HUNTINGTON, W. Va. — Marshall University has announced the appointment of Dr. Maria P. Gindhart as dean of the College of Arts and Media and Dr. Rob Quicke as the director of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications, effective July 3.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Gindhart and Dr. Quicke to Marshall University,” said Dr. Avi Mukherjee, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. “Their expertise and leadership will be invaluable in advancing the mission of the College of Arts and Media and the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, and we are excited to see the innovative and dynamic programs they will develop for our students.”

Gindhart joins Marshall University from Georgia State University (GSU) in Atlanta, where she has served as associate dean of the College of the Arts since October 2016. 

Before this, she was the associate director of the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design. Gindhart is passionate about curricular innovation and student success. 

She has cowritten a successful grant to fund WomenLead in the Arts, a professional signature experience class at GSU. 

She received her Ph.D. and master’s degrees in the history of art from the University of Pennsylvania and her bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College in Maine.

As the new dean of the College of Arts and Media, Gindhart will oversee a vibrant community of artists and scholars across disciplines, including art, music, theatre, journalism and film. 

“I am delighted and honored to be joining Marshall Univer-sity as the dean of the College of Arts and Media,” Gindhart said. “I am excited to work with the talented faculty, staff and students to create innovative programs and initiatives that promote artistic excellence, academic rigor and professional success.”

Quicke is a tenured professor of communication at William Paterson University of New Jersey, where he served as chair of the communication department from 2017 to 2021. 

He founded College Radio Day and cofounded World College Radio Day (WCRD), launched by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and was the general manager of the award-winning WPSC 88.7 FM in Wayne, New Jersey, from 2007 to 2021. 

He has a Ph.D. in communication studies from Regent University in Virginia, and a master’s degree in Radio from Goldsmiths College, the University of London, and a bachelor’s and master’s from Oxford University in English language and literature.

As the director, he will lead the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications, housed in the College of Arts and Media, preparing students for journalism, public relations, advertising and media production careers.

“I am deeply honored by this appointment,” Quicke said. “I am thrilled to be coming to Marshall University and the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications. It’s a school with a brilliant and vital history, and I look forward to working with the students, staff, and faculty to forge an exciting future!”