Kent State University Senior Vice President and Provost Dr. Robert Frank announced Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, a member of the Wheeling Jesuit class of 1975, as the new dean of the College of Communication and Information on June 4, 2009.

Wearden, who has nearly 25 years of service at Kent State University, is currently the director of Kent State’s School of Communication Studies.

Wearden replaced Dr. James Gaudino, who left the university to become president of Central Washington University.

“Dr. Wearden competed for the dean’s position with a pool of nationally recognized scholars. In addition to being among the most accomplished in his field, he also has a distinguished record with the college and has demonstrated excellence in scholarship, leadership and administration. Among his accomplishments in his most recent role as director of the School of Communication Studies was the doubling of student enrollment over a period of five years,” Frank said.

“Dr. Wearden is an accomplished educator, researcher and academic administrator, and we look forward to the leadership he will provide as dean of the college. Throughout the entire process he demonstrated the vision and capacity needed to lead the college to exciting new heights,” Frank added.

Kent State University President Lester A. Lefton said, “Dr. Wearden is an example of excellence in action. We are proud that our national search for a dean has resulted in the best candidate being one of our own. It is always gratifying to have the opportunity to promote a talented member of our university community.”

Wearden came to Kent State in 1984 as assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. In 2002 he received a Distinguished Teaching Award. He was named interim director of the School of Communication Studies in 2004, and became director in 2005.

Wearden holds a bachelor of arts in English from Wheeling Jesuit University. His graduate work includes a master of science in journalism from West Virginia University and a doctorate in mass communication research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wearden is the author or co-author of 30 publications and the recipient of two Ohio Board of Regents Research Challenge Award grants.