Karen Riggs Named Director of Ohio University's School of Telecommunications

Contact: Anne Keyser, External & Alumni Relations Coordinator, College of Communication, (740) 593-0030 or keysera@ohio.edu

Editors: A photo of Karen Riggs is available on the Web at: www.ohiou.edu/news/pix/RIGGS_KAREN.JPG

ATHENS, Ohio (June 4, 2001) -- Karen Riggs has been named director of Ohio University's School of Telecommunications, effective July 1.

Riggs joins Ohio University from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she serves as an associate professor and chair of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

"The College of Communication is the jewel in the crown of a fine institution, and its School of Telecommunications has a rich history," Riggs said. "I look forward to working with its faculty, staff and student body to improve the school's well-deserved luster. I'm also committed to growing our partnerships with alumni and broadcasters across the state."

Riggs received a doctorate in mass communication at Indiana University, a master's degree in communication at Florida Atlantic University and a bachelor's degree from Auburn University. Riggs has worked both in academia and the media, serving as a reporter and editor at the Vero Beach (Fla.) Press-Journal.

Kathy Krendl, dean of the College of Communication, said Riggs will be a great addition to the faculty and bring a clear understanding of the future of the field to the program. "She recognizes the opportunities and challenges the School of Telecommunications will face in the near future," Krendl said. "In addition, her national reputation as a scholar will bring added strength to the graduate program." Krendl served as interim director this past year.

The author of many articles and presentations dealing with a wide spectrum of communications issues, Riggs concentrates much of her research on the use of media in the lives of the elderly. Riggs attributes her interest in older people to being around them all her life and noticing a research void in that area.

"It's real people's stories that lure me as a researcher," Riggs said. "I'm interested in how people adapt on a practical level to the high-velocity technological change that now is redefining modern life for today's elders."

The School of Telecommunications at Ohio University is one of the leading media programs in the country and has a worldwide reputation for excellence. The school offers four sequences of studies: media studies, audio production, media management and video production. The school's diverse faculty have worked in radio, television, advertising and film production, and regularly take on international consulting and teaching assignments. The school also boasts state-of-the-art media facilities for digital editing, multimedia production, digital video design, and also multicamera studios and MIDI labs.