibbs visited campus to give the annual Christiane Amanpour lecture. While on campus, Nancy visited journalism classes, and I tagged along. During her visit to a class session for our Foundations of American Journalism class, a student asked Nancy about the obstacles she faced on her path to becoming the first female editor of Time Magazine. Listening to Nancy tell her story and watching our students respond in the classroom was really special.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a URI student?
Get involved. If there are opportunities to get involved in your discipline, take advantage of as many of those opportunities as possible; join clubs and student media organizations, attend events, network with alumni.
What are you hoping students get out of your classes?
It really depends on the course. In a media ethics course, I hope students leave with a better understanding of how to navigate the ethical issues they will encounter when working in the field. The goal in journalism courses is for students to develop a sense of journalistic curiosity while improving their writing, reporting, and visual communication skills.