Faculty and Staff

Mark Shifflet

Dr. Mark Shifflet

Professor and Department Chair

Hyde Hall, Room 212 A
812-488-2069
ms83@evansville.edu
Video Interview

Dr. Mark Shifflet has a wide variety of interests that can be seen in the range of courses he teaches. From web and multimedia design to media law to international media systems, Dr. Shifflet believes that today's communication professionals need to have a broad understanding of the field in order to be adaptable to its rapid pace of change. A recent Fulbright scholar who has been studying characteristics of the media in China, Dr. Shifflet tries to help students “connect the dots” between the different elements that make up any media system so they can appreciate how one part impacts the whole.
Tamara Wandel

Dr. Tamara Wandel

Professor/Communication

Hyde Hall, Room 216
812-488-2379
tw33@evansville.edu

Dr. Tamara Wandel is a former director of public relations in the State University of New York system and, prior to that, a journalist with investigative and sports beats. Her investigative journalism class was part of a collaboration with WNIN that won a national Edward R. Murrow award in 2021. She has conducted media research and data analytic projects with several professional sports teams, including the Boston Red Sox, Denver Broncos and Utah Jazz. She and her students have been awarded grants from national sources such as the Constitutional Rights Foundation and the Free Speech Center 1 and community awards through Leadership Everyone. She is a previous recipient of the MarCom Creative Award, Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award and a two-time Society for New Communications Research Fellow. Dr. Wandel received her PhD from the University at Albany, her M.A. from the University at Albany, and her B.A. from Indiana University. Dr. Wandel's research agenda has focused on the areas of social media on branding and behavioral choices, including published journal articles in the Handbook of Research on Children's Consumption of Digital Media, Driving Customer Appeal Through the Use of Emotional Branding, Journal of New Communications Research, Planning for Higher Education, and the Journal of the Society for College & University Planning. You can read about Dr. Wandel's experiences at Harlaxton College, UE's study abroad center based in a Victorian manor house in Grantham, England.
Joe Atkinson

Mr. Joe Atkinson

(he/him/his)

Assistant Professor/Communication

Hyde Hall, Room 212 B
812-488-2562
ja122@evansville.edu

Joe Atkinson earned his Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Ohio University, his Master of Public Service Administration from the University of Evansville, and his Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Stage & Screen at the University of Nebraska Omaha. He began his professional career at the Evansville Courier & Press before joining the University of Evansville in 2007 as Director of News Services. After also serving as UE's Director of Digital Media, Atkinson joined the Department of Communication faculty in 2015. During his time on the faculty, he has co-produced (alongside Professor of History Dr. James MacLeod) the WNIN Tri-State Public Media documentary series Evansville at War, and has earned two Ohio Valley Emmy Award nominations - one for producing the five-episode documentary series Epidemic: Addiction in Middle America, and the other for producing the documentary feature film From the Ashes: The University of Evansville Purple Aces.
Dean Thomlison

Dr. Dean Thomlison

Professor Emeritus

Hyde Hall, Room 224B
812-488-1031
dt4@evansville.edu

Simply put, Dr. Dean Thomlison enjoys people. His enjoyment of human interaction led him to an illustrious career as an educator, consultant, mediator and trainer. He is a nationally-recognized expert in interpersonal communication. In his more than 35 years of university teaching experience he authored and contributed to several texts and numerous scholarly articles. As a Kellogg National Leadership Fellow, Dr. Thomlison studied intercultural communication in multinational corporations, institutes, and governments throughout the world. He completed post-doctoral training at the Intercultural Training Institute at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Office Phone
812-488-2069

Office Email
ms83@evansville.edu

Office Location
Room 212, Hyde Hall