A celebration of life for John Wright will be held on Jan. 19, in person and via Zoom. For  more information, visit: https://calendar.ufl.edu/jou/event/25710-1.

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) mourns the loss of Dean and Professor Emeritus John Wright, who passed on Dec. 31, 2022, at the age of 73.

During his 36 years at UFCJC, Wright served as dean, executive associate dean, associate dean for graduate studies, graduate coordinator, and interim department chair — the only person to have served in all of those roles at the College. He retired from the College in 2018.

Wright arrived at UF in fall 1982 as an associate professor in the Department of Telecommunication. He quickly emerged as a leader and was among a small group of graduate faculty members who designed and founded the College’s now prestigious doctoral program in the 1980s.

Wright served as interim dean in 2007 and was dean of the College from 2007-2012. His time in the position was tremendously consequential. Many programs and features that make the College standout today were started during his deanship. During his term as dean, working with Media Properties Executive Director Randy Wright, he advanced a number of critical initiatives in the Division of Media Properties, including the planning and development of the Innovation News Center, and reorganization and unified management of the College’s media properties, which included significant changes in station formats making them financially sustainable and significantly enhancing professional development opportunities for students.

Also on his watch, the College began its partnership with the University Athletic Association, moving GatorVision headquarters into Weimer Hall. He opened the College’s Research Lab and the AHA! CoLab. The Marion B. Brechner First Amendment Project was founded during his deanship, and it was during his tenure as dean that the College launched its first online master’s program. Working with two students, he initiated and launched WUFT Noticias, the College’s first Spanish-language newscast.

Wright also secured a gift from UFCJC alumnus Frank Karel and his wife Betsy to endow the first Chair in Public Interest Communications in the country.

He accomplished all of this while serving as dean during the Great Recession.

Linda Hon, retired Public Relations professor, worked with Wright as senior associate dean and then executive associate dean during the years he was interim dean and dean. “John was an enormously kind person who lit up the Dean’s Office with a smile when he walked in each day,” Hon said. “He made everyone there feel valued and supported. He was also a wonderful professor, mentor, role model, and friend to me and countless others. He is truly irreplaceable. The College has lost one of its finest.”

As director of Sports Journalism and Communications for the College, Wright worked with Journalism Department Chair Ted Spiker to design the increasingly popular Sports and Media specialization, the cornerstone of UFCJC’s Sports@CJC rebranding initiative.

Wright reached thousands of students through his teaching, which included courses in Communication Theory, Mass Communication and Society, Telecommunication Research, Radio News, Multimedia Sports Journalism, Media Regulatory Policy, Sports Podcasting, and several doctoral seminars. He also has chaired and served on numerous doctoral and master’s committees.

The College recognized his excellence in the classroom, awarding him “Teacher of the Year” honors three times. He also was named winner of the Professorial Excellence Award, a Teaching Incentive Award and the Faculty Research Award. In 2017, NewsPro Magazine recognized Wright as one of the top 10 journalism educators in the country. He has coauthored three books and has published numerous articles in scholarly journals in the field of mass communication, including several articles focusing on credibility of witnesses in courtroom proceedings.

Before becoming an academic, Wright had several years of experience in broadcast media, working as a news and sports reporter, news director, program director, production manager, music director and disc jockey. He was a talented musician and notable Beatles aficionado.

He received his Ph.D. in Mass Communication from Ohio State University and his B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Central Florida.

Posted: January 2, 2023
Category: College News
Tagged as: John Wright