Virginia Harrison

Dr. Virginia Harrison serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication within Clemson University's College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, and holds a Fellowship at the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute. With seven years of professional public relations and fundraising experience prior to earning her Ph.D., she brings practical expertise to her academic role in Strode Tower (Office 406).

Her educational foundation includes:

• Ph.D. in Mass Communications, Pennsylvania State University (2020)
• M.A. in Media Studies, Pennsylvania State University (2014)
• Dual B.A. degrees in History and Journalism, Pennsylvania State University (2008)

Dr. Harrison's research centers on nonprofit donor stewardship, developing frameworks to define, measure, and ethically implement dialogic stewardship practices that deepen donor engagement. Her secondary focus examines sports organizations' corporate social responsibility initiatives and their impact on stakeholder relationships, particularly how sustainability communication influences fan perceptions. She employs mixed-method approaches analyzing social media dynamics, athlete activism, and CSR partnerships across nonprofit and sports contexts.

Her 15 most recent publications (2022-2025) reveal consistent exploration of stewardship theory in nonprofit communications and CSR in sports, appearing in top journals like Public Relations Review, Journal of Public Relations Research, and Communication & Sport. Key thematic threads include emotion-driven donor communication, polarized reactions to sustainability messaging, and athlete-cause alignment dynamics in social advocacy.

Her scholarly excellence is recognized through:

• Excellence in Community and Outreach Award, Department of Communication (2025)
• Page/Johnson Legacy Scholar Grants for Building Theory (2024) and Sustainability Communication (2022)
• National Communication Association Outstanding Book Award (2023)
• Multiple AEJMC paper competition awards including Teaching Paper Competition first place (2021)

Dr. Harrison actively develops research capacity through Clemson's NSF CAREER Academy (2025) and maintains strong teaching impact evidenced by the Djung Yune Tchoi Award for Outstanding Teaching (2020). Her mentorship extends through graduate courses in Public Relations Theory and Quantitative Methods, shaping future PR professionals. As a Fellow of both the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute and Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center (2022), she collaborates across interdisciplinary teams advancing sports communication and women's leadership initiatives.