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Queens University Names New Dean of the Knight School of Communication

Jul 07, 2022 By Queens University Communications

Queens University of Charlotte has named German native Nicole Becker Hoerschelmann, Ph.D., the new dean of the Knight School of Communication.

Hoerschelmann served most recently as the associate dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She previously held faculty positions at the University of North Texas, Eastern Illinois University, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where she also served as director of the School of Mass Communication.

“We are very pleased to have an outstanding educational leader take the helm of the Knight School of Communication,” said Sarah Fatherly, Ph.D., provost and vice president of academic affairs. “Nicole’s forward-thinking leadership and commitment to creating supportive and innovative learning environments will take a school already engaged in innovative practices when it comes to providing real-world opportunities and student partnerships with industry leaders throughout the region to the next level.”

Hoerschelmann was born in Bremen, Germany and studied Chinese, American Studies, English literature, and Geography at the University of TĂĽbingen. The first-generation college student was so intrigued by the field of film and television studies, that she decided to pursue a master’s degree in communication at the University of Missouri and later a Ph.D. in mass communication and cultural studies at Indiana University, Bloomington.

During her graduate studies, Hoerschelmann turned her fascination with quiz and game shows into a series of research projects, a dissertation, and ultimately a book project, Rules of the Game: Quiz Shows and American Culture, published by the State University of New York Press. She has been called ‘the world’s leading expert on game shows.’ Her research on the subject has been featured in The Daily Beast, the Village Voice, the Detroit News, and The Wall Street Journal.

“Throughout my career, I have enjoyed working with a very diverse set of students, many of them first-generation or non-traditional college students, she said. “Since I am a first-generation college student, an immigrant, and bilingual myself, I understand some of the struggles that many students have to go through to get into college, stay in college, and ultimately graduate.”

From the Queens Center for Digital Equity, an initiative that began as a project of the school with support from the Knight Foundation, to the student-run Queens University News Service, which provides both written and video news content to Charlotte media outlets, Knight School students enjoy real-world learning experiences.

“The Knight School of Communication’s emphasis on creativity, innovation, and personal attention connects to my passion for cutting-edge communication education,” Hoerschelmann said. “I look forward to working with faculty, students, and alumni to further advance the programs in the Knight School and to build on its already strong connections to the Charlotte media industry.”