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Nance McCown, Ph.D.

Co-Chair of the Department of Communication; Professor of Communication

Interest and areas of expertise

Interests in PR include: the confluence of leadership style, workplace culture and internal PR; PR and activism; PR ethics

Regularly attends and presents research at national conferences and regional professional seminars; submission reviewer for scholarly conferences and journals

Faculty Advisor, PRSSA-Messiah University Chapter

Recipient, Pennsylvania Public Relations Society’s Ernest R. McDowell Award for Excellence in Public Relations

Recipient, Messiah University Robert and Marilyn Smith Excellence in Teaching Award

Leading worship, mentoring, spending time with family, gardening, getting lost in a great book, watching movies, rising to challenges, enjoying an ice-cold Coca cola, playing Pokémon Go with students

Education
  • Ph.D. in Public Relations University of Maryland
  • M.A. in Journalism Temple University
  • B.A. in English (with teaching certification) Messiah College
Classes I teach

COMM 205 Principles of Public Relations
COMM 351 Public Relations Writing
COMM 357 Event Planning
COMM 426 Public Relations Campaign
COMM 105 Fundamentals of Oral Communication
COMM 107 Introduction to Communication Seminar

Professional Memberships

Thought Leadership Circle Member, Internal Communication Research Hub

Memberships (ICRH), University of Florida

  • By invitation only, to provide innovative input and collaboration with ICRH to promote conducting cutting-edge research to address real-world problems and enhance best practices in internal communication

 

Member, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

National Chapter

National PRSA Educators Academy

Central Pennsylvania Chapter

  • Co-Chair/Chair, Strategic Planning Task Force (served as leadership board member for 2010 in place of officers)

 

Member, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

AEJMC Public Relations Division

 

Member, National Communication Association

Religious Communication Association Division

 

Member, Pennsylvania Public Relations Society (PPRS)

Lead, Education and Scholarship Committee (2021-2022, 2022-2023)

Vice President (2020-2021)

Lead, Membership Committee (2017-2018)

Co-Lead, Special Events Committee (2016-2017)

Co-Lead, Education and Scholarship Committee (2013-2014, 2014-

2015, 2015-2016)

Faculty Research and Scholarship

Scholarly Book (edited)

Publications McCown, N., Men, L.R., Jiang, H., and Shen, H., Eds. (2023).

Internal Communication and Employee Engagement: A Case Study

Approach. London: Routledge.

 

Book Chapters

McCown, N. (2023). HOPE International: Non-profit employee engagement

through internal communication, leadership and culture. In N. McCown,

L.R. Men, H. Jiang, and H. Shen (Eds.) Internal Communication and

Employee Engagement: A Case Study Approach (pp. 13-30). London:

Routledge.

 

Men, L.R., McCown, N., Jiang, H., and Shen, H. (2023). Introduction. In N.

McCown, L.R. Men, H. Jiang, and H. Shen (Eds.) Internal Communication and Employee Engagement: A Case Study Approach (pp. 1-10). London: Routledge.

 

McCown, N., Men, L.R., Jiang, H., and Shen, H. (2023). Conclusion. In N.

McCown, L.R. Men, H. Jiang, and H. Shen (Eds.) Internal

Communication and Employee Engagement: A Case Study Approach

(pp. 357-359). London: Routledge.

 

McCown, N. (2017). World Vision’s lack of vision: A case study of the 2014 gay hiring crisis. In L. Austin and Y. Jin (Eds.), Social Media and Crisis Communication (pp. 238-249), New York: Routledge.

 

Journal Articles

McCown, N. (2020). Recognizing the imago dei in employee publics:

A challenge for Christian public relations scholars, faculty, and practitioners. Journal of Communication and Religion, 43(1), pp. 75-88.

 

McCown, N. (2014). Building leader-employee relationships and dialog

through internal public relations, leadership style, and workplace

spirituality. PRism Journal, (11). Retrieved from

http://www.prismjournal.org/homepage.html

 

McCown, N. (2007). The role of public relations with internal activists.

Journal of Public Relations Research, 19 (1), pp. 47-68.

 

Book Reviews

Crisis communications: A casebook approach, by Kathleen Fearn-Banks; The

crisis manager: Facing risk and responsibility, by Otto Lerbinger; Responding to crisis: A rhetorical approach to crisis communication, by Dan P. Millar and Robert L. Heath, Eds., Public Relations Review 30(3), September 2004, pp. 377-79.

 

Public relations cases, by Jerry Hendrix, Public Relations Review 30(2), June

2004, pp. 236-238.

 

Conference “Co-Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Holding Space for Faith,” part of a peer-Presentations selected teaching panel entitled “Don't Let Teaching Overwhelm You: Creating

Inclusive Classrooms While Protecting Balance,” presented to the Commission

on the Status of Women, Religion and Media Interest Group, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Detroit, MI, August 2022.

 

“Emerging brand employee engagement through internal communication, leadership and culture,” Public Relations Society of America’s Educators

Academy international conference, San Diego, CA, October 2019.

 

“Non-profit employee engagement through internal communication, leadership

and culture,” Public Relations Society of America’s Educators Academy international conference, Boston, MA, October 2017.

 

Invited Discussant, “Public Relations Research and Practice Issues” segment,

Scholar-to-Scholar Refereed Paper Research Session, Public Relations Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Minneapolis, MN, August 2016.

 

“Recognizing the Imago Dei in Employee Publics: A Challenge for Christian

Public Relations Scholars, Faculty, and Practitioners,” Religious Communication Association/National Communication Association conference, Chicago, Ill., November 2014.

 

“Sustainable Resilience: Culture Meets Communication to Address the Challenge of HIV/AIDS Orphans in Southern Africa,” Messiah College’s School of Humanities Spring Symposium, February 2014. Co-presented with three senior public relations students.

 

“Does PR Education Make a Difference?: Media Effects on Student Attitudes Toward Public Relations, Public Relations Society of America’s Educators Academy international conference, Philadelphia, PA, October 2013. Co-authored/presented with J. Fisler, E. Mohler, and S. Doucette.

 

“Friendship as a Catalyst for Change: The Kupkakes for Kris Campaign,”

Messiah College’s School of Humanities Spring Symposium, February 2011. Co- presented with five members of the Public Relations Student Society of America Messiah College Chapter.

 

“Intersections and Overlaps: Building Leader-Employee Relationships through Internal Public Relations, Leadership Style, and Workplace Spirituality,” Public Relations Society of America’s Educators Academy international conference, Washington, DC, October 2010.

 

“Jogging the Memory: Using Social Media and Physical Presence to Strengthen Organization-Publics Relationships,” Messiah College’s School of Humanities Spring Symposium, February 2010. Co-presented with eight senior public relations students.

 

“The Public Square Goes Cyberspace: Social Networking’s Role in Creating Awareness & Building Organization-Publics Relationships,” February 2009. Co-presented with eight senior public relations students.

 

“Opening Eyes through Communication Technology: Enhancing Humanity through Two-Way Public Relations,” Messiah College’s School of Humanities Spring Symposium, February 2008. Co-presented with five senior public relations students.

 

“Applying Humanities for Global Impact: Public Relations’ Role in CURE,” Messiah College’s School of Humanities Spring Symposium, February 2007. Co-presented with seven public relations students.

 

“Internal Public Relations and Relationship-Building through Individualized Considerations: A Transformational Leader Exemplar,” Public Relations Society of America’s Educators Academy international conference, Salt Like City, UT, November 2006.

 

“Imagining a CURE: Applying Humanities through Public Relations Management,” Messiah College’s School of Humanities Spring Symposium, February 2006. Co-presented with seven senior public relations students.

 

“The Role of Public Relations with Internal Activists,” Public Relations Society of America’s Educators Academy international conference, Miami Beach, FL, October 2005.

 

“Investigating the Influence of an Organization’s Corporate Leader on Employee Communication,” International Communication Association Convention, New York City, NY, May 2005.

 

Invited “Fostering Healthy Employee Engagement: The Intersection of Internal

Presentations Communication, Leadership, and Workplace Culture,” invited continuing education presentation/workshop facilitated with the Human Resource Professionals of Central PA, Summerdale, PA, June 2023.

 

“The Imago Dei and Ethical Public Relations,” invited podcast presentation

for Dr. Anthony Wagner’s Strategic Communication course at Point Loma Nazarene University, April 2023.

 

“Fostering Healthy Employee Engagement: The Intersection of Internal

Communication, Leadership, and Workplace Culture,” invited presentation to the Public Relations Society of America – Central Pennsylvania Chapter monthly regional meeting, Mechanicsburg, PA, January 2023.

 

“Faith & Public Relations: A Research Program,” invited presentation to members of the School of Arts, Culture & Society, Messiah University, Mechanicsburg, PA, October 2022.

 

“Celebrating Religion & PR: A Panel Discussion of Public Relations and

Religious Allyship,” invited panelist to virtual event sponsored by the Museum of Public Relations, December 2020.

 

“Research secrets to employee engagement success,” invited presentation to the

Pennsylvanian Public Relations Society monthly regional meeting, Harrisburg, PA, September 2019.

 

“Measurement & metrics: What’s the formula for showcasing the value of

public relations?” panel presentation, Pennsylvania Public Relations Society monthly regional meeting, Harrisburg, PA, September 2015.

 

“Intersections and overlaps: Building leader-employee relationships through internal public relations, leadership style, and workplace spirituality,” poster session presentation, Pennsylvania Public Relations Society monthly regional meeting, Harrisburg, PA, March 2014.