Augustine Ihator, Ph.D. (2002 – 2021)

Dr. Augustine Ihator was recognized at the Fall 2022 commencement as our first emeritus faculty member in the Department of Communication following his recent retirement after 20 years of service to our department and Jacksonville State University, following several years in higher education at other institutions. Upon arrival on campus in 2002, Dr. Ihator was tasked with developing our offering of two public relations courses into a full 45-hour degree concentration. Additionally, he established our chapter charter for the Public Relations Student Society of America, which set the foundation for our current award-winning chapter here on campus. He also played a critical role in our efforts to earn ACEJMC accreditation in 2008, championing our program’s commitment to incorporate diversity and inclusion, specifically with a focus on global and multicultural perspectives, in addition to support of our assessment and alumni engagement and recruiting initiatives.  

Speaking to Dr. Ihator’s work in the classroom, he brought project-based learning that connected our students with external partners in the community, enabling us to work in the same fashion as most of the top public relations and advertising programs in the country. We have been able to build off his initial work to provide a strong, industry-current approach to instruction in our public relations curriculum. Further enhancing our program, Dr. Ihator brought a wealth of industry experience that enhances our student’s understanding of the workplaces they seek to enter. Prior to coming back to the academy, he had 10 years of industry experience in public relations, government relations, and nonprofit and NGO work with the World Bank, the United States Department of the Army, and several other organizations.