Winona State University welcomes Stacey Kanihan, a new mass communication faculty member and the director of the strategic communication master’s program.

Kanihan has been teaching mass communication for almost twenty years. During this time span, Kanihan has taught and worked in various mass communication roles.

Kanihan’s last teaching position was at the University of Minnesota. She taught at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication for seven years. She was also the director of the Strategic Communication master’s program.

Kanihan taught at St. Thomas, Stanford and the University of Florida as well. Kanihan also was a news reporter and the director of research at a public relations firm in Minneapolis.

Kanihan completed her own undergraduate degree in English at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Kanihan has an MBA from the University of South Florida and a PhD in communication from Stanford.

Kanihan is incredibly passionate about the field she works in. Kanihan enjoys being a professor because she gets to help students figure out who they are and what they want to do in the world. The subject of mass communication itself allows her to pursue her own interests.

In reference to mass communication, Kanihan said, “It was something where I could combine my love of current events with my love of writing.”

Kanihan’s passion for teaching and the new strategic communication master’s program led her to Winona State. The size and beauty of campus was only an added benefit.

In her free time, Kanihan enjoys learning about different kinds of trees, and, luckily, Winona State has an abundance of them. Kanihan also enjoys being active and Winona State has many paths and trails for walking on.

Kanihan also enjoys how happy students and faculty seem at Winona State. Since starting at Winona State, she has made a great impression on the mass communication faculty members.

Tanya Ryan, a mass communication professor and the department chair, met Kanihan through networking.

In describing Kanihan’s strongest qualities, Ryan said, “She is very organized. She is very thoughtful and thorough from what I’ve seen.”

Another faculty member and mass communication professor, Kathryn Hannahan, has only met Kanihan recently. From only knowing her for this short period of time, Hannahan can already tell that Kanihan cares very deeply for the mass communication programs and department.

Both Ryan and Hannahan agree, Kanihan’s experience and expertise in the educational and corporate worlds enhances her role as a professor at Winona State.

“Kanihan will be a great addition to the faculty,” Hannahan said.