Laurie Wilson

From College of Fine Arts and Communications

Laurie J. Wilson is a professor and former chair of the Department of Communications. The former chair of the public relations emphasis, Wilson earned her Ph.D. in international relations with specialties in international communication and international development from The American University in Washington, D.C. in 1988. Wilson also earned both an M.A. in mass communication, in 1982, and a B.A. in public relations and organizational communications, in 1980 from BYU.

Wilson has taught both undergraduate and graduate course at BYU since 1989. She regularly teaches introduction to PR, PR case studies, senior campaigns in PR, senior seminar in communications in undergraduate course work, and teaches world communication systems, communication and development, and communication theory at the graduate level.

Wilson saw a pressing need for gender and racial diversity in the communications department. Together with JoAnn Valenti, Wilson worked to promote the recruiting and hiring of more women, which proved difficult. Wages were lower for female professors.

In 1997, Wilson became the first female chair of the Department of Communications. This appointment alone was proof of Wilson's public relations expertise. Over the next three years, Wilson continued working on the image of BYU, and focused on recruiting faculty. Ed Adams recalled his experience:

Laurie met with Mike Perkins, Kevin Stoker, Brad Rawlins, and me at AEJMC (Assosiation for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication) in Baltimore. She talked about the future needs and opportunities at BYU. Mike said he was interested. Kevin said he was unsure, but would be happy to hear of the opportunities. Brad Rawlins and I laughed and said, "No way!" We weren't interested in future opportunities at BYU. Laurie did a lot in cultivating friends for BYU. (Pratte, 39)

All four men eventually joined the faculty (Pratte, 37).

Wilson continues to serve on the commission as a representative of PRSA and has also served on PRSA's strategic planning committee, chaired by the president of the organization. She was chair of the Educator's Academy in 2003 and continues to serve on their executive council. She has served on PRSA's Educational Affairs Committee(1996-1998) and is currently co-chair of that committee (2003-2004) and co-chair of PRSA’s Task Force on Education. In 2001, she was named the Outstanding Educator by the national PRSA organization and has been recognized with BYU’s Maeser Distinguished Teaching Award. Wilson was the national PRSSA faculty advisor (1992-1996), and has been faculty advisor to BYU's award-winning Bradley Chapter of PRSSA for 10 years.

Wilson has received several other awards and recognitions. In 1990, she was recognized as the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Outstanding Faculty Advisor. Five years later, she was inducted into the PRSSA Hall of Fame. She also received BYU’s Karl G. Maeser Teaching Award and three Student Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Awards.

Laurie Wilson is also active in ACEJMC's PR division and is a regular participant in ACEJMC site teams for the accreditation of communications programs. She also serves on the Executive Board of the United Wayof Utah County.

Wilson has authored and co-authored several textbooks used in the BYU communication department as well as professional and scholarly papers. She has also planned, implemented and conducted seminars across the country.

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