were] in the same room. At one point during my journalism studies at Ole Miss, I had to give a one-on-one report to Dr. Hoar and instinctively sat close to the door, rather than near his desk. He invited me to come closer, and I did. That was the start of my allowing ‘white folks’ to enter my space without feeling uncomfortable.” Tom Bearden, a ‘69 graduate, credits Hoar for keeping his career successful. “My most influential Ole Miss Professor was Dr. Jere Hoar, who taught the class on law as it pertains to journalism,” Bearden said. “As I told him many years later, he’s the reason I never got sued during my 48 years of practicing journalism.” Hoar was a professor who left his mark on the School of Journalism and New Media at the university. His impact, guidance, and investment in students’ lives will be remembered for years to come.
Patricia Thompson Patricia Thompson is the assistant dean for student media at the University of Mississippi. She oversees all operations for the university’s Student Media Center where the Daily Mississippian and The Ole Miss yearbook are published and NewsWatch Ole Miss and Rebel Radio are produced. Before joining the staff at Ole Miss, Thompson worked for more than 25 years as a staff writer and editor for several publications, including The Washington Post and San Jose Mercury News, and assistant professor of journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She has won many awards throughout her career, including being named Journalism Educator of the Year for 2018-19 by the
Southeast Journalism Conference. During her 12 years at Ole Miss, her knowledge has made an impact on students she worked closely with in the Student Media Center. For 2018 graduate Lana Ferguson, the encouragement and support Thompson offered helped shape her time as a journalism student. “At The Daily Mississippian, Dean Thompson was like a ‘college mom’ for me,” Ferguson said. “We spent a lot of time together in my different roles at The DM, and she was always a steady coach who knew what we were capable of and made sure we achieved that. She was the shoulder to cry on when I was struggling, but more often, the biggest cheerleader when we were creating award-winning content. She always believes in the students when we sometimes don’t believe in ourselves.” Like Ferguson, other students cited her wisdom, knowledge and advice. “Pat Thompson probably had the largest impact on me as someone who was always pushing and challenging me as I grew as a writer and leader,” said 2016 graduate Mallory Lehenbauer.
Robert Magee, Ph.D. Dr. Robert Magee is no stranger to students and graduate students in the School of Journalism and New Media, as he is the director of the graduate program and an associate professor. Since joining the Ole Miss family in 2014, Magee has focused his energies on building the graduate program, which has soared to 100 students. However, at the end of the 2020-2021 school year, he will step down as director. “I am pleased with the leadership of Dr. Marquita Smith (our new assistant dean for graduate programs), and I will continue to be available 75 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
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