A SALUTE TO
NANCY DUPONT PROFESSOR & NEWSWATCH FACULTY ADVISOR
PROFILE BY CAROLINE GLEASON
N
ancy Dupont Ph.D. has been a beloved member of the Ole Miss faculty since 2006. After spending 17 years as a broadcast journalist and 13 years as a journalism educator, Dupont joined the Ole Miss family and has since left her mark on the school. She has received many awards, including the two top awards from the Electronic News Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The Burkum and Bliss awards honor those who have made extraordinary contributions to the education of journalism and broadcast journalism, and their subsequent professions. In 2010, Dupont was selected to join the inaugural class of academic fellows of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. Additionally, she has extensively published about journalism history through books and newspapers. Her presence at the School of Journalism and New Media has severely changed the future of journalism at the university. For many years, Dupont has been faculty advisor for the award-winning NewsWatch, the University of Mississippi’s daily, live, student-run news broadcast. Her focus on her students and NewsWatch deserve a great deal of recognition. Dupont has dedicated her endless energy to making NewsWatch the program it is today. In doing so, she has consistently encouraged journalism students
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to excel and grow their abilities. “Dr. Dupont taught with such a passion for broadcasting and it was absolutely infectious,” said 2010 journalism graduate Oscar Pope. “After my first course with her, I knew I had to be in or around the broadcast industry in some capacity.” From Dupont’s guidance, students have had the opportunity to gain real-world, realtime experience. Dupont, setting the highest standard of professional journalism practice, has created educational, rewarding programs that students benefit from throughout their careers. Dupont was born and raised in Gulfport, Mississippi. Growing up, she visited New Orleans each weekend with her family, which led her to pursue an education at Loyola University, located in the heart of New Orleans. After working as a reporter and discovering her love for producing, Dupont earned her doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1997. The spring of 2021 brings Dupont’s departure from the university. She will be retiring, and her absence will be felt deeply throughout the Ole Miss family. She has played a vital role since she stepped foot on campus and her hard work and dedication will not soon be forgotten. Thank you, Dr. Dupont, for the changes you’ve made and the lives you’ve impacted.
