Dorothy Bland

Dr. Dorothy Bland is a journalism professor at the University of North Texas Mayborn School of Journalism, consultant and former dean. She has more than 15 years of experience in higher education and 25 years as an award-winning journalist, news executive and publisher. She has traveled to more than 30 countries, six continents and her work has been published in a variety of publications ranging from USA Today to the Journal of Social Media in Society. 

She is the co-author of the award-winning book, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategies: Learning from Journalism and Mass Communication Programs with Professional Impact, with Dr. Masudul Biswas. She founded the UNT Multimedia High School Workshop in 2014. Her research reflects her interests in media management/leadership, student success, journalism education and digital/social media. She has taught a variety of classes ranging from reporting classes to Covering Crisis, Trauma and Recovery. 

She was the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 2024 recipient of the Lionel C. Barrow Jr. Award for Distinguished Achievement in Diversity Research and Education as well as the 2022 recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists Distinguished Teaching in Journalism Award.

She earned her Ph.D. in communication from Florida State University, her MBA from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Arkansas State University. She has earned additional certificates from the Maynard Institute, Northwestern University’s Media Management Center and Harvard University’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Higher Education. She has served on more than 20 accrediting site teams across the world with programs ranging from New York University to the American University in Dubai. She serves on the Board of the Maynard Institute and the Florida International University’s Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication. She is active in a variety of professional organizations including the National Association of Black Journalists, Society of Professional Journalists and the Online News Association.