Willow Bay has been reappointed for a second five-year term as dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

“Dean Bay was praised for her commitment to academic excellence and for her student-centric focus in all that she undertakes,” said Charles Zukoski, USC provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “She was lauded for her dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion; she has made a priority of adding faculty and students of color to Annenberg.”

“Dean Bay was credited as a strong and collaborative leader,” he continued. “She has positioned USC Annenberg well to address the ever-changing media and communication environment by expanding the school’s scholarly portfolio in many areas, including media and cultural studies, science and technology (STS) studies, networks and computational communication, mobile and emerging media technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and big data in advertising and public relations. She has launched strong new undergraduate minors and master’s programs, and reviewed existing programs to reflect transformation across industries and disciplines. Along with her faculty, she has continued to position USC Annenberg as a thought leader by leading conversations globally, nationally, and locally that encourage opportunities for dialogue and debate. 

“The faculty and staff of the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism are recognized globally for exceptional education, research, and training programs that are enormously important as these fields undergo rapid change. During her tenure, Dean Bay established an environment sustaining and expanding these strengths, and she is poised to move the school forward with increased vigor and impact.”