Black leaders in the School of Communication: How did they get here?
Osei Appiah (left) and Lanier Holt (right), both professors within Ohio State’s School of Communication. || Courtesy of: Osei Appiah and Lanier Holt
How much do we really know about our Black professors? What does their journey through academia look like? What knowledge do they provide outside of class?
Just how similar are we?
There’s merit that comes with asking these questions, especially since Black educators make up only six percent of all college professors in the nation, according to the American Sociological Association.
Take Ohio State’s School of Communication where, currently, there are only three Black professors. Despite this, their experience, excellence and expertise allow them to dominate the field and serve as valuable assets to their community.
Osei Appiah, a professor of advertising and strategic communications, has set a prime example of this impact throughout his 22 years at Ohio State. He not only introduced the importance of strategic communications in the department but he also pioneered the Black Advertising Strategic Communication Association, a student organization that helps its members start their careers in advertising.
If you were to ask Appiah how he got here today – seated in one of the two largest offices on the third floor of Derby Hall – he’d say it was his college mentor at Santa Clara University that pushed him to go to graduate school where he unexpectedly discovered his love for teaching.
However, if you were to dig a bit deeper, you’d find that what led him to become the renowned communication and race scholar he is now dates further back to when he was a child watching television and wondering where all the Black characters were in commercial advertisements.
“Watching television was one of my favorite things to do growing up,” Appiah said. “And I’ve always been a naturally curious person so this was something I thought about a lot.”
That thought planted a seed of wonder in his mind that remained even when he thought he’d become a professional basketball player during his time at marketing positions for Nike and Apple and while obtaining his master’s at Cornell University.
Appiah, posing for the camera with a basketball in hand. He said he originally planned to become a professional basketball player while at Santa Clara University. || Courtesy of Osei Appiah
Now a tenured professor and PhD graduate from Stanford University with several published papers, Appiah was not only able to explore his curiosity through research on Black representation in advertising and mainstream media, but he actively works against the narrative that Black people can not belong in mainstream media.
“I particularly love working with Black students and guiding them, mentoring them and helping them form not only their academic goals, but helping them plan their career goals.”
And he isn't alone, right down the hall in that same building occupying the other largest office in Derby Hall is professor in crisis communication, intercultural communication and media law and ethics, Lanier Holt. This award-winning researcher, educator and esteemed professional journalist said his passion for teaching comes from a desire to empower young Black generations to be their authentic selves.
“Major barriers for almost all Black students are right between their ears, their own minds,” Holt said. “They have to overcome those beliefs of self doubt before you can succeed. This is what I teach in my class.”
Holding a PhD in mass communication from Indiana University, Holt also studied African American studies as an undergraduate and uses his expertise in the psychological effects media messages have on audiences’ perception of African Americans and other marginalized groups to be a positive influence on Black students.
Holt’s press badge from his work at the Minnesota Daily. He also has experience at the Chicago Tribune, Indianapolis Star, Rochester Post-Bulletin and Minneapolis Spokesman-St. Paul Recorder.|| Courtesy of Lanier Holt
“Social media has really opened our eyes to certain assumptions we’ve had about the racial divide and how it impacts our self worth in a way that didn't exist back in the 80s and 90s.” Holt said. “I still think it's important to tell Black students, ‘you’re good enough being yourself.’”
Holt also leads a program called the Holt Official Watch List/Graduate Student Preparedness Program, or H.O.W.L to help students of color gain admission into graduate and post-graduate programs along with other professional positions after graduation.
Since coming to Ohio State in 2013, Holt has made such a lasting impact on the lives of his students —proving why he has won the student-nominated Outstanding Teaching Award by the College of Arts and Sciences in his first semester teaching.
“It’s one of my proudest accomplishments because it came directly from the students,” Holt said.
Between Holt and Appiah are years of wisdom and experience that have inducted them into that six percent. Just by taking a look at where it all began for the two, their desire to see their students of color succeed is unquestionable.