Dear School of Communication alumni and friends,

As you have learned in this digital issue of Dialogue, the last year has been one of extraordinary achievement. We managed setbacks, stops and starts, disruptions, and disappointments—along with breakthroughs, milestones, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence in our scholarly, artistic, and clinical work. The resilience, determination, empathy, and imagination of our faculty and students transformed classrooms, labs, studios, and stages in ways that have improved—and will continue to improve—not only our campuses but also our world.

As dean of the Northwestern University School of Communication, I am deeply grateful for the many generous donors who have supported our priorities and bolstered our community, especially during the challenging times our humanity has endured. If you are in a position to do so this fall, I hope you will consider making an annual gift.

Thanks to alumni and friends like you, the School of Communication achieved an ambitious agenda last year. We held successful virtual events that explored our national conversation around race, politics, and empirical truth; opened a new Chicago performance and media space; and increased resources for our students by providing remote technical support along with expanded advising and mentoring, career workshops, and internship placements.

We also made important strides toward our goal of leading systemic change around diversity, equity, and inclusion. We expanded access to opportunities for all students, faculty, and staff; thought critically about our established curriculum and its implications; hired the most diverse faculty cohort in our school’s history; and helped drive broader institutional change.

Our school succeeded last year in ways that exceeded my vision because of the heart and brilliance of our faculty, students, and staff—and because of our loyal donor community.

Please renew your gift today and help fuel the creativity, collaboration, and change that lie ahead in the 2021–22 school year.

Thank you again for supporting our vital work,

E. Patrick Johnson
Dean, School of Communication