Janice Smith

Dr. Janice Smith serves as Interim Chair and Associate Professor in the Strategic Communication Department at Morgan State University's School of Global Journalism and Communication. With over 30 years of professional experience spanning nonprofit, government, and media sectors, she transitioned to full-time academia in 2017 after extensive industry work.

Her research focuses on critical gaps in communications fields:

• Public Relations Career Opportunities and Retention for African Americans
• Strategic Communications intersections with Public Policy
• Health Communications tailored for Multicultural Publics

Dr. Smith advises The Strategy Shop, the department's student-run public relations agency lab, mentoring next-generation practitioners through hands-on experience.

Key recognition includes:

• Smart COO Award (2011) for leadership at Greater Washington Urban League

Her professional journey bridges high-impact civil rights advocacy—including landmark cases on women's rights and dress codes for DC public safety employees—with academic rigor in communications education.