Faculty/Staff Directory
Timothy Penning, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA is a Professor in the School of Communications at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. His research interests include writing, the influences on public relations content, public relations management, and public relations history. He teaches courses in public relations writing, ethics and law, and management.
Following his career in journalism, Dr. Penning was communications director for an international mission agency, media relations manager for Grand Valley State University, and public relations director for the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. He began teaching full-time in 2001.
He was won several awards for his public relations work and research and was named "PR Professional of the Year" by the West Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in 2001 and 2005, and 2014. He was active with the Public Relations Society of America, having served as president of the West Michigan chapter in 2004 and on its board for seven years, and on a national committee to promote PR accreditation (APR). He also advised the GVSU student chapter of PRSSA and its student-run firm for more than 12 years. He is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honors Society and the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Society. He is also a member the Arthur W. Page Society, the PRSA College of Fellows, the International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC) Advisory Committee, and the Global Strategic Communication Consortium (GSCC).
Academically, Dr. Penning has a B.A., Journalism, Central Michigan University; M.A., Organizational Communication, Western Michigan University, and a Ph.D. in Media and Information Studies from Michigan State University.
- Advertising and Public Relations Ethics and Law
- Public Relations Cases and Management
- Media Relations Writing
- Corporate Communications Writing
- Graduate course in Communication Management
B.A., Journalism, Central Michigan University; M.A., Organizational Communication, Western Michigan University; Ph.D. in Media Information Studies at Michigan State University
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